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New NSF Director (13762273685)-by National Science Foundation-

Top 10 Facts About Dr. France C贸rdova

France C贸rdova is an astronomer who became NASA’s youngest and first female top scientist. According to Cordova, many people didn’t believe she’d make it as a scientist as she encourages young people to be optimistic, 鈥淩eaching goals isn鈥檛 for pessimistic people. At all steps of my career, there was someone saying, 鈥淚 wouldn鈥檛 do that. You鈥檙e too old, too young, too inexperienced. There are always naysayers.鈥� Her die-hard optimism has secured her a position as the director of the National Science Foundation and as president of many universities. She achieved international acclaim as a result of her multispectral research on X-ray and gamma-ray sources, as well as space-borne instruments. Here are some of the Things to know about Dr. France C贸rdova.

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1. She was originally named Francoise

White and black scrabble tiles on a white surface by Visual Tag Mx-

While pregnant with her, Frances’s parents expected to have a boy, whom they had planned to name Frederick III. As a result, France’s mother embroidered tiny Fs on all of the baby’s clothing. When they had a daughter, they named her Francoise, which C贸rdova later shortened to France.

2. She is biracial

C贸rdova was born to a Mexican-American mother and an Irish-American father. Her father, Frederick C贸rdova, was a West Point graduate assigned to the Cooperative for American Remittances Everywhere (CARE), a nonprofit organization founded after WWII to deliver food and clothing in war-torn Europe.

3. She was the youngest and first female NASA chief scientist

Celebrating the 2012 National Medal of Science awardees (15975269003)-by National Science Foundation-

C贸rdova previously served as NASA’s chief scientist, representing the agency to the larger scientific community and infusing the agency’s efforts, notably the International Space Station, which was then under construction, with the scientific goals of the broader community. She was NASA’s youngest and first female head scientist, and she received the agency’s highest accolade, the Distinguished Service Medal.

4. She has served as president of a number of universities

鈥淢y joy as a scientist has been to think broadly and creatively, to think how to use all our assets and how to engage others in the quest for more understanding,鈥� stated Cordova on why she enjoys teaching. Prior to joining NASA Cordova served as the head of the Department of Astronomy and Astrophysics at Pennsylvania State University. She went on and coordinated a campuswide initiative to foster convergence in blue-sky research fields as vice chancellor for research and professor of physics at UC Santa Barbara. In 2002, she was named Chancellor at the University of California, Riverside where she was also a Distinguished Professor of Physics and Astronomy. Cordova was instrumental in creating the UC Riverside School of Medicine.

C贸rdova became Purdue University’s eleventh president in 2007, promoting student success and the commercialization of multidisciplinary research. Her administration supervised the creation of Purdue’s College of Health and Human Sciences, as well as the Global Policy Research Institute. Purdue trustees lauded her for guiding the school to record levels of research money, reputational rankings, and student retention rates at the end of her term.

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5. She has served as the director of the National Science Foundation (NSF)

Sekhar Basu signs the cooperation MoU with Director, NSF, USA-by Reetesh Chaurasia-

On March 31, 2014, France A. C贸rdova was sworn in as the director of the National Science Foundation (NSF). She was confirmed by the United States Senate on March 12 after being nominated by President Barack Obama to lead the $7.2-billion independent federal agency. C贸rdova leads the sole government science organization tasked with improving all disciplines of scientific discovery, technological innovation, and STEM education. The National Research Foundation’s programs and projects keep the United States at the vanguard of research and engineering, empower future generations of scientists and engineers, and promote US prosperity and worldwide leadership.

6. She has served on several boards

She joined the board of directors of BioCrossroads, Indiana’s plan to enhance the life sciences through a public-private partnership that supports the region’s research and corporate capabilities while promoting new business growth, in September 2007. She also served Smithsonian Institution’s Board of Regents and was also elected to the Caltech Board of Trustees.

7. C贸rdova is married to Christian J. Foster, a science educator

Wedding rings by qimono-

C贸rdova is married to Christian J. Foster, a science educator, and they have two children, Anne-Catherine and Stephen. In one of her interviews, she joked that her marriage started off on the rocks. That’s because she met her spouse while rock climbing on the Rio Grande’s cliffs. Climbing is a hobby she began in college in the 1960s, but it is also a metaphor for her achievements in astrophysics, science administration and policy, and academic leadership.

8. She was once involved in journalistic activity

C贸rdova undertook field research at a Zapotec Indian town in Oaxaca, Mexico, as part of an anthropology class at Stanford, and later wrote a novella based on her experiences. The Women of Santo Domingo was awarded one of the top 10 entries in a Mademoiselle magazine competition.

9. She has won numerous awards for her work

NSB meeting and awards ceremony, May 5, 2016 (36369523755)-by National Science Foundation-

She was named a Kilby Laureate, which honors people who have made “significant contributions to society through science, technology, innovation, invention, and education.”  she was also awarded the NASA Distinguished Service Medal, the agency’s highest accolade. In 2002, Hispanic Business Magazine named her one of the 80 Elite Hispanic Women. President George W. Bush appointed her to the National Science Board in 2008. The Adler Planetarium presented her with the Women in Space Science Award in 2012.

10. Her research interests are in observational and experimental astrophysics

C贸rdova made scientific contributions in observational and experimental astrophysics, multi-spectral studies on x-ray and gamma-ray sources, and space-borne instruments. She has over 150 scientific papers to her credit and is currently working on an experiment for the European Space Agency’s X-Ray Multi-Mirror Mission.

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Dr. France Corvoda has ascended to tremendous heights by putting one hand above the other and never giving up, studying the cosmos while also becoming a national role model for young people, particularly women, who aspire to do the same