“Since you started working at GMV, what has most impacted your career?”, asked one of the students who attended the GMV lecture, held this Tuesday, 2nd March. The question was addressed to Inês Almeida, Técnico alumna and Mission Analysis & GNC Engineer at GMV, who shared her experience and work with several dozen participants. This lecture was part of the Aerospace Week (SA) that runs until this Thursday.

Inês Almeida shared the virtual stage with another Técnico alumna, Teresa Ferreira, Director of Space at GMV. The alumnae presented the technological business group, with an international presence, and talked about the GMV’s role in the HERA mission.

“GMV has more than 2300 people in 11 countries. The Portuguese team involves more than 120 people and more than half of our business is in the Space sector. We are Europe’s 6th biggest industrial group”, shared Teresa Ferreira. “We only have 10 job vacancies in Portugal, but we have more than 130 worldwide, and this can be an opportunity for those who want to have international experiences and work in different places”, she added.

Inês Almeida shared information about what she considers to be “one of the best missions carried out by ESA so far – the HERA mission”. The alumna explained “The Double Asteroid Redirection Test (DART) mission is directed by NASA and is going to launch a high-speed satellite to impact the asteroid Dimorphos and the HERA mission will then perform follow-up post-impact observations”.

The Alumna also explained the GMV’s role in the mission as the leader of Hera’s GNC [Guidance Navigation Control] system. “The main areas we work in are: mission analysis, proximity operations, the GNC system and the Juventas Cubesat design”.

This year’s edition will provide students with the opportunity to get in touch with professionals from NASA, Rolls-Royce, Google, European Space Agency, Microsoft, etc.

Ana Catarina Pereira, SA coordinator, stresses “we wanted to take the most of the online format. We feel that this year we managed to bring prestigious keynote speakers from all over the world, who addressed high level topics”.

This year’s edition also includes roundtables, workshops and alumni talks.

So far, the feedback has been very positive. According to Ana Catarina Pereira “there is a large number of people attending the lectures, as a result of the online format”. “The contact between students and company representatives has been very dynamic”, she adds. Video calls between students and company representatives have been encouraged in order to further strengthen these contacts.

The job fair took place online using Easy Virtual Fair. “Portuguese and international renowned companies such as Airbus and AWA attended the job fair”, highlights Ana Catarina Pereira. This edition has the premium sponsorship of these two companies which, according to the SA coordinator, was essential “for maximising the visibility of the event”. Students had the opportunity to visit the virtual exhibition stands and get to know 16 industry companies as well as 9 student groups. Today and tomorrow, 4th and 5th March, students have the opportunity to attend virtual roundtables.

“The whole team behind the organisation of the Aerospace Week shares the ambition of providing students with the opportunity to establish a direct contact with the business market to clarify their doubts and demystify their fears”, says the Técnico student. “Students can benefit a lot from this event. On the one hand, they can establish useful contacts with the national and international companies; on the other hand, they can show their talent to the various companies that are hiring”, she stresses. For this reason, the team invites students to participate in the various activities that follow and “to take advantage of this world of opportunities. The sky is not the limit”, says Ana Catarina Pereira.