Marchello-Nizia studied at the
École normale supérieure de Fontenay-Saint Cloud, receiving her doctorate in 1975. She subsequently held a position as assistant professor at
Sorbonne University (1966–70) before returning to the École normale supérieure de Fontenay as associate professor (1970–84), then full professor (1984-2006); the ENS moved to Lyon in 2000. From 1994 until 2004 she was a senior member of the
Institut Universitaire de France, and between 1997 and 2000 director there. Marchello-Nizia has been the recipient of numerous national and international awards. In 1998 she was made a Knight of the
Legion of Honour for services to education, and was promoted to Officer in 2013. She has been a member of the
Finnish Academy of Science and Letters since 2002, and was awarded an honorary doctorate by the
University of Helsinki in 2003. In 2021 she was elected Member of the
Academia Europaea. ==Research==