Industrial engineering and management were in the spotlight at the 5th edition of Técnico’s MasterTalks, a series of sessions dedicated to presenting the school’s master’s programmes. On January18, Ana Póvoa, a Técnico professor in the area of Operations and Logistics led the event held at Técnico Congress Centre, Alameda campus, The session focused on the functioning of systems that keep the economy and companies working.
For consumer goods to be available to the population it is necessary to guarantee the functioning of supply chains. To do this, we have to take into account the three pillars of supply chain sustainability – their economic viability, environmental impact and human resources management. Balancing all these factors simultaneously is one of the challenges of industrial engineering and management. The MasterTalk covered these and other topics, including various projects developed by students and professors for companies such as Jerónimo Martins, Nespresso or ValorPneu, for optimising waste collection routes and blood and green hydrogen supply chains.
João Diogo wanted to clarify his doubts with the professor as soon as the session ended. The 3rd year Biomedical Engineering student was worried about the difficulties he might face when changing his field of study at the end of the 1st cycle. “This event was extremely useful”, he said as he left the room, after he has clarified his doubts. He heard the testimonial of a former student who did what he is considering doing, reinforcing his confidence.
The 3rd year Chemical Engineering students Júlia Rocha and Sara Gonçalves wanted to learn more about the career opportunities of the Industrial Engineering and Management master’s programme, as these “seem to be broad fields of study”. They shared João Diogo’s doubts, but after a long conversation with professors of the Department of Engineering and Management (DEG), at the end of the MasterTalk, they said they were “very interested”.
Ana Póvoa was also pleased with the event. “It was a very enriching experience”, she said. She also stressed the importance of inviting alumni so that they can share their study experiences and professional achievements, arguing that “the involvement of former students is very positive – they come, give their testimonial and can enlighten future students”. In her opinion, making Técnico courses known to students “is increasingly important” to help them make well-informed decisions about their academic future.
The upcoming MasterTalk, led by Moisés Pinto is scheduled for February 15 and will focus on the master’s programmes offered by the Department of Chemical Engineering.
