Offside
Limelight

César Toscano, Pedro Almeida, Filipe Joel Soares and Ângelo Martins

Free Nonsense

"Here, the focus is on the quality of the analysis, rather than on the institute’s bottom line. (...) I am excited to be part of such an institution, where good work, problem solving, research and innovation are highly valued", Kristen Schell

Have your say

"My favourite part of Porto is the famous francesinha, a dish I like to describe to my friends at home as the “soggy sandwich”, it is something that I will certainly try to introduce back in the UK. But above all I enjoy the relaxed atmosphere here in Portugal...", Jessica Dossena

Gallery of the Uncommon

As a prestigious and reputable institution INESC Porto likes to live life at the top. Therefore, the opening of the exhibition "Economic valorisation of the results of R&D projects: Success stories” was made available via live broadcast.

Jobs 4 the Boys & Girls

In this section, the reader may find reference to public announcements made by INESC Porto offering grants, contracts and other opportunities of the same kind.

Biptoon

More scenes of how life goes merrily on...

 
 

KNOWING AND WANTING

KNOWING AND WANTING

Scienter et volenter

If we had to choose a motto for INESC Porto, this would certainly be a strong candidate.

Knowing and wanting. Knowing, because without knowledge we would be reduced to a primitive type of expression and to disorganised and perhaps even superstitious empiricism. The modern type, that which we call scientific knowing, was born with the experimental school and rationalism; but it was not a clear winner it is but a permanent attack on the trenches of ignorance.

And wanting, because it is this desire that we have to be in command of to go that bit further, to be more, to suffer the virtuous obstinacy that has the power to transform delirium into a dream and then into reality.

We are commemorating 25 years of INESC in the city of Porto and who will deny us the right to cry scientia et voluntas? We have demonstrated that we have the knowhow and the desire, but having them without using them is a useless exercise.  Thus making the gerund, the dynamic and the action all a part of scienter et volenter. It is a manifestation that an act is not fortuitous, it is not by chance, it is conscious it does not end, it happens and it flows.

In the vertigo of anniversary celebrations, BIP’s tenth seems a lot smaller.

But it is just to highlight the composed and notable work performed by this bulletin. In November the bulletin completed 10 years of uninterrupted circulation of what could be the most irreverent series published by a well-known scientific organisation.

But we shan’t dwell on this compliment, even the Portuguese explorer Vasco de Gama when put in front of the king of Melinde argued:

(…)But you command me to praise mine own glory. That another may praise an effort not their own is a common and desirable one; but to praise mine own, I fear that suspect I become.*    

The BIP is a unique way of sharing news and INESC Porto should be proud of it. According to Google Analytics, in February 2010 the BIP site had received 1714 visits from 1283 people living in 43 different countries. With this worldwide impact the BIP becomes our ambassador.

It has been said that there is a book shop in Paris that boasts the motto: legentem iuvo, I help those who read. We know that the BIP has made many different people and organisations more aware of whom we are. If INESC Porto chose the motto we have suggested above, clearly the BIP could take on this one, knowing as we know that helping others helps us too.

 

*not official translation

 

Photo: PunchStock.com