On May 16, the first edition of the Aerospace Engineering Academic Merit Award ceremony took place in the Meeting Room of the Central Pavilion at the Alameda campus. The award is supported by TEKEVER, a company founded by Técnico alumni and now part of the school’s partner network. This prize recognized the academic excellence of students enrolled in the Aerospace Engineering Master's program.

João Perdigão was awarded the €2,500 prize. In his speech, he highlighted Técnico’s essential role in helping him fulfill some of his dreams—namely, the opportunity to intern with a Formula 1 team—and thanked the program coordinator, Fernando Lau, for his support.

Jorge Fernandes, Vice-President of the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering (DEEC), congratulated the students and emphasized the multidisciplinary nature of the course.

The jury, composed of Técnico professors Nuno Horta, President of DEEC, Fernando Lau, Aerospace Engineering Master's Program Coordinator, Paulo Rui Fernandes, President of the Department of Mechanical Engineering (DEM), and Nuno Matos, R&D Aerospace Engineer at TEKEVER, selected the winner from among three finalists: Adriana Oliveira, João Perdigão, and José Medeiro. Additionally, a donation of €1,670 was made to the coordination team of the Aerospace Engineering Master's program.

During the session, Ricardo Mendes recalled founding TEKEVER together with four fellow Técnico alumni. “The foundation of TEKEVER is talent. It was the drive to make an impact that brought me to Técnico. Today, it is an honor to give back and help reward the best students in the country,” he concluded.

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