New Mexican named National Science Foundation Director

France Cordova

An internationally recognized astrophysicist with ties to New Mexico has been tapped to serve as the next director of the National Science Foundation. 

The nomination of France Cordova was approved by the U.S. Senate this week. 

Cordova, a Santa Fe resident, is a former president of Purdue University. She's also on the governing board of the Smithsonian Institution and she worked at Los Alamos National Laboratory between 1979 and 1989. 

With an annual budget of more than $7 billion, the foundation provides funding for more than one-fifth of all federally supported basic research conducted by America's colleges and universities.

New Mexican named National Science Foundation Director