In this edition of Shine Bytes, we interview Camila Bertelli, awarded one of the E-REDES Top Women Scholarships in 2023.

Tell us a little about yourself and your journey at IST

My name is Camila Bertelli, I am 23 years old, and I am currently in the last year of my master's degree in Computer Science and Engineering at Taguspark. Since 2015, when I was starting my secondary education, I was interested in  computer science. I came to Portugal in 2018, after completing secondary education in Brazil, and after researching my options for university college, I quickly realized that IST was the right choice for me. When the time came to decide whether to pursue a master's degree or not, the choice was also clear, as I wanted to go deep in   the areas of Interaction and Visualization, and Data Science and Engineering.

What did winning this award personally mean to you?

For me, winning this award was incredible; it was having all the years of effort and dedication recognized.

Why are awards like this important?

Awards like this help bring visibility to a long-standing issue and congratulate women in an area where they are a minority.

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

I believe there should be more women sharing their experiences in schools. During college fairs, actively reaching out to women and demonstrating that engineering and science are viable options can make a significant impact.

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

No matter how difficult things may seem, don't give up. Don't be afraid to ask, even those seemingly "silly" questions, because that's how you learn and grow.