Lia Mermonga Is the First Woman to Lead the Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory

Lia Merminga, an internationally renowned physicist and scientific leader, has been appointed to lead the Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory, which is affiliated with the University of Chicago. Dr. Merminga is the seventh director of the laboratory and the first woman to hold the position.

Fermilab is a 6,800-acre facility headquartered in Batavia, Illinois. It is the United States’ premier particle physics and accelerator laboratory. Fermilab’s mission is to shed new light on our understanding of the universe, from the smallest building blocks of matter to the deepest secrets of dark matter and dark energy.

Dr. Merminga first came to Fermilab in 1987 as a student in the newly established graduate program in accelerator physics. She has been serving as the director for the Proton Improvement Plan II or PIP-II project at Fermilab.

“Fermilab has given me a very rewarding career. I love the institution and am excited for the opportunity to give back to the lab,” Dr. Merminga said. “My goal as Fermilab director is to successfully complete this profound and compelling vision while continuing to deliver groundbreaking science and technology innovation and realize the lab’s full potential in workforce development and diversity, lab operations, and in regional, national, and international partnerships.”

Dr. Merminga earned her bachelor’s degree in physics from the University of Athens in Greece. She holds a master’s degrees in physics and mathematics and Ph.D. in physics from the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor.