As FRIB Experimental Systems Division deputy director, Fernanda G. Garcia streamlines operations through standardized tools and processes to foster collaboration and innovation. Along with her line management responsibilities, Fernanda enhances communication, information access, and operational efficiency and elevates user satisfaction, experiment quality, and scientific productivity within the division. Additionally, Fernanda oversees the division's experimental projects portfolio, ensuring effective project management and alignment with FRIB's mission. In the absence of the division director, she assumes all necessary authority and responsibilities to ensure continuity of operations and decision-making.

The FRIB Experimental Systems Division is responsible for operating experimental areas, laboratory-supported scientific instrumentation, and supporting users with their own equipment. The division also delivers FRIB's unique very low-energy rare isotope beams through beam stopping and preparation for reacceleration, conducts radiation transport calculations for safe facility operation, develops and supports scientific data acquisition, and develops and produces advanced detector systems for beam diagnostics and spectrometers.

Fernanda earned a PhD in physics at the University of São Paulo in Brazil in 2000. Over her 28-year career, Fernanda honed her expertise at two U.S. Department of Energy national laboratories. Her work spanned diverse disciplines, including physics research, accelerator operations, and project management.

At Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory (Fermilab), Fernanda led the 400 MeV Linac for more than a decade. As head of the team responsible for the Linac's maintenance, operation, and strategic upgrades, she achieved a 35-percent increase in linac availability and a 30-percent boost in beam throughput. During this time, she was the Linac Upgrade system manager and served as the Proton Improvement Plan (PIP) deputy project manager. Following the success of completing this upgrade project, she was appointed as system manager of Installation and Commissioning for the PIP-II Project. Additionally, she oversaw the installation of the ICARUS experiment, transporting the detector from CERN to Fermilab.

At SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory, Fernanda served as system manager for Accelerator Systems of the Linac Coherent Light Source-II High Energy (LCLS-II-HE) Upgrade Project at SLAC, managing a scope that included a new SRF injector, expanding the superconducting linac section, and upgrading and expanding the portfolio of undulators. In her final eight months at SLAC, she served as acting project director of the LCLS-II-HE Project.