In this "Testimonials" we interview Rafael Poças, awarded with a Prémio de Mérito Deloitte em Ciência de Dados (2021/2022).

Tell us a bit about yourself and your journey at IST.

My name is Rafael Poças, I'm 24 years old, and I'm from Évora. I started studying Computer Science and Engineering at Técnico in 2017. During the degree, I participated in the FST Lisbon team. Through the Técnico's Job Bank platform, I was also able to do a summer internship and work part-time during part of the course.

In my master's degree, I specialized in the areas of distributed systems and intelligent systems. In the last year of the master's degree, I came to work at CERN through the protocol that existed between CERN and IST, where I am currently working as a Full-Stack Software Engineer.

What did winning this award personally mean to you?

Personally, it served as validation and recognition of the effort invested in the Data Science course. This award is also a confirmation that the skills we acquire not only have academic value but are also highly relevant and have practical applications in the professional world.

Why are awards like this important?

Awards like this are important because they demonstrate that the work of students and teachers is recognized in the professional world, by companies like Deloitte, especially in the field of data science. Along with the presentation of this award, there was an event where Deloitte introduced itself to Técnico students, which is important for bridging the gap between the academic and professional worlds.

In addition to recognizing my work with a monetary award, Deloitte also made a donation to the institution with the aim of helping to improve the quality of education. This is important not only as an investment in the future of the Data Science program but also as a recognition of the quality of its teaching at the Instituto Superior Técnico.

In your opinion (aside from awards ;) ), what can and should be done to attract more students to Computer Engineering at Técnico?

In my opinion, information aimed at high school students should be disseminated to motivate them to choose this institution, particularly the computer science course. For example, information demonstrating that the course has a very high employment rate and that there is a very high demand from companies.

It's also important to show that Técnico is a recognized institution, for instance, through success stories and by disseminating achievements by faculty members and demonstrating that education is of very high quality .

Another factor could be promoting the student associations from Técnico, showcasing practical applications of the knowledge acquired by students in the field of computer science.

Do you have any advice for future students of Computer Engineering at Técnico?

Throughout the course, especially during periods of increased workload, it's easy to fall into the trap of simply memorizing the material with the sole aim of passing exams. At times, it's beneficial to take a step back and understand not only the reason for studying a topic but also to truly grasp the logic and master the fundamentals of that topic, in order to build a solid foundation for the future.