News: Inside Stories

Rudolph Santarromana is an American CMU Portugal student in Engineering and Public Policy who started his Ph.D. in 2019. He has a Master’s degree in Energy Engineering and Management from IST Portugal and UPC Spain (dual-degree MSc). Under his Ph.D., he is working on Decarbonizing Economic Sectors supervised by Professors Joana Mendonça (IST), Granger Morgan (CMU) and  Ahmed Abdulla (Carleton/CMU). He loves to play sports in his free times including golf, basketball and kickboxing and also likes reading and listening to vinyl records.

First of all, can you let us know about your background before entering your CMU Portugal Ph.D.?

I did my bachelor’s degree at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign in Civil and Environmental Engineering. After graduating, I went to work for a Construction Materials company as a Product Manager, where I worked for a few years. I have always been interested in sustainability. I had always wanted to work with renewable energy, so I eventually decided to go back to school to get a master’s degree focused on renewables. I found the InnoEnergy dual degree program which allowed me to do my master’s in energy engineering at UPC in Barcelona and IST in Lisbon. During my master thesis, my supervisor introduced me to the CMU Portugal program as I began to consider a Ph.D. When I finished my master’s degree at IST, I went to work for EDP Renewables in Lisbon and in Boston, MA (USA) before eventually starting the Ph.D. program at CMU with CMU Portugal.

Why did you choose the CMU Portugal program and a Ph.D. with Portugal being from the United States?

My experience in Portugal started during my master’s degree studies. At first, I chose to go to IST in my dual-degree program because I was most interested in IST’s energy engineering and management degree focus among those available to me at other universities in Europe. Through my master’s thesis supervisor from IST, I found the CMU Portugal program. I really enjoyed the work I produced with my supervisor at IST, and I knew there was still more that I wanted to research in the topic area, so it made a lot of sense to continue working with her through the CMU Portugal program.

I am interested in working on global problems, and so the CMU Portugal program offers me
the opportunity to look through a US and EU lens at the same problems.

 

Briefly, can you tell us about the research work that you are carrying out under your Ph.D.?

Generally, I am interested in strategies to decarbonize global economic sectors. I am focused now on the power sector through expanding the development of offshore wind. I was fortunate to work with EDP Renewables on an offshore wind project.  I think this technology is a critical component to a low-carbon energy system in the future. Nonetheless, for any low-carbon technology, strategies to increase deployment are needed. In my most recent work, I assessed the techno-economic feasibility of a new way of deploying floating offshore wind that can potentially make it easier to do so.

From your experience, what have been the main differences between the two countries in terms of studies?

On average, there is a lot more weekly structure in coursework in the US than Portugal. There may be more meetings (lecture, recitation, office hours) per week, and more weekly assignments than I have experienced in coursework in Portugal. The grading scale is also something to get used to. Someone from the US who is used to getting 90% or more in a course or on any particular assignment will be surprised when they receive a 17 or 18 out of 20, and the fact that it is very rare to receive a 20/20 on any grade.

And in personal terms, how is this experience of studying in two such different contexts?

When I started my Ph.D. I had already stayed for almost two years in Lisbon, both studying and working, so I was already quite used to the experiences that come with living in Lisbon. I grew up in the suburbs of Chicago, and lived for several years in Chicago, so I was also used to living in an urban US city like Pittsburgh. For me, the thing that sets this experience apart is that one may relocate often between Portugal and the US. That has been the most unique aspect of this experience for me. Regular relocating makes you more resilient to change.

Regarding your supervisors, were they supportive throughout your degree?

The support from my advisors has been amazing throughout this experience. I feel very fortunate to work with each of them, as they are all extremely knowledgeable in many fields. Every discussion and meeting has been productive and taught me to look at the (many) problems in different ways. I also feel comfortable approaching them with non-academic issues and questions that are critical. I truly cannot say enough good things about my advisors.

You are in your 3rd year, plans for these last years and after graduation?

First, I want to finish my thesis in a timely matter. After graduation I’ve considered many paths, ranging from remaining in academia, to public sector jobs, to private sector jobs, to working in US institutions, or working in multi-national institutions. In short, it’s hard to say that I have a single plan.

I do feel like there are a lot of paths that are open to me beyond graduation by the nature of my degree, and with the international exposures I have gained, these paths are also not limited geographically.

 

Being a third-year student, what advice would you give to possible candidates?

Meet people in your program in both locations. It is nice to arrive in Lisbon or Pittsburgh and feel like returning to people you know. A Ph.D. can be grueling, and no one knows what you are going through better than your colleagues going through the same thing, so it’s great to have people to talk to. Also, do not forget to take a day (or two) off. The nature of a Ph.D. is that you often dictate when you do your work, which can mean working on weekends, or late nights. Make sure that you take the time away from your job to do what you want to do.

Latifah Almaghrabi is a CMU Portugal student in Electrical and Computer Engineering from Saudi Arabia, having started her Ph.D. in 2020 at Carnegie Mellon ECE Department from the College of Engineering and the University of Aveiro in Portugal. She graduated from Georgia Tech in 2018 with a Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering and received a Master of Science in Electrical Engineering from KAUST in 2020. Her research focuses on studying and modeling ECM-based neural scaffolds for spinal cord injuries. For her thesis, she is investigating sustainable powering solutions for implanted medical devices. Latifah is co-advised by Prof. Philip LeDuc from CMU and Dr. Paula Marques and Prof. Pedro Fonseca from the University of Aveiro. She loves being out in nature.

In my free time, you will find me walking around the city, hiking trails in nature, going on adventures and road trips with my friends. Sometimes I would carry my digital camera and capture stillness in an otherwise dynamic moment.
I am always exploring new flavors of coffee and learning about it. Exploring martial arts is a wonderful way to establish discipline, build strength and stay active. I have learned Krav Maga and Taekwondo before and recently Kickboxing.

What do you like most about Portugal and Aveiro?

The nature in Portugal is captivating, the mountains in the south, the rock formations along the coast of Algarve, and the cold and mighty ocean waves here in Aveiro. Aside from the beauty of Aveiro, what I value most is the kindness of its people. They are always ready and happy to help.

Can you let us know about your academic background?

I hail from the Eastern Province in Saudi Arabia, where I finished my primary to secondary education (K-12). Afterward, the KAUST Gifted Student Program offered me full sponsorship and support to pursue higher education in the United States. A few years later, I graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering from Georgia Tech in 2018. As part of my commitment, I enrolled in the Master of Electrical Engineering program at KAUST in Saudi Arabia. I concluded my thesis on piezoelectric GaN-based energy harvesting nanowires in 2020. Having had some exposure to scientific research, I began to understand how it connects different worlds and wanted to enrich my experience further and expand my network around the world. The CMU Portugal Program was a unique and fitting opportunity for that as it would allow me to have research experience in different continents.

I was browsing through the CMU website when I read about the CMU Portugal Program for the first time.
I was excited as, at that time, I was applying to different Ph.D. programs in the States and across Europe.
The CMU Portugal Program combines both options beautifully.

 

Later on, my CMU faculty advisor Professor Philip LeDuc helped me learn about the program in greater detail and supported me tremendously through the enrollment process.

In Portugal, why did you choose the University of Aveiro?

Professor Philip LeDuc introduced me to one of my faculty advisors at the University of Aveiro (UA), Dr. Paula Marques. I was quite captivated by the project she is leading, NeuroStimSpinal (NSS, H2020-FETOPEN, Nº 829060), and wanted to seize the opportunity, so I applied to UA and joined her team. Here at UA, I am also fortunate to receive guidance and supervision from Professor Pedro Fonseca from the Department of Electronics, Telecommunications, and Informatics, who is also working on the NSS project.

How is this experience of living in Aveiro going?

The electronics engineering program at UA has witnessed considerable changes. Also, the coursework requirement are quite different from the ECE program at CMU. The contrast is good as it minimizes the repetitiveness between my CMU and Aveiro experiences.

Aside from academic work, the city of Aveiro is a beautiful place to be with the right balance of size, busy life, and serenity. The people here are kind, peaceful, and welcoming. Last year, I began taking language classes, and the experience has been delightful.

Briefly, can you tell us about the research work you are carrying out under your Ph.D.?

I am taking an active role in the characterization of graphene electrodes and spinal cord scaffolds based on an adipose decellularized matrix for the NSS project. We have developed these custom materials in the lab. And we are optimizing, studying, and modeling their electrical properties, which is helpful for better integration with the electronics system we have built. I am also researching the development of wireless energy transfer mechanisms to sustainably power medical implants. Specifically, I am interested in using ultrasound energy to recharge batteries in implanted devices. This is crucial, as the battery size is a limiting factor in many of today’s implantable medical devices.

When will you go to CMU and what are your expectations?

I expect to go to CMU at the start of the 2022-2023 academic year. I have already been engaged with my professor and colleagues at CMU virtually, but I am very excited to meet them in person, see their experiments and work, and learn from them.

Do you already have an idea of what you will do after your Ph.D.?

Learning new concepts thrills me, especially understanding the fundamentals of how things work. We don’t know what we don’t know, but I hope to continue to question, explore and rediscover no matter what career path I forge for myself.

An advice for candidates thinking on applying to the Program, namely other young women:

Looking from the top of a mountain gives you a good vantage point. Looking from across the ocean gives you a perspective. The real world is built from a complex network. Building connections can help you tackle many of the problems we face today.
The CMU Portugal Program is a great way to build your network and gain perspective. I am grateful to be where I am and I hope you will too.

 

Afonso Amaral is a CMU Portugal Dual Degree Ph.D. second year student in Engineering and Public Policy (EPP) at Instituto Superior Técnico (IST) and the Department of Engineering and Public Policy, currently at CMU through spring 2022. Afonso sat down with the CMU Portugal Program to share his thoughts on what drew him to the Program and his goals for this time at CMU, the biggest challenge he has faced in an international Program, and where to find his favorite place to grab a snack on campus.

 What drew you to the CMU Portugal Dual Degree Ph.D. Program?

I’ve done my bachelor’s and master’s at Instituto Superior Técnico in Lisbon. After my master thesis, which was very research-oriented, I did an internship in a company basically publishing my master thesis. Currently, I have three papers available and published on that. In fact, I realized that research is pretty cool and that doing a Ph.D. could be an option. Since I’m in Portugal, I initially wanted to do a Ph.D. in Europe and not in the US. Still, then I remembered receiving an email from Carnegie Mellon Portugal and thinking that the Dual Degree Ph.D. offer looked very promising. At that time, I felt that I was probably not the right fit, but I also remembered one of my professors saying that this was a fantastic opportunity and that I should apply. So, I did.

The main driver for me was that I could be doing a Ph.D. in two different universities and two different environments. It’s that interdisciplinary feature that I was looking for. Doing a regular Ph.D. with one adviser at one university might be interesting. But I wanted my experience to be out of the ordinary. And this is an insane opportunity.

 

What are you looking forward to experiencing the most while at CMU?

Unfortunately, or fortunately, I’m from a Ph.D. cohort that started with COVID. And so, my first day was pretty rough with all of the classes online and being basically at home. But apart from that, coming to CMU is impactful in terms of interaction with people. Building relationships and learning about the research of other colleagues is really relevant to my understanding of what I’m doing. For example, working with Professor Erica Fuchs allows me to have research group meetings every week and learn about the research of every student there. It gives you a different kind of insight and perspective of your research. And so, I try to triangulate these perspectives and insights that I collect from my cohort.

This interaction with other students, most of whom are also my friends, and with the professors is a great opportunity. I am just two minutes away from some of the world leaders on specific topics, which is fantastic, especially this year when I’ve started looking into quantitative analysis. I’m doing some work at Heinz college, one of the country’s best policy schools. And I can visit and meet these people during office hours and try to get their feedback that I would most certainly not have if I was not here in person. Sometimes a short conversation with these fantastic faculty and researchers can change the whole course of your research and that, in fact, happened.

What was your most significant adjustment from (PT Institution) to CMU?

The university in Portugal where I’m doing the Ph.D. is the same as where I did my bachelor’s and master’s. I can see that difference even though my first year was not traditional. Honestly, in terms of location, I would say the weather because it is really cold here, and that is a huge adjustment. My colleagues say things to me like “Afonso, you have to wear a jacket, you have to wear a scarf,” but I don’t own most of that things!

Also, when I came here, I was not expecting to have so much administrative support from my department. They’re just always willing to help. However, I would say that the most significant adjustment was all the bureaucracy inherent to the fact that I am an international student. It’s something that I was not expecting to be so hard. And actually, the office of international education is pretty helpful, but it’s still very bureaucratic for me.

What lessons, skills, or techniques have you learned while at CMU that you are looking forward to incorporating into your work in Portugal?

I am fortunate to have three advisers, Professor Joana Mendonça at Técnico, Professor Erica Fuchs and Professor Granger Morgan in EPP at CMU. Lucky enough, they know each other, and all of the conversations, meetings, and research flow nicely. They trust each other, and we all concluded that it would be very interesting for me to research Europe.

In terms of bringing skills back to Portugal, I like that we can cross-register between colleges here. So, I’m from the College of Engineering, but I am doing some classes at Heinz College, the number one school for Public Policy in the US in terms of Information Systems. CMU is known for its School of computer science, so I will do the CS introduction class to learn how to program, not just write some code. If there’s a school in the world to learn how to program its CMU. Doing that will complement my research and curriculum. I’m an engineer, but I’m researching public policy. I’m trying to get a little bit of everything.

CMU Portugal is such an interesting fellowship because it allows me to have the flexibility
and to do whatever I want to tailor it for my research and experience.

 

What is your favorite spot to eat on campus?

I don’t usually eat on campus, but I drink a lot of coffee. I would definitely choose a place that reminds me of home, La Prima. The double cappuccino is the best kind of coffee they have, but if you’re looking for a cheap option, I might go to an ABP (Au Bon Pain) in the University Center, and they have a lot of options like sandwiches and wraps. But if you don’t want to wait in line, there are always things like bagels which I had never tried before coming to the US, and I think I now eat like ten a week. So, I’d say, for a good coffee, go to La Prima for a double cappuccino, but if you’re looking for a snack or something, then ADP is a pretty good option.

Being a second-year student, what advice would you give to an incoming first-year Dual Degree student?

This is probably the most challenging question. I would first advise making sure that you have the research interest aligned with both universities before completing the application. The second is to understand if your advisors in Portugal already know someone at CMU. For example, I have three advisors who have already worked together. In the beginning, it didn’t seem so important, but now in the second year, I realize that is very relevant because they trust each other’s perspectives, and I don’t necessarily have always to get three checks on something. Oh, and make sure to prepare your application. The application was very intense for me because I was unsure if I had to take the GRE and the TOEFL. But in the end, everything worked out.

 

 

Andreia Gonçalves won this year the Portuguese Women in tech Award for best Lead Designer track. The Portuguese Woman in tech Award celebrates  women who have the biggest impact on the Portuguese startup ecosystem. Andreia is a CMU Portugal Master Alumna in Human-Computer Interaction and currently works as an Interaction designer at Nokia Solutions and Networks. Proud to have been disguinshed with this Award, she explained us how she became a woman in tech, her experience under the CMU Portugal Program and her main ambitions. Most of all, the message that she wants to leave for other young women is the importance of education and of believing in yourself.

You were one of the winners of this year ‘s edition of the Portuguese Women in tech Awards, what’s the feeling?

The nomination and the being one of the winners of the Portuguese Women in Tech awards was a very special achievement for me, as it not only reflects the recognition of my peers for all my hard work but also the awesome and supportive environment that I currently work in.

When and why did you decide to be a “tech woman”? What were the main challenges?

I don’t know if I ever made a conscious decision; things evolved naturally. All the decisions and choices that I have done were based on my personal interests and the wish to continuously evolve as a person and as a professional.

Regarding challenges I believe the main were related to cultural differences, but with respect and persistence everything is possible.

Can you briefly talk us through your background and academic experience?

All my education up to my master’s was done in Madeira. After finishing my design degree, I felt that I was lacking field knowledge. I got to know about the HCI Master through a close friend that was enrolled in the program so I decided to get more information about it. I did my application and after all the interviews and exams, I was accepted.

The Master in HCI was an essential step for my personal and professional growth as it allowed me to develop skills and learn about the best practices used both in the academic and industry environment. It was also important in terms of networking as it allowed me to establish contact with people with different domain knowledge, and professional experience.

 

After your Master you worked as a usability analyst in Brazil and now you are an Interaction designer at Nokia. Can you share the best part of both experiences?

Both experiences have been and continue to be, in case of Nokia, very enriching for my professional career. The experience in Brazil was very interesting because I had the opportunity to support projects in different domains like Health, Smart house appliances, streaming services, subscriptions-based television services, etc., allowing me to expand my knowledge in those areas.

In the case of Nokia, the domain is telecommunications and it does not diverge much from that, but since it is continuously evolving in terms technology and possibilities it is a very challenging and nurturing environment to work in and I really appreciate that.

Nowadays, what part of your work do you love the most?

I really love gathering information and getting feedback from our customers, as we get the chance to know them a bit more, straighten relationships and engage in a collaborative design process. But I also enjoy transforming the requirements and/or findings into tangible solutions, so going from theory to practice.

Ideally, what would be your “dream job”?

I am a very curious person by nature; hence I value immensely an inspiring work environment. Having that said, a dream job would be one that allows me to learn something new every day, that would challenge myself to evolve constantly.

What’s the best advice you could give to young women that are thinking of following the same path?

Technology is becoming a big part of our day to day, independently of the career path you aim to follow. And as we move to a time where diversity and multidisciplinary teams will become a standard.

I think that the best advice I could give is to educate yourself as much as possible, try to learn a little bit about diverse topics/domains,
as this can act as a differentiator from the intense competition. Believe in yourself.