Articles
A woman who reached for the sky helped women reach for the stars
Amelia Earhart has long inspired young women to pursue their dreams, even if they face obstacles to their goals and especially if those dreams will take them beyond traditional careers. Still, in 2006, women held 1.3 million jobs in science and engineering, a third of the 3.7 million held by men. That means plenty of opportunity for women in these fields. Science and engineering careers offer the chance to make new discoveries and to make a difference in the world.
My View: How our economic garden grows
"The recently announced new crop of 50 Indiana Companies to Watch reflects not only the vision of their founding entrepreneurs, but also the future of Indiana."
U.S.News & World Report
July 2009
40 Years After Moon Landing, Time to Launch the Next 'Giant Leap for Mankind'
The Apollo program was a booster rocket for American science. That innovation must be rekindled.
American Executive
March 2008
Purdue University: Discovery Space
"At a time when research dollars are drying up and public universities face growing funding constraints and rising costs, Purdue has established itself as a major regional engine of economic growth, business incubation, and breakthrough research."
LATINA Style
Vol. 14, No. 1, 2008
"I never forgot my dreams of science, and in 1969, shortly after I graduated from Stanford University I was inspired by two events."
The Presidency
Spring 2006
Losing Sleep Over Student Success?
"Whether our concerns are about the future of an individual student, our nation’s competitiveness, or the health and security of the world’s people, the underlying issue is the challenge of making our students' college experience successful."
Hispanic Business
September 2007
2007 Special Report on Diversity: It's Not Rocket Science
France Córdova Blazes Trail for Diversity at the University Level
Woman
Summer 1997
Head in the Clouds, Feet on the Ground
"We don’t have any idea what our limits are. When you’re out on some of these frontiers, people sometimes don’t understand where you’re going. I want people to feel comfortable with the leading edge."
Mercury
January/February 1992
Women in Astronomy, A Sampler of Issues and Ideas
"Women need encouragement, and this encouragement has to start at home; parents need to value a science career for their daughters."
Science Digest
December 1984
America's Top 100 Young Scientists
"The implications of their work over the next decades will be more profound than we can imagine."
About Dr. Córdova
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An internationally recognized astrophysicist, Córdova served from 1996 to 2002 as a professor of physics and vice chancellor for research at UC Santa Barbara and initiated a “Research Across Disciplines” program that funded and encouraged both interdisciplinary and “blue sky” projects. Before joining UC Santa Barbara, she was chief scientist at NASA from 1993 to 1996, serving as the primary scientific advisor to the NASA administration and the principal interface between NASA headquarters and the broader scientific community. In that role she evaluated the science mission and budget for NASA and worked with the National Science and Technology Council, federal government agencies, and National Academies on a broad range of science policy initiatives. Córdova formerly instructed courses in astrobiology and annually invites 35 students to participate in the President’s Leadership Class at Purdue.
Córdova's scientific career contributions have been in the areas of observational and experimental astrophysics, multi-spectral research on x-ray and gamma ray sources, and space-borne instrumentation. She has published more than 150 scientific papers and was co-principal investigator for a telescope experiment that is currently flying on the satellite XMM-Newton, a cornerstone mission of the European Space Agency. She is the winner of NASA's highest honor, the Distinguished Service Medal, and was recognized as a 2000 Kilby Laureate for “contributions to society through science, technology, innovation, invention, and education.” Córdova was previously included as one of "America's 100 Brightest Scientists Under 40" by Science Digest magazine and recently appeared among the 101 Top Influential Leaders in Hispanic U.S. by Latino Leaders magazine.
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Córdova was elected to the American Academy of Arts and Sciences in 2008 and is a national associate of the National Academies. She is a fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) and the Association for Women in Science (AWIS). Córdova has had several presidential appointments, including the Committee for the National Medal of Science. She is currently serving a six-year presidential appointment to the National Science Board, effective November 2008 and was confirmed as a citizen member of the Smithsonian Institution's Board of Regents in September 2009.
Córdova is on the board of directors of BioCrossroads, Indiana's initiative to grow the life sciences through a public-private collaboration. She is a member of the board of the Central Indiana Corporate Partnership, the Indiana Energy Systems Network, and the Indiana Chamber of Commerce. She is also on the boards of Edison International, Science Applications International Corporation, and the Mayo Clinic. She is a past member of the boards of the American Council on Education and the National Association of State Universities and Land Grant Colleges. She is a present or past member of several science and security policy committees for the National Research Council and the American Academy of Arts and Sciences.
The oldest of twelve children, Córdova attended Stanford University, where she graduated cum laude with a bachelor's degree in English in less than four years. Among other activities, Córdova conducted anthropological fieldwork in a Zapotec Indian pueblo in Oaxaca, Mexico, and won a national writing competition to be a Mademoiselle magazine guest editor. She went on to earn her PhD in physics from the California Institute of Technology, and in 1997, she was awarded an honorary doctorate by Loyola Marymount University, Los Angeles. In 2007, Córdova was given Caltech’s Distinguished Alumni Award, and she was named to Stanford’s Multicultural Hall of Fame in 2008.
Córdova is married to Christian J. Foster, a science educator, and they have two children in college. Córdova and Foster enjoy the outdoors, especially kayaking or canoeing on Indiana’s rivers and bicycling around Purdue. In the spring they plant corn, sunflowers, and chilies in their vegetable garden. During all seasons they cheer mightily for Purdue’s Boilermakers.