Free Nonsense
INESC Porto as a transition of cycle
*By Pedro Castanheira
Thank you to BIP
First and foremost, I would like to start by thanking BIP for the opportunity to participate with an article. This Bulletin, in my opinion, plays an outstanding role in the integration of new collaborators in INESC Porto, including several news and articles about the different collaborators working in several domains of engineering, among others. Reading BIP is also an excellent opportunity to get to know the people that "make" INESC Porto, even if we don’t work closer to them or know them that well. Thus, BIP is also a connection point between every collaborator, creating a healthy environment for the institution itself.
A little bit more about me…
My name is Pedro Castanheira, one of the new collaborators in UESP. I’m 25 years old and I have been working since March on the H-Know project, which will also be the theme for my final dissertation of the Integrated Master’s in Informatics and Computing Engineering (MIEIC), of the Faculty of Engineering of the University of Porto.
My degree allowed me to improve my professional experience since the integration in entrepreneurial projects starts early, and that is an extra motivational factor. After that, the integration in the business world can be improved and the student strives to fulfil entrepreneurial and academic goals. Thus, the participation in entrepreneurial projects is a way to bring added value to our academic experience and to be more professionally experienced.
Transition: from the Academic life to the Professional life
Even though I am still a student, I can say that I have already started my professional life because my collaboration at INESC Porto marked the beginning of my career. At the same time, this new stage means that my academic experience will be over soon since I am finishing my last dissertation.
During our academic life, we experience things that, one way or the other, we end up repeating in our professional life and this is what helps us prepare for future challenges. This transition brings a series of changes, new responsibilities, goals, methods, and others. However, I believe that that change is enriching and makes us grow: it forces us to awake to a new reality that requires us to change the way we behave, the way we work and the way we live. Thus far, this experience has been quite constructive.
I am fully aware that that the traineeships carried out during our academic training or that the academic projects with an entrepreneurial integration are an extremely positive and necessary stage for any student to start their professional life. One of the most positive aspects of my professional experience at INESC Porto is that here I can and I will commit myself to practice what I’ve learned throughout college.
Project
During the last semester of MIEIC, we have to carry out a project/dissertation, which consists of the student’s integration in the professional world before the end of the academic experience. Coming to INESC Porto was no mere chance. In fact, many collaborators from INESC Porto are professors within MIEIC and, as such, one of the options presented to me was participating in a project, more specifically at UESP. The project that captivated me the most was the H-Know, coordinated by Lucas Soares.
A team from UESP is currently involved in this project, in collaboration with several national and international partners. The main goal of the H-Know project is to develop an ICT solution for Small and Medium Enterprises (SME) that will include services to promote innovative and competitive training and knowledge. This will be the platform for the creation of new research and development in technology targeting SMEs through the integration of specific knowledge. At the same time, the project introduces a new approach for knowledge management that is relevant for SMEs in the Construction Industry that will deal with tasks, such as, building restoration and management, including cultural heritages.
Further information
http://www2.inescporto.pt/uesp-en/news-events/news/inesc-porto-arranca-com-o-projecto-europeu-h-know
Welcoming
It is inevitable for me to mention how I was welcomed at INESC Porto. I received a warm welcome from UESP’s collaborators, and thus my integration and acceptance as a team member was almost instantaneous. Obviously, people are the most important foundation of any institution and not everyone is lucky enough to start their professional career at INESC Porto, a place with a wonderful work environment and nice people who worry about making sure that everyone’s integration is easy and smooth. Therefore, I would like to thank everyone who has helped me thus far. I would like to finish with a little bit of humour…
Interesting aspects
The "employee of the month"
One of the funniest things I found out when I came to INESC Porto was that every month someone is distinguished for his/her work during the previous month, something "a la McDonald’s".
An adventure at INESC Porto’s cafeteria...
Another curious aspect has to do with the tables and stools in INESC Porto’s cafeteria. It’s funny how because of them we have to eat very fast and, in case we take too long, we might get a hunchback or even worse. I think that that is a way to prevent us from enjoying leisure times for too long. Wouldn’t it be a good idea to add some stools to the higher tables and make the short tables higher?
* Collaborator at the Manufacturing Engineering Systems Unit (UESP)
