FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact:
Joseph Rendeiro
jrendeiro@nclr.org
(202) 776-1566
Last week, President Obama announced his intent to nominate former Purdue University President France Córdova to be Director of the National Science Foundation. NCLR (National Council of La Raza) applauds the president for this outstanding selection. When she is confirmed, Dr. Cordova will become the first Latina and only the second woman to lead the Foundation.
“It is hard to imagine a better person for this post than France Córdova. Her record of achievement as not only an internationally recognized scientist who specializes in astrophysics but also a tremendously successful college administrator and, most recently, college president makes her an ideal choice for this post,” said Janet Murguía, President and CEO of NCLR. “Throughout Dr. Cordova’s distinguished career, she has been a pioneer for women and Hispanics in the sciences and technology. Among her numerous achievements, she was the first Latina to serve as Chief Scientist for NASA, and she was the first woman and first Latina to serve as President of Purdue University, a leading research institution noted for its discoveries in science, technology and engineering.”
“Córdova’s nomination is also a great step forward for those of us who want to see more minorities and women in the science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) fields,” added Murguía. “Dr. Córdova’s legacy includes years of strong advocacy on behalf of greater diversity in both science and higher education. As President of Purdue, she increased the number of women in senior administrative positions by 57% and the number of minorities by 80%. She has been a champion for our community all her life and we look forward to her tenure at the Foundation. We urge the Senate to confirm her as quickly as possible.”
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