Retrospective - An informal chat with the NSF Director

Dr. Franz Cordova discusses her journey from a research scientist to the NSF director, highlighting her achievements, challenges, and memorable experiences, such as the detection of gravitational waves. She shares her vision for the future of NSF and science, offers advice to young scientists, and reflects on her legacy. Dr. Cordova also reveals her future plans to explore personal interests like writing.

What was Dr. Cordova's initial reaction to being considered for the NSF Director position?

• She was uninterested and declined.

• She was surprised and hesitant.

• She was excited and immediately accepted.

• She was confident and eager.

What was Dr. Cordova's main interest when she started her career in science?

• Teaching

• Understanding the universe

• Engineering

• Policy making

What is Dr. Cordova most proud of during her tenure at NSF?

• Expanding NSF's global presence

• Reducing NSF's workforce

• Achieving scientific breakthroughs and management excellence

• Increasing the NSF budget

How did Dr. Cordova suggest handling challenges?

• Avoid them at all costs

• Delegate them to others

• Ignore them until they resolve themselves

• Confront them head-on with a diverse team

What was Dr. Cordova's most memorable experience as NSF Director?

• Launching a new satellite

• Meeting the President

• Detecting gravitational waves

• Winning a Nobel Prize

What does Dr. Cordova enjoy most about her job as NSF Director?

• Traveling the world

• Working with smart people to solve challenges

• Attending conferences

• Managing a large budget

What is one of the NSF's strategies for future investment?

• Industries of the future

• Reducing funding for high-risk ideas

• Traditional research methods

• Cutting-edge technology

What advice does Dr. Cordova give to young people interested in STEM?

• Avoid policy roles

• Explore and enjoy the adventure of discovery

• Focus only on research

• Concentrate on one field

What was the best advice Dr. Cordova received from her mother?

• Focus solely on personal achievements

• Engage in roles that make a difference for others

• Avoid taking risks

• Stay in research and avoid policy

What legacy does Dr. Cordova hope to leave at NSF?

• A legacy of focusing only on local partnerships

• A legacy of reducing NSF's scope

• A legacy of meeting challenges head-on

• A legacy of avoiding challenges