In this edition of Shine Bytes we interview Leonor Figueira, winner of the Prémio de Mérito NTT DATA em Aprendizagem 2024/2025.

Tell us a little about yourself and your journey at IST

My name is Leonor, I am 20 years old, and I’m from Sintra. Since I was a child, I’ve always had a special connection with mathematics, which quickly became the subject that sparked my interest the most. Choosing engineering as my academic future was, therefore, a natural decision for me, although the big question was which of the many fields to pursue. In addition to my fascination with numbers and logic, I’ve always been passionate about challenges, puzzles, chess, and games that stimulate logical reasoning.  

Despite having no prior experience in programming, I decided to take a risk, and when the time to apply came, I decided to take Computer Science and Engineering as my first choice. Now, in my final year of undergraduate studies, I can confidently say that I couldn’t have made a better decision. I’m fortunate to deepen my knowledge every day in such an interesting, innovative, and constantly evolving field.

What did winning this competition mean to you personally?

Initially, having no prior knowledge of programming, the start of my first year at IST was, to put it mildly, challenging. I always felt a bit insecure about this gap, and to make up for it, I dedicated myself fully to my studies.  

Receiving this award alongside my colleague Raquel Rodrigues was a confirmation of the effort and dedication I’ve invested throughout my academic journey. It is incredibly rewarding to realize that our hard work, late-night study sessions, and overcoming challenges are truly worth it.  

Moreover, this award reinforces my motivation to continue learning and exploring the vast world of Computer Science and Engineering and to always embrace new challenges.

Why are awards like this important?

Awards like this are important because they recognize students' effort, dedication, and merit, and are an incentive for us to continue surpassing ourselves. Furthermore, they highlight academic excellence and show that hard work and perseverance do not go unnoticed, helping to reinforce confidence and motivation to face future challenges.  

By promoting such initiatives, these awards foster the expansion of knowledge in forward-thinking fields, like Machine Learning, a field at the core of many technological innovations shaping our future.  

Additionally, they provide a unique opportunity to bring students closer to companies, fostering relationships that can lead to future collaborations and initiatives.  

In your opinion (aside from awards ;) ), what can and should be done to attract more women to science?

In my opinion, attracting more women to science requires a profound and structured change at both social and educational levels. From an early age, children are exposed to gender stereotypes that end up influencing their future choices. It is quite common for boys to receive toys like trains, cars or Legos, which encourage curiosity and problem-solving, while girls are encouraged to play with dolls or kitchen sets, promoting traditional roles. This kind of differentiation, still widely normalized, perpetuates the idea that fields like science, technology, or engineering are more suited to men.  

To change this paradigm, it is essential to start acting from childhood, promoting a gender-neutral education where children are encouraged to explore their interests without restrictions imposed by stereotypes. This includes offering toys and activities that stimulate creativity, logic and critical thinking equally, regardless of gender.  

Furthermore, it is crucial for young women to have access to female role models in scientific fields. Showing concrete examples of successful women in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) can inspire others to believe they, too, can belong in these areas. Even in leadership and executive roles, female representation remains very low, highlighting the need for initiatives that promote greater inclusivity. Awareness campaigns, mentoring programs, and workshops in schools can have a significant impact by demonstrating that these fields and prominent positions are for everyone.  

Do you have any advice for future female students in Computer Science and Engineering at Técnico?

Overcoming the initial challenge of starting a degree at IST is far less intimidating with the help of the friends we make along the way, and I must mention that at any point have I ever felt discriminated against for being a woman in a Computer Engineering program.

I also want to highlight that, considering what I had heard before starting the course, I expected to find an extremely competitive environment. However, I was pleasantly surprised. From the very first project, my classmates showed a strong spirit of collaboration, always willing to work together and share knowledge, which made this journey much lighter and more motivating. :)