The “crew”, divided into three groups – students, colleagues, friends and family – gathered in the Great Hall of Técnico – Alameda Campus, on 19 June, to celebrate the career of Amílcar Soares, a retired full professor at Instituto Superior Técnico, Universidade de Lisboa. The occasion marked the ceremony to confer him the title of Emeritus Professor of Universidade de Lisboa.
Using the metaphor of a journey to describe his academic career, Amílcar Soares thanked everyone who had “embarked” with him on the journey that began about 40 years ago in Luanda, where he was born, and brought him to Instituto Superior Técnico. “I was never alone on my journey. All incredible and enriching experiences were lived and shared with people to whom I am infinitely grateful”, he said.
During his lecture titled “The Meaning of a Journey: A Shared Passion”, the professor recalled some of the “unthinkable combinations” he had brought to fruition throughout his career, citing projects such as the Covid -19 infection risk maps (read the news) and the spatiotemporal modeling of extreme drought events in the south of the country. According to the professor, this is due to his “constant curiosity” and collaboration with colleagues, which symbolises “the most optimistic part” of his journey. He described his relationship with students as “one of the most enriching experiences” of his career, emphasising that “the enormous and countless challenges arising from the practice of engineering, as well as the creative solutions and research projects, were born from this relationship”.
Amílcar Soares pointed out what he considers “perhaps the most important group”: friends and family. For the honoree, they are the ones who “make the storms easier to weather” and raise “the benchmark of knowledge to the axis of passion”. Quoting verses from the poem “Ithaca” by Konstantínos Kaváfis, he concluded that the most important thing about a journey is the path traveled. “I keep you close to the left side of my chest”, he said gratefully.
Rogério Colaço, president of Técnico, highlighted the “greatness” of the scholar’s career, who “was able to anticipate challenges and opportunities long before they became evident to most people”. He noted that “Técnico is a stronger institution thanks to his contribution”, and highlighted Amílcar Soares’s role as a leading figure in modern geostatistics, his driving force behind the creation of research centres in geosciences, including Centro de Recursos Naturais e Ambiente (CERENA), which he chaired. “His legacy lives on through his students, his colleagues, his friends, in the research centres he helped establish, and in the international prestige he helped bring to our School and to Universidade de Lisboa”, he added.
According to Maria João Pereira, head of the Department of Mineral and Energy Resources Engineering (DER), the honoree’s career embodies “everything we so desperately need today: sound science, the ability to innovate, an interdisciplinary vision, and the training of individuals capable of addressing complex problems to better support decision-making processes”. Noting that this was a moment of “great significance” for the department, she expressed her “joy” at witnessing the recognition of DER’s “main driving force”. “It is an honour to have our first emeritus professor”, she declared.
Leonardo Azevedo, president of CERENA and professor at Técnico, highlighted how “fortunate” he was to have shared so many moments with his professor, mentor, colleague and friend, pointing out some of Amílcar Soares’ contributions. In addition to founding the Center for Petroleum Reservoir Modeling (CMRP), where he served as president, and co-founding ROADS – Observation and Analysis Network for Desertification and Drought, he has also broken into the literary world with the release of the book “Sentados no Mal”. Furthermore, he offers theoretical lectures on Introductory Geostatistics and Advanced Geostatistics through his YouTube channel. Leonardo Azevedo praised what he considers to be one of the honoree’s key characteristics. “Besides his creative restlessness and curiosity, he believes in his students and empowers them”, he said.
The session concluded with a speech by Luís Ferreira, rector of Universidade de Lisboa, who emphasised Amílcar Soares’ consistent reputation, recognised over the decades “always for the same qualities”. Recalling the professor’s career, which “has spanned more than four decades and built a truly international reputation from his base at Técnico”, the rector highlighted what sets him apart. “He is a scientist who understood better than many that science only truly fulfills its role when it steps outside the classroom and enters real life”. Addressing the younger students, he concluded: “This is the kind of career and the kind of person we want to see flourish at our University”.
The ceremony ended with a music performance by the ULisboa Chamber Choir, followed by a cocktail reception.
