N3E – The Student Group of Electronic Engineering – is specialized in developing activities focused on electronics. Composed of students from undergraduate to master's level, it’s a space dedicated to prototype development and workshops that promote knowledge sharing – not only among group members but also with the broader academic community and younger students in elementary and secondary schools.

In an interview with DEEC, Manuel Vaz (N3E President), Francisco Jesus (former Vice-President), and Rodrigo Caldeira (current member) spoke about the group’s dynamic and shared their experience as students of the Bachelor's in Electronic Engineering (LEE).

Electronics engineering, in today’s world, is embedded in everything, allowing me to choose from a vast list of fields, from robotics, processor design, signal processing, micro and nano technologies… and many others.

Manuel Vaz, President of N3E and 3rd-year LEE student

Manuel joined electronic engineering due to his passion for building autonomous prototypes and believed it was the program where he’d gain the broadest range of cross-disciplinary skills. He joined N3E to participate in extracurricular activities that would put his technical knowledge into practice – including the National Robotics Festival, where the group annually presents three robots built entirely by students. This year, they showcased WackyRacer_N3E, Mater_N3E, and Empilhadora_N3E at the festival held in Madeira. But what are these prototypes for?

WackyRacer_N3E competes in the dragster category and is designed to reach maximum straight-line speed while staying on a predefined track.

Mater_N3E participates in the Robot@Factory Lite category. It mimics factory logistics by following floor lines, identifying loads, picking them up, and dropping them at designated spots. A notable innovation by N3E is its ability to adapt to any line-defined path, which is especially relevant in industrial automation.

Empilhadora_N3E competes in the Robot@Factory 4.0 category, similar to the previous one, but uses ArUco markers (QR-like codes on the ground) for navigation.

Francisco Jesus, now a 3rd-year student, joined the Robotics Festival in his second year and has been working on personal projects with support from N3E. He chose electronic engineering knowing its growing importance in the 21st-century tech revolution – from robotics and aerospace to autonomous automotive systems. Electronic engineers play a crucial role in developing the technologies needed for "artificial intelligence, smart devices, and ultra-fast communications that connect the world.”

Francisco joined N3E on the recommendation of his first-year mentor, seeking deeper understanding and now highlights the team spirit at the core of the group.

I quickly realized I was surrounded by incredibly helpful and intelligent people, always willing to help and encourage me to get involved in the group's projects.

Francisco Jesus, LEE student and N3E member

Rodrigo Caldeira, also in his third year, was drawn to N3E not only for prototyping but also for organizing workshops and other student-led initiatives.

The workshops cover both theory and practice – from learning about electronic components to hands-on skills like PCB soldering (Printed Circuit Boards). The group also teaches embedded systems and programming through workshops on Python and GitHub – an online platform for sharing and collaborating on source code.

For younger audiences, N3E has been conducting 3D modeling and circuit-building workshops in schools across Oeiras. They’re also part of the Smart City project, which involves creating a city model with smart technology integrations.

When asked about challenges, Rodrigo points out the difficulty in balancing studies with group responsibilities, but believes the experience is worth it.

I faced some challenges – from the academic demands at IST to organizing various aspects of life: studies, social life, N3E activities, and more. Still, I achieved the success I aimed for, and learned a lot along the way.

Rodrigo Caldeira, LEE student and N3E member

After graduation, all three students plan to work in the electronics field and contribute to creating cutting-edge technologies. Manuel Vaz aims to become an ASIC (Application-Specific Integrated Circuit) designer, developing custom circuits with defined functionalities. Rodrigo Caldeira has a passion for hardware design and embedded systems. Francisco Jesus wants to explore the tech industry across startups and multinationals – and possibly launch his own company.

To anyone reading these testimonials – believe it: electronics is and will remain a growing field, where innovation and cutting-edge tech are part of everyday life.

Francisco Jesus, LEE student and N3E member

Photos: N3E