The CMU Portugal Program has selected 10 new candidates for the Dual Degree Ph.D. programs. The new Ph.D. students, funded by Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia, will start their journey in Fall 2026, pursuing a full-time program consisting of 2 years at Carnegie Mellon University (CMU) and 3 years at a Portuguese university.
This year’s scholarship awardees will cover diverse areas of study, specializing in Computer Science (2), Electrical and Computer Engineering (3), Engineering and Public Policy (1), Human-Computer Interaction (2), Language Technologies (1), and Software Engineering (1). This year’s cohort represents an international group, with students from Portugal (7), Uganda (2), and Iran (1).
In Portugal, the students will be enrolled at the Faculdade de Engenharia da Universidade do Porto (3) and Instituto Superior Técnico (7). While at CMU, the candidates will be welcomed across 6 departments in the College of Engineering and School of Computer Science: Computer Science (2), Engineering and Public Policy (1), Electrical and Computer Engineering (3), Human-Computer Interaction Institute (2), Language Technologies Institute (1), and at the Software and Societal Systems Department (1).
Since its launch in 2006, 184 students have enrolled at Portuguese Universities through CMU Portugal Program, fostering a dynamic academic community. Today, 43 students are actively engaged in the Dual Degree programs, supported by a growing network of more than 100 alumni.
Here is a complete list of all the new Ph.D. students admitted for the 2026/2027 academic year:
Ph.D. Program in Computer Science
- João Matos (Portugal) – Instituto Superior Técnico / Computer Science Department at CMU
- Vitória Cruz (Portugal) – Instituto Superior Técnico / Computer Science Department at CMU
Ph.D. Program in Electrical and Computer Engineering
- Brian Ebiyau (Uganda) – Faculdade de Engenharia da Universidade do Porto / Electrical and Computer Engineering Department at CMU
- Brian Kipkirui (Uganda) – Faculdade de Engenharia da Universidade do Porto / Electrical and Computer Engineering Department at CMU
- Duarte Silva (Portugal) – Instituto Superior Técnico / Electrical and Computer Engineering Department at CMU
Ph.D. Program in Engineering and Public Policy
- André Guerreiro (Portugal) – Instituto Superior Técnico / Engineering and Public Policy Department at CMU
Ph.D. Program in Human-Computer Interaction
- André Barrocas (Portugal) – Instituto Superior Técnico / Human-Computer Interaction Institute at CMU
- Sandra Andrade (Portugal) – Instituto Superior Técnico / Human-Computer Interaction Institute at CMU
Ph.D. Program in Language Technologies
- Mahsa Zamani Tarashandeh (Iran) – Instituto Superior Técnico / Language Technologies Institute at CMU
Ph.D. Program in Software Engineering
- André Catarino (Portugal) – Faculdade de Engenharia da Universidade do Porto / Software and Societal Systems Department at CMU