Marcia France
Vice President for Academic Affairs and Provost
Dr. Marica France joins Fulbright with a distinguished career in academia, having held significant leadership roles at Duke Kunshan University and Washington and Lee University. At Duke Kunshan University, a pioneering joint-venture partnership between Duke University in the United States and Wuhan University in China, Dr. France played an instrumental role in transforming the undergraduate program from concept to reality. Established in 2013, Duke Kunshan University offers innovative undergraduate and graduate programs that integrate liberal arts education with research and global perspectives. As the inaugural Dean of Undergraduate Studies and Associate Vice Chancellor for Undergraduate Studies and the Language and Culture Center, Dr. France contributed significantly to shaping the academic programs and fostering a vibrant intellectual community on campus. Under her leadership, the university achieved accreditation and degree-granting authority from the Chinese Ministry of Education and the Jiangsu Department of Education. Dr. France’s commitment to cross-cultural understanding, interdisciplinary collaboration, and undergraduate research has been a driving force behind many of Duke Kunshan University’s groundbreaking initiatives.
Dr. France holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Chemistry from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (M.I.T.), where she had the opportunity to conduct undergraduate research under the guidance of the esteemed 2001 and 2022 Nobel Laureate, K. Barry Sharpless. She then earned a Master of Science in Chemistry from Yale University. As a National Science Foundation pre-doctoral fellow at the California Institute of Technology, Dr. France obtained her Ph.D. in Organic Chemistry, working with the 2005 Nobel Laureate, Robert H. Grubbs. An avid musician, Dr. France has played flute and piccolo with musical ensembles based in the United States, China, Scotland, and France, and she founded the Duke Kunshan University Philharmonic Orchestra in 2019. When she moves to Ho Chi Minh City, Marcia will be accompanied by her two beloved cats, Hamish and Kenzie.
Dr. France’s extensive experience and passion for academic excellence will be invaluable as Fulbright continues to grow and strive for academic distinction. Her leadership will undoubtedly elevate the university, inspiring a new generation of diverse, ambitious leaders and thinkers.
