France A. Córdova

France A. Córdova is an astrophysicist and the 14th director of the National Science Foundation (NSF). A leader in science, engineering and education for more than four decades, with a distinguished career in both higher education and government, Cordova has served in five presidential administrations, several universities, and three federal agencies. 

Her contributions in multi-spectral research on x-ray and gamma ray sources and space-borne instrumentation have made her an internationally recognized astrophysicist. She was the first woman to become President of Purdue University, and the first Latina Chancellor of the University of California, Riverside. Formerly, she was vice chancellor for research at the University of California, Santa Barbara. Córdova served as chair of the Board of Regents of the Smithsonian Institution and on the board of trustees of Mayo Clinic. She also served as NASA’s chief scientist (first woman and youngest person to hold this position) and is a recipient of the agency’s highest honor, the Distinguished Service Medal. She received her B.A. from Stanford University and her Ph.D. in physics from the California Institute of Technology. Her first government job was with DOE’s Los Alamos National Laboratory. 

Córdova was honored as a Kilby Laureate in 2000, recognized for “significant contributions to society through science, technology, innovation, invention and education.” She was elected to the American Academy of Arts and Sciences and is a National Associate of the National Academies and an Honorary Member of the Royal Irish Academy. She is a fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) and the Association for Women in Science (AWIS). She was named a distinguished alumna of Caltech and today is on its Board of Trustees. She is in Stanford’s Multi-Cultural Hall of Fame and the California Hall of Fame and has multiple honorary doctorates. She has been honored with significant awards from the countries of Ireland and Chile.