This Tuesday, 29th January, the Department of Chemical Engineering (DEQ) challenged several students, professors, researchers and staff to form a human periodic table at Alameda campus.

The 120 participants followed the instructions given by professor Henrique Matos, Vice-president of DEQ: “Raise high your symbol! When I start whistling you will raise your symbol as much as you can”. A drone flew over the human periodic table and captured a memorable photo.

Carolina Lopes, Chemical Engineering student, explained why she decided to participate in the event: “I think this is a very exciting and dynamic activity, and this should be repeated in the future. We must remember and honour the important discoveries made in our fields of study. And it’s even better if we can do it all together and have fun. Professor Ana Paula Dias was very pleased to hold Iron (Fe): “I’ve always enjoyed working with iron, not to mention that it is a very important component”. “I think this is a very funny activity. The periodic table is a wonderful thing, which made chemists work much easier”, she added. “Kids should learn about the periodic table of elements from an early age, so that it wouldn’t be a shock years later”.

Professor Teresa Duarte, president of DEQ, was visibly happy to see so many people participating in this activity, which “brought together several members of Técnico community”. The professor explained that the celebrations of the International Year of the Periodic Table will continue: “Several activities will be held throughout the year. This Wednesday we will organise a DEQ Talk and many others will take place this year. The chemical engineering student group will organise the night of the periodic table, which will include different games. We are planning to put a banner in the south tower building to mark the IYPT2019”. “The periodic table is the basis of everything, it is the basis of chemistry but it is also the basis of life. The periodic table and chemistry are everywhere”, said professor Teresa Duarte.