The Egyptian vulture uses small rocks to crack the eggs by dropping them onto the egg until it cracks, and then feed. This and other species of birds that can be found in Portugal – such as the griffon vulture and the black vulture – face threats to their survival posed by power lines.
Inês Pereira, a member of the environmental organisation Quercus, gave a talk on this topic. This was one of the activities of the 15th Environmental Engineering Seminar Series, an event organised by the Environmental Engineering Students’ Organisation. From 14th to 16th February, the Técnico community was able to get to know various companies, career opportunities and useful information related to Environmental Engineering.
The Quercus representative gave some examples of measures to prevent the deaths of these animals due to electrocution, such as spirals that make the power lines more visible and devices that prevent birds from landing there. There was also discussion on how environmental engineers study the implementation of new network power sections, taking into account the habitats of species of a specific region.
Rosário Partidário, a professor at Técnico and Head of the Independent Technical Commission for the new Lisbon airport, gave a presentation on the logistical and environmental issues arising from the construction of a new airport and shared the benefits and impacts of creating a new infrastructure of this nature. “There is no major infrastructure investment without environmental impacts”, she said. According to the Técnico professor, given the increased demand at Portela airport in recent years, it is essential to recognise the complexity of the problem and, above all, when a decision is made, to commit to implementing concrete measures.
The programme also included a Pitch Room – a series of brief conversations between the students and company representatives. After a short presentation, the students are assessed by the company representatives on their communication effectiveness, also getting to know the areas of expertise of these companies.
In a break between sessions, Iara Serbaneci says “it’s important to practice this part [job interview performance]”. The Environmental Engineering Master’s student shares “this event is very important to decide what you can do after you finish your degree, to understand the role of students and their opportunities outside Técnico and to start networking”. Francisco Santos, who recently completed his Master’s in Environmental Engineering, agrees with Iara’s views. “I’m looking for a job and the Pitch Room seemed like a very good initiative”, he said. In his opinion, “more than an activity for university students, this type of event “is something interesting for those looking to enter the job market”.
