The second day of the PhD Open Days began with the panel “Navigating the PhD: Voices from Students and Alumni”, featuring Ricardo Lameirinhas, alumnus of the Doctoral Program in Electrical and Computer Engineering and researcher at the Instituto de Telecomunicações, along with PhD students Filipe Santos, Gonçalo Ribeiro, Manuel Rentschler, and Moritz Raible. The session was moderated by Alexandre Athayde, a PhD student in Aerospace Engineering.

Ricardo Lameirinhas began by addressing the challenges he faced during his PhD, mentioning the difficulties in socialization associated with the isolation that results from each student having their own office and equipment. He noted, however, that he managed to overcome this barrier by joining the PhD Hub, the PhD students’ group at Técnico. He also mentioned the initial uncertainty regarding what is expected from a PhD student, particularly within the Portuguese context.

When asked how the PhD had contributed to his academic and professional development, the researcher highlighted the acquisition of both soft skills, including public communication abilities, and hard skills. He emphasized the importance of analytical thinking, independent problem-solving, and the development of critical thinking — qualities that he considers valuable not only in academia but also in personal life.

The session also included several questions from the audience, focusing on mental health. Ricardo Lameirinhas noted that he views uncertainty as something beneficial, as it often fosters innovation.

What matters is to have a solid methodology. (...) Even bad results can lead you to extraordinary theories or great products.

Ricardo Lameirinhas, PDEEC alumnus and researcher at IT

On the topic of mental health, the researcher encouraged students to maintain a balance between academic work and personal life, including managing hobbies and rest periods, in order to achieve the best results.