‘Paulo’s [Trigo Ribeiro] spirit lives on and we believe this is the most fitting tribute we can pay to him’ – these were the words of António Lorena, one of the patrons of the “Engenheiro Paulo Trigo Ribeiro” scholarship programme, during a ceremony held on 16 May, in the Main Building’s Meeting Room at Técnico – Alameda campus. The scholarship honours the memory of the alumnus and is supported by 3Drivers, the company he founded with members of the Centre for Innovation, Technology, and Policy Research (IN+).
‘As president [of Técnico], I feel it is our responsibility to be a great humanist and affectionate institution; it’s not just any institution’, shared Rogério Colaço, the president of Técnico. ‘What’s happening here today is unique – it marks everyone who passes through here’, he added, highlighting the humanistic nature of the scholarship programmes. ‘These patronage initiatives, which support our students, are important not only for Técnico but also for the country and its people,’ he concluded, thanking the 3Drivers patrons for their initiative, which “pays tribute to our students”.
The scholarship programme supports undergraduate and master’s students in Environmental Engineering, Civil Engineering, Materials Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, and Chemical Engineering.
Daniel Ramos, a 1st year student, was awarded a scholarship. He expressed his gratitude for the support and shared that he chose Técnico after attending an Open Day – ‘I really fell in love with Técnico’. He explained his choice of Environmental Engineering by saying, “I’ve always been very passionate about the sciences,” adding that he wanted to “help our planet in a direct way.” He aspires to make an impact in his field, just as Paulo Trigo Ribeiro did.
Guilherme Galvão, a 2nd year student in the Undergraduate Programme in Civil Engineering, praised the help this scholarship offers for his studies. “Since primary school, I’ve told my parents that I wanted to be a civil engineer, and that I wanted to build houses”, he recalled. “When I was little, I was always drawing my house and thinking of ways to improve it, even adding features like a football pitch.” Referring to Técnico, Guilherme argued “This is where the best of the best come from, and I want to be one of them.”
Paulo Ferrão, a professor at Técnico, who was also Paulo Trigo Ribeiro’s professor and involved in the creation of 3Drivers, shared ‘Paulo [Trigo Ribeiro] was a good man, very upright and very rigorous’, qualities he believes are cultivated at Técnico. ‘This scholarship is an example of how Técnico leaves a mark on people and contributes to society – I’m very proud to be part of the Técnico community, I always have been, and even more so of the people who contribute every day, whose memories we can celebrate.’
