Former NASA scientist touches down on Leeside
The first woman to serve as NASA’s chief scientist was on Leeside yesterday to receive an Honorary Doctorate from UCC.
Dr France Anne Córdova is a distinguished scientific, engineering and education leader with over three decades of experience at universities and national labs.
She served as director of the United States’ National Science Foundation under Presidents Barack Obama and Donald Trump.
Prior to her visit, she said: “I look forward to talking with students and faculty about the importance of scientific discovery to our daily lives, including helping us out of a terrible pandemic with new vaccines and key studies of the nature of the infectious Covid-19 disease and how it is spread. I believe an investment in discovery research is key to realising our greatest potential and key to improving life for all humankind.”
Dr Córdova has made contributions to science in the domains of observational and experimental astrophysics, as well as multi-spectral studies on x-ray and gamma-ray sources and space-borne instruments.
She has served in both Democratic and Republican presidential administrations as the 14th director of the National Science Foundation, as well as serving on business and non-profit boards.
Dr Córdova has also previously served as a NASA chief scientist, becoming the youngest person ever and the first woman to be appointed to the role. She subsequently received the agency's highest honour, the Distinguished Service Medal, while working at NASA.
She is the current President of the Science Philanthropy Alliance, whose mission is to advance scientific discovery through visionary philanthropy.
An Irish-American, Dr Córdova is an honorary citizen of Ireland and is a previous recipient of the Kennedy-Lemass medal.
“Ireland’s rich intellectual and cultural history is inspiring,” she said adding: “I have Irish heritage through my mother, whose ancestors came from counties Clare and Dublin. When I come to Ireland it is like coming home. I appreciate the warm welcome extended by virtue of this honorary doctorate.”
She said: “UCC has produced industrialists, doctors, scientists, prime ministers, novelists, actors and singers – as well as rugby players and footballers. It celebrates a diversity of scholars, an attitude worth cultivating in an age when we want to welcome all people to higher education opportunities.
“The university also offers a host of academic fields, each with something special to offer to address our current world challenges. I look forward to walking through its gorgeous campus, steeped in history and culture.”
Dr Cordova concluded: “I am very proud to be receiving an honorary doctorate from the university that appointed the first woman in Ireland to be a university professor – and the university where Boolean algebra, so important to computer programming, had its roots. For me there is no greater thrill than learning and discovery. I acquire both with my passion for studying the cosmos.”
Meanwhile, today, Thursday, Mr Eoin O’Driscoll will receive an honorary doctorate at a conferring ceremony.
After more than 25 years working with major ICT multinationals in Ireland and the US where he held senior positions at Nortel, Wang Laboratories, Stratus and Lucent Technologies, Mr O’Driscoll’s focus over the past decade has been on growing Irish firms and developing Ireland’s enterprise and science policy. A graduate of UCC with a Bachelors and a Masters Degree in Engineering, Mr O’Driscoll is a fellow of Engineers Ireland and a fellow and former president of the Irish Academy of Engineers.
UCC President Professor John O’Halloran said: “This week sees our university bestow its highest honour on two very deserving recipients. On behalf of UCC I want to warmly welcome Dr Córdova to Ireland, her ancestral home, and to congratulate her on a lifetime of discovery. I want to thank Eoin O’Driscoll for his service to Tyndall National Institute and commend him on his record in innovation.”