The inaugural session of the Faraday Museum took place this Monday and was organised by the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering (DEEC). The Museum gathers different “historical” equipment and furniture in the same place.

During the solemn ceremony, professor Luís Castro, Vice-President of Técnico, left some words on behalf of professor Arlindo Oliveira, President of Técnico, who could not be present: “This Museum is also an example of Técnico’s contributions to the development of Science and Technology in Portugal”.

The Vice-President noted that “Técnico is a forward-looking school” but “to prepare for the future we should learn from the past”. “These equipments at Faraday Museum mark our past and how scientific and technological development will be (…). These types of museums are essential.”

Professor Leonel Sousa, president of DEEC, highlighted the importance of this new space that “gathers more than 100 years of history of teaching and research at Técnico”, in a total of 600 pieces. According to the professor, one of the main goals is to make available to IST community a part of the school’s memory”. “Today we celebrate Electrical Engineering”, said professor Leonel Sousa, who took the opportunity to thank professors Moisés Piedade and Carlos Ferreira Fernandes for making this event possible.

A speech titled “A imaginação de Michael Faraday” was delivered by Jorge Calado, Emeritus Professor at Técnico, who considered the scientist “the most important chemist and physicist of all time.

Professor António Cruz Serra, Rector of ULisboa, closed the session noting “We must learn from the past and look towards the future: we are building an University (…). This Museum will definitely help the work of the new researchers who are now coming to our schools”.

The Faraday Museum is located at Instituto Superior Técnico, in Alameda campus. It occupies seven rooms and is organised in three thematic areas: Instrumentation and Writing, Audio, Radio and TV, and Communications.