Offside
Limelight

Nuno Cruz, Ricardo André and Luís Seca

Free Nonsense

"I know that INESC Porto offers great competencies and facilities in OFS; this means that we can develop the best sensor configurations and interrogation techniques for the sensing platforms...", Mohammad Zibaii

Have your say

"The relaxed atmosphere, spirit of mutual aid and the exchange of scientific knowledge between colleagues at INESC Porto are all positive factors for me, but it was the projects I have been involved in that have really contributed to my scientific development...", Lucian Ciobanu

Gallery of the Uncommon

Following the analysis of the aesthetics of breasts, the researchers at INESC Porto have turned their attention to the pelvic region. The project is called BioPelvic and consists of a vaginometer which is not to be confused with any other mileage meter. This is a phallic device with sensors and yes ladies, there is a wireless version.

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...

 
 

Personal merit leads us against the tide

Personal merit leads us against the tide

Writing this article without referring to Portugal’s financial difficulties is unthinkable this month, the subject is inescapable.

However, it is important to keep things in perspective. Although the crisis is real, we will only recover by working through this cycle. This means work, effort, organisation and rationality along with boldness, taking risks and being aware of the factors that will ensure sustainability.

Predictions stated that 2010 would be a difficult year, but let us take a look at INESC Porto actual performance. According to the calculations, we can confirm notable growth in the size of the Associate Laboratory, in the number of projects and in the income received.

In 2010, INESC Porto contracted over 38% more projects than in 2009: this resulted in an increase of 47% in income which translates to an increase of more than two million Euros from projects when compared to the previous year.

It is important to highlight that R&D Services and Consulting have played a very important role in this increase; 42% of the income from projects comes from direct science and technology contracts with companies.

Furthermore, INESC Porto’s international activity has also registered growth which corresponds to an invoice volume of 30%.

This means that in these two strategically important areas INESC Porto has shown robustness both in its capacity to transfer technology to companies and in its capacity to secure a strong international presence.

When facing the fluctuations in public funding that affect even competitive research programmes, these two pre-defined objectives have made INESC Porto less dependent on these funds than other institutions in Portugal. Just 14% of INESC Porto’s direct income from projects originates from FCT programmes (Programmes from the Foundation for Science and Technology).

Therefore, the two strategies, internationalisation and transforming knowledge into value, continue to be relevant and will allow us to meet the crisis with a confidence based on facts.