To celebrate International Girls in Information and Communication Technology Day (Girls in ICT Day), the atrium of Técnico – Oeiras campus welcomed more than 150 primary and secondary school students on the morning of 24th April.
This initiative, promoted by the International Telecommunication Union (ITU), aimed at encouraging and empowering girls and young women to pursue careers in this field.
During the morning, participants immerse themselves in hands-on experiences and visit laboratories, exploring various aspects of ICT. For many of them, it was an opportunity to discover new passions and consider future technology-related careers.
Sónia Cardoso, a teacher at Escola Básica São Bruno in Caxias, expressed her surprise and enthusiasm about the initiative, emphasising the importance of women in technology. ‘I was completely unaware of this initiative, I think it’s an excellent opportunity for girls to learn more about technology and feel able to explore this field’, she said. Carolina, a 12-year-old student at the same school, shared her excitement at participating in the activities: ‘I think it’s amazing that women can go into science. Girls can do anything boys can do. When I grow up I’d like to be a doctor.
André, 16, a student at Fernando Lopes Graça Secondary School, attended an activity that explained how the human mind works, an electronics activity and visited bioengineering laboratories. He praised the great variety of activities and how they can help in choosing future careers. ‘It helps a lot with what we want for the future, what to do at university.’ Margarida, a teacher at the same school, expressed her confidence that the students would continue to explore ICT fields at university.
Among the younger participants, 10-year-old Avexon was amazed by the experiences of creating games and watching robots in action. ‘Technology helps us learn and develop new skills. I’ve played games, I’ve seen robots that fall and get up on their own without anyone grabbing them. I’ve visited a laboratory, with new and old video games, which reminds us how good it is to play.’
The activities and visits to the various laboratories were organised by around 80 volunteers from the students’ organisations, departments and research units at the Oeiras campus.
