Biography

Francisco Córdova, Director of the Arecibo Observatory in Puerto Rico

Francisco Córdova is the director of the Arecibo Observatory, home to the largest operational single dish radio telescope in the world. He leads a team of world-renowned scientists and engineers performing cutting-edge research in astronomy, atmospheric sciences and planetary sciences.

He is the youngest director ever to lead a Large Facility for the National Science Foundation. During his tenure, he has secured over 60M in research funding for the facility from private and government agencies. Prior to his current role, he served as the senior manager for Composite Materials and Fabrication for Boeing Research and Technology. Córdova holds advanced engineering degrees from the University of Puerto Rico at Mayaguez, and the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor and is a registered professional engineer in Puerto Rico.

For more information, please visit:  https://www.naic.edu/ao/