Dr. France A. Córdova announced today that she plans to retire as President of the Science Philanthropy Alliance. She will continue to lead the organization through February 1, 2027, guiding its work and supporting a thoughtful leadership transition. Following her retirement, she will remain actively engaged with the Alliance community as an External Science Advisor.
“France has guided the Alliance through a period of remarkable growth and evolution,” said Cynthia Friend, Chair of the Board of Directors. “Her leadership has strengthened our strategic direction, expanded our reach and influence, and reinforced the Alliance’s role within the broader research ecosystem. Just as importantly, she has brought extraordinary wisdom, integrity, and generosity to this work. We are deeply grateful for her leadership and especially pleased that she will remain in her role in the coming months to help guide the organization through this transition.”
“It has been an honor to work alongside the Alliance staff and our member community over the past six years to advance scientific discovery,” said Dr. Córdova. “Philanthropy plays an increasingly vital role in supporting basic research and expanding scientific opportunity, and I am proud of the role the Alliance has played in helping elevate and strengthen that work across the science ecosystem. I look forward to continuing this work in the months ahead and helping ensure a strong foundation for the Alliance’s next chapter.”
Dr. Córdova joined the Alliance in 2020 as an External Science Advisor following one of the most distinguished careers in American science and higher education. An astrophysicist and nationally respected scientific leader, she has spent more than three decades advancing science, engineering, and education across academia, government, and philanthropy, serving in five presidential administrations and helping shape the nation’s scientific enterprise at the highest levels.
In May 2021, Dr. Córdova was selected as the Alliance’s third president. Under her leadership, the Alliance has strengthened its position as a leading resource for philanthropists and foundations supporting discovery science. The organization has expanded its advisory services and grown its membership from 30 institutions in 2021 to nearly 50 today, while deepening engagement across its member community. She also guided the Alliance through several major strategic milestones, including the launch of its first formal strategic plan, the creation of the annual Science Philanthropy Indicators report, and the organization’s transition to independent 501(c)(3) nonprofit status.
Beyond the Alliance itself, Dr. Córdova has played an important role in elevating the visibility and influence of philanthropy within the broader scientific research ecosystem, both nationally and internationally. As one example, she played a leading role in adding philanthropy to the Government-University-Industry-Philanthropy Research Roundtable (GUIPRR), a council of the National Academies of Science, Engineering, and Medicine (NASEM) that brings together all the sectors of the science research enterprise to convene, learn, and collaborate. This brought the importance of philanthropy’s contribution to advancing science to the national forefront. Through her leadership and advocacy, she has helped strengthen recognition of philanthropy as a uniquely flexible and catalytic force in advancing bold scientific ideas and long-term scientific progress.
Before joining the Alliance, Dr. Córdova served as Director of the National Science Foundation, President of Purdue University, Chancellor of the University of California, Riverside, Chair of the Smithsonian Institution’s Board of Regents, and NASA Chief Scientist—the youngest person and first woman to hold that role. Throughout her career, she has been a pioneering figure for women in science and scientific leadership and a widely respected advocate for discovery science and scientific opportunity.
Dr. Córdova is the recipient of numerous awards, honors, and honorary degrees recognizing her contributions to science, education, and public service. She continues to serve in leadership roles across the scientific community, including with the National Academy of Sciences, where she chairs the Space Studies Board; Caltech, where she serves as a Trustee; the American Academy of Arts and Sciences; and the American Philosophical Society. Her enduring impact on science policy and scientific leadership was recently recognized through the establishment of the annual France A. Córdova Forum on Science Policy & Society by the American Institute of Physics Foundation. Purdue University named its recreational facility for her and a peak in Antarctica bears her name.
“France’s career has uniquely bridged discovery science, higher education, national policy, and philanthropy,” said Friend. “Few leaders have contributed so broadly or consequentially to the scientific enterprise across so many sectors. Her impact on the Alliance and on the broader scientific community will endure for many years to come.”
The Alliance’s Board of Directors will conduct a search for the organization’s next president. Throughout the transition, the Science Philanthropy Alliance remains committed to advancing scientific discovery through visionary philanthropy and to supporting funders in making ambitious and impactful investments in basic research.
The Board of Directors extends its deepest gratitude to Dr. Córdova for her extraordinary leadership and service to the Alliance and to the broader scientific community. Her vision, integrity, and enduring commitment to discovery science have helped shape the Alliance and strengthen the role of philanthropy in advancing scientific progress worldwide. The Board looks forward to celebrating her remarkable legacy and continued contributions in the months ahead.