Técnico Alumni is a platform that allows former students of Instituto Superior Técnico to reconnect, relive, and reminisce their time at Técnico through access to a network of contacts with other Alumni. It is within the context of this platform’s activities that this interview with Carolina Bento, a former student of DEI (Department of Computer Science and Engineering), originally took place, and is now being republished in full.  

To learn more about Técnico Alumni and join the network, click HERE.

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Carolina completed her university studies at Técnico, earning a Bachelor's and a Master's degree in Computer Engineering (Bologna system) in 2010. Her original plan was an academic career focused on social network analysis and Big Data, but after a research internship at the National Institute of Informatics in Tokyo, Japan, the Portuguese-American returned to Lisbon, completed the first year of her PhD in Computer Engineering, and hit the reset button, starting a new career in Silicon Valley, where she has been living for over 10 years. Always in the field of Data Analytics, she worked on music platforms with Pandora Media (part of SiriusMX), in hardware as a manager of the Product Analytics team at eero (acquired by Amazon), started her own startup, and now leads a Data Analytics team at CloudTrucks, a software company for entrepreneurs in the transportation and logistics sector. Her love for difficult and non-obvious problems developed at Técnico, and that has been the foundation of her career.

• Can you tell us a bit about your studies at Técnico?

I started with a Bachelor's in Computer Engineering (Bologna). Later, during my Master’s, I became interested in social network analysis and Big Data, back when Data Science and Data Analytics weren’t really talked about. So, the PhD felt like a natural progression for me. A year later, after completing the coursework, which I didn't want to leave unfinished, I left the PhD to start a career in Silicon Valley.

• As a woman, how was studying at Técnico?

Personally, it wasn’t a big shock in terms of the environment because, in high school, I had already focused on Math and Physics, areas that also had fewer women. Although the numbers back then clearly left women at a disadvantage, I always felt a strong sense of camaraderie from everyone I met and, particularly, from the few other women in the course. It was challenging to learn how to manage my time, my energy, and balance all the demands of the course. There were ups and downs, but they brought lessons that shaped my work ethic and personal attitude.

• What do you take away most from your time at Técnico, both inside and outside of class?

At Técnico, I had to develop, through trial and error, the ability to break down problems and adopt a structured approach to everything I needed to do. Managing all the information we received in classes while balancing independent study and projects was essential. It’s undoubtedly one of the tools I use daily, both in my professional and personal life.

• What is your favorite place at Técnico and why?

I always studied at TagusPark and used to arrive quite early to avoid traffic. Many times, I would sit in the morning on one of the benches in front of the glass façade on the west wing and enjoy the morning sun. Whether it was summer or winter, it had a special light.

• Can you tell us a bit about the start of your professional journey?

My focus was always on Data Analytics, and I knew the epicenter of startups was in Silicon Valley. Being Portuguese and American, I grew up between both cultures and always had a sense that my life would involve the USA, though I wasn’t sure exactly where. Since I enjoy challenges and the possibility of starting fresh, moving to the USA was a natural decision. I started as an individual contributor in Data Analytics teams, absorbing all the experiences and developing my technical skills. From the beginning of my career until now, the motivation has been to work in environments where people are appreciated and supported for their abilities and where there are regular opportunities to expand our horizons.

• Can you tell us a bit about the work you are currently doing?

Currently, I am a manager of the Data Analytics team at CloudTrucks, managing a group of Data Analysts and Data Engineers. CloudTrucks develops software for the logistics transportation sector, focusing on independent workers. It’s an opportunity to bring technology to a multi-billion-dollar industry that hasn’t seen much disruption since the 1970s and to have a direct impact on the lives of those who make it possible for all kinds of products to reach our homes or the supermarket. Personally, it allows me to continue developing my career along parallel paths, one part in people management and another part in hands-on technical work.

• What was the most difficult decision you’ve ever had to make?

My path had been quite linear since my Bachelor's degree, so leaving the PhD was an obvious decision, but it meant taking a leap with more uncertainty. The trade-off was the certainty that it would be a radical change, which, personally, gives me a lot of energy and motivation. There was a prior period of risk assessment, and once I concluded that the risk was acceptable, I moved forward with full force.

• How did you get into the professional field you are in now?

Although Silicon Valley is geographically large, it is a small place filled with talent. So, a key point for me was seeking professional experiences that allowed me to grow technically and made my career path stand out. The fact that so many startups and major tech companies are concentrated in the same area provides a wider range of areas and technologies to focus on. Then, over the course of a career, you build lasting relationships, so friends and former colleagues don’t hesitate to share interesting problems they’re working on. When opportunities arise to expand or build teams from scratch, the direct network of contacts is always stronger for opening doors. However, that only helps with the first step. Ultimately, it is the set of professional experiences you build and the problems you focus on that make you stand out in this highly competitive environment. In my case, I always tried to look for opportunities that were technically challenging and to work on problems that had a direct impact on everyday life.

• What advice would you give to girls considering studying STEM, particularly at Técnico?

Ignore the demographic statistics in STEM. It is a fundamental area to make Portugal a competitive, productive country with more comprehensive opportunities. For most people, not just girls, it is difficult to identify the fascination with STEM because it is a field where the reward lies in the process — the constant search to overcome the next challenge — and none of that is immediate. Many of the problems we tackle are open-ended, and you have to explore several paths before reaching a solution. Although the reward is not immediate, my advice is not to give up at the first hurdle, even if it seems difficult or intimidating. If you’re curious about any of the STEM disciplines, learn as much as possible, explore curricula, practical applications, career options, find people who have taken that path, and try it out. Técnico provides the basic tools; the motivation and constant dedication are up to you.

• What advice would you give to high school students considering studying STEM, particularly at Técnico?

Adopt a beginner’s mindset, accepting that you will enter a competitive environment full of highly capable people, and there will always be more to learn. If you are considering studying STEM at Técnico, you are likely already among the best in your high school. When you enter Técnico, you will feel like a fish in water, but in a vast ocean, where there are hundreds of other equally capable or even better students. There will be times when you certainly won’t consider yourself the best of the best or feel that you are not up to the task. Many people’s first reaction is to feel hurt, frustrated, or intimidated, but the trick is to use that to your advantage. Take advantage of being in a community with such capable people and use every moment with colleagues and professors to learn and keep progressing. It may seem counterintuitive, but it’s one of the biggest growth opportunities that a Técnico experience provides.

(original image: Técnico Alumni)