Members of Brazil’s scientific community are campaigning for Francilene Procópio Garcia to lead the Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation in President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva’s next government. Garcia has chaired the Brazilian Society for the Advancement of Science (SBPC) since July 2025. The ministry is currently headed by Luciana Santos of the Communist Party of Brazil (PCdoB).
Supporters include Fiocruz emeritus researcher Renato Cordeiro, academics from the Brazilian Academy of Sciences, and researchers at Fiocruz and universities across the country. The effort is being organized by individual scientists and researchers and does not represent an official position of those institutions.
Cordeiro praised Garcia’s experience in managing science, technology and innovation programs, including work on planning and evaluating public policies, innovative businesses, and information technology’s impact on production systems.
Garcia earned a bachelor’s degree in computer science in 1987, a master’s degree in the same field in 1994, and a doctorate in electrical engineering in 1999, all from the Federal University of Paraíba. She has also served as executive secretary for science, technology and innovation in the government of Paraíba.
Sources: Folha Poder.