“I am wondering if today will be as cool as yesterday,” say two participants of Verão na ULisboa. The truth is that the days are never the same because a lot of different activities take place every day. This is the 2nd week of this year’s edition and students are challenged to learn new things and overcome different challenges.
Architecture, Civil Engineering, Chemistry, Biology, Robotics, Computer Science and Mathematics turn into funny activities. Most of participants choose Técnico because they “like engineering” or because someone told them that “this was fun here”, says Diogo Costa, a 14 year old student. “My mother studied here and told me that I should attend Verão na ULisboa at Técnico”. “She was very happy that I came because she really enjoyed studying here but, deep down, I think that she would like that I also studied here”, he adds.
João Teixeira, a 13 year old student, is the most focused of the group and he had already participated in a previous edition, but this is the first time he attends Verão na ULisboa at Técnico. “I am really enjoying it here”, says the young participant. “I am learning a lot with these activities and I thought that engineering was something different. I learnt how engineering can be fun”, he stresses. “The students who welcome us here are always trying to make the activities as fun as possible to us. We feel that they really like studying here and they pass us that feeling”, says João.
Marina Ribeiro arrived from Brazil a few days ago. His father is a researcher at Técnico and gave her the idea of attending Verão na ULisboa. “But I really wanted to come, I didn’t feel obliged” she says. Marina enjoyed all the activities but she preferred the ones related to materials engineering: “I learnt and I had fun doing all the activities, so I can’t choose a less good”. If she is in Portugal next year she intends to come once again.
“Time has flew by so fast this week” and “I’m already missing this” were some of the words heard at the closing session held this Friday, July 13. Professor Luis Caldas de Oliveira, Vice-president of Técnico for Entrepreneurship and Corporate Relations, addressed an audience of about 200 students saying: “All graduates from Técnico have a job, so this is what will happen to you if you come to study here”. “Has anyone built a spaghetti bridge? How many of you burnt with a hot glue gun?”, asked professor Luis Caldas de Oliveira. “This is what engineering is all about. In engineering, besides planning you have also the pleasure of doing things”, stressed the Vice-president of Técnico. “We will be waiting for you here!”.
