“A woman who did not accept her fate”, said Rogério Colaço, president of Instituto Superior Técnico, as he recalled Maria de Lourdes Pintasilgo at the ceremony held on 3 December 2025, which marked the 9th edition of the award in her honour.
Created to annually recognise Técnico alumnae for their academic, professional or social impact, the Award reinforces, in the words of the president of Técnico, the intention to “promote women in engineering”, in a context where “gender and social inequalities” persist. For Técnico, he added, this represents “an ethical and moral obligation” inherent to its role as a public higher education institution.
The three engineers honoured in this year’s edition have careers that focus on achieving more inclusive engineering. Engineer Diana Marques, a PhD finalist in Bioengineering and Biosciences, was recognised in the Young Alumna category for her pioneering role in introducing cellular agriculture in Portugal. Her career, which began “in December 2019”, includes the creation of the first fish fillets using three-dimensional bioprinting and the development of electroconductive bio-inks for food bioprinting. She described her research field as “a science that transforms, evolves and protects”, adding that “gender equality is not just a women’s cause, but a collective responsibility”.
Engineer Susana Monteiro, who graduated in Computer Science and Engineering from Técnico, was also honoured in the Young Alumna category. Her academic career culminated in a master’s thesis developed in collaboration with Google, dedicated to secure interoperability between C++ and Rust, an emerging topic in large-scale software systems. For Susana, this distinction “honours all women and their potential”. She also recalled that “in Maria de Lourdes Pintasilgo’s time, women represented 1% of the student body” and that, in 2019, “28% of Técnico students were women”, emphasising that “equality should be assessed not just in terms of numbers, but more importantly, in terms of opportunities”.
The Role Model category honoured Cristina Cachola, who holds a degree in Chemical Engineering from Técnico, in recognition of her outstanding career in the energy sector, marked by a rising trajectory at Galp, which culminated in her current position as Head of Refining at the Sines Refinery. Her return to Técnico, almost four decades after completing her academic journey, was a moment filled with memories and emotion. Cristina recalled being “the first woman to take over the leadership of a refinery in Portugal” and addressed the younger generations, encouraging them to face challenges without fear of making mistakes, arguing that “female leadership often embodies a more humanised approach”.
Alexandre Bernardino, co-coordinator of the Diversity and Gender Balance Group at Técnico, revisited the evolution of institutional policies since 2016. The significant increase in applications for the Maria de Lourdes Pintasilgo Award in 2025 was a “sign of the community’s growing involvement”. He also highlighted that policies such as exempting professors from work after parental leave or creating inclusive environments can significantly influence professional trajectories, despite the persistence of structural imbalances. “The game plan is historically unbalanced”, he noted, arguing for the need to keep this discussion active within the academic community.
The event also featured a speech by Clara Raposo, Deputy Governor at Banco de Portugal, who described the session as “a ceremony of great significance”, arguing that “all the awards were truly deserved for the extraordinary work carried out”. Warning of the “risk of regression in many areas, particularly in health and education”, she recalled that “equality begins at home” and expressed that she felt “great determination in today’s award winners”.
Cecília Rodrigues, Vice-Rector of Universidade de Lisboa, closed the ceremony with a reflection on the academic space acting as an engine of transformation. She considered the event “a point of convergence for various revolutions”, reinforcing that “engineering and ingenuity have no gender” and that the recipe for success is “to work twice as hard, think ahead and never ask permission to be brilliant”, she concluded.
The Maria de Lourdes Pintasilgo Award annually honours Técnico female graduates in two categories: Role Model Alumna, dedicated to former students who have completed their studies more than 15 years ago and have made outstanding contributions throughout their professional career; and Young Alumna, aimed at recent graduates under the age of 27, whose Master’s thesis has been distinguished for its scientific quality and whose academic performance at Técnico has been remarkable.
