Cora Bagley Marrett facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Cora Bagley Marrett
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| Acting Director of the National Science Foundation | |
| In office March 2013 – March 2014 |
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| Preceded by | Subra Suresh |
| Succeeded by | France A. Córdova |
| Acting Director of the National Science Foundation | |
| In office June 2010 – October 2010 |
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| Preceded by | Arden L. Bement, Jr. |
| Succeeded by | Subra Suresh |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 1942 (age 82–83) Kenbridge, Virginia |
| Alma mater | |
| Occupation | Sociologist |
Cora Bagley Marrett (born 1942) is a famous American sociologist. A sociologist is someone who studies how people behave in groups and how societies work. She served as the deputy director of the National Science Foundation (NSF) from May 2011 to August 2014. The NSF is a U.S. government agency that supports science and engineering research.
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Early Life and Education
Cora Bagley Marrett was born in 1942 in the small town of Kenbridge, Virginia. She was the youngest of 12 children. Her parents had only finished the sixth grade, but they encouraged their children to pursue education.
Marrett attended Virginia Union University, a historically black university in Richmond, Virginia, where she earned her first degree. She then went on to the University of Wisconsin-Madison. In 1968, she earned her PhD, the highest degree you can get, in sociology.
A Career in Science and Education
University Professor
After finishing her education, Dr. Marrett began her career as a professor. She taught at Western Michigan University and the University of North Carolina.
From 1974 to 1997, she was a professor of Sociology and Afro-American Studies at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Later, she moved to the University of Massachusetts-Amherst, where she worked as a top administrator and professor until 2001. She then returned to the University of Wisconsin System as a senior vice president.
Working for the National Science Foundation
Dr. Marrett has had an important role at the National Science Foundation (NSF). From 1992 to 1996, she was an assistant director at the NSF. She was in charge of the departments for Social, Behavioral, and Economic Studies, and later for Education and Human Resources.
She returned to the NSF in 2011 as the deputy director, which is the second-in-command. She even served as the acting director twice, meaning she was in charge of the entire organization for a short time.
Helping Others
Throughout her career, Dr. Marrett has used her knowledge to help many organizations. She has worked with the United Negro College Fund, which helps African American students go to college.
She has also served on important committees for the U.S. government. These include groups that advise on science, health, and even safety, like the commission that investigated the Three Mile Island nuclear accident.
Awards and Recognition
Dr. Marrett has received many awards for her hard work and dedication.
- Distinguished Service Award from the National Science Foundation.
- An honorary doctorate degree from Wake Forest University in 1996.
- In 1996, she became a Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science, a special honor for scientists.
- In 1998, she became a Fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences.
- In 2008, she received the Cox-Johnson-Frazier Award for her work in social justice and helping disadvantaged people.
- In 2012, the University of Wisconsin gave her the Distinguished Alumni Award.
