Ao abrigo de uma Bolsa Fulbright para Investigação com o apoio da FCT e no âmbito do seu doutoramento em ‘Control, Automation and Robotics‘ da Universidade do Minho, Sara Cerqueira desenvolveu parte da sua pesquisa no Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), MA, EUA.
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During my stay at MIT, I attended a two-week intensive entrepreneurship course, “Bolts and Nuts of New Ventures,” which provided practical tools for starting and managing technology-based ventures. The course covered key topics such as opportunity evaluation, funding strategies, intellectual property management, and team formation. Further, I attended the MIT Health and Life Sciences Collaborative and several scientific seminars. These included the Golden Speaker Series with Professor Sertac Karaman, a Center for Brains, Minds, and Machines seminar featuring a DeepMind researcher, and additional talks on topics such as AI and elections and neurosciences. This combination of technical seminars and entrepreneurship training broadened my understanding of both scientific innovation and the practical aspects of technology transfer and startup development, as well as allowing me to do some networking. In addition, I participated in seminars organized by PAPS Boston, which focused on topics related to adapting to American culture, viewed from the perspective of Portuguese nationals.
Outside of MIT, I had the opportunity to travel across several regions of the United States. I visited Portland (Maine), New York City, the Jersey Shore, New Hope, New Orleans, Salem, Gloucester, and Providence, where I also visited Brown University. These trips allowed me to experience different states firsthand and observe the variations in culture, lifestyle, and local identity across the country. Seeing the contrasts between regions deepened my understanding of the social, historical, and cultural diversity of the United States. This experience encouraged personal reflection and helped me better grasp the complexities of American culture, both in everyday life and within academic environments.
A big thank you to Fulbright for sponsoring this research stay at MIT! I’m truly grateful for the opportunity. Without a doubt, it opened new opportunities for me, inspired me with new ideas, and changed the way I perceive things.
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Thank you, Sara, welcome back!