On March 12, the U.S. Senate confirmed France A. Córdova as next Director of the National Science Foundation (NSF). According to Nature, Dr. Córdova has a reputation for budgetary acuity. She aims to partner with industry, foundations, and private donors to alleviate stagnant funding levels for NSF. In order to increase congressional confidence in NSF funding, Córdova stresses a more substantial explanation of agency purpose when awarding grants.

Before her ascension to the Directorship, Dr. Córdova served as a member on the National Science Board. She previously held positions as President of Purdue University, Chancellor at the University of California Riverside, Chief Scientist at NASA, and most recently Chair of the Smithsonian Institution's Board of Regents. She received her PhD in physics from California Institute of Technology in 1979. Her career research specializes in astrophysics, specifically multi-spectral research on x-ray and gamma ray sources and space-borne instrumentation.

Sources: National Science Foundation; Nature; U.S. Senate website