HOPTEC Project
HOPTEC Masters Thesis Scholarship Program (6 months), Johns Hopkins University
Applications for the HOPTEC Scholarship Program are now OPEN!
Application Period: from 11 December 2023 to 3 January 2024
Scholarship Period: from March to August 2024
Program framework
In the past decade, several students from Técnico have had the opportunity to conduct the research for their master’s thesis as visiting scholars at Hopkins in the area of Bioengineering. As a result, all the visiting students completed their dissertation work with distinction. The overall feedback from the students is that conducting research at Hopkins was a lifetime opportunity that deeply shaped their personal and professional path. For the students involved in this exchange, the main highlights of this collaboration included having access to cutting edge technological tools, transfer of knowledge and interdisciplinary research.
At the initiative of some of these students, now alumni, in collaboration with Técnico’s International Affairs Division, a project was presented and received support from FLAD, the Luso-American Development Foundation, named HOPTEC.
About the Event
The first edition of the HOPTEC Scholarship Program offers outstanding students the opportunity to develop research for their master’s thesis at the Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering Department at the Whiting School of Engineering, Johns Hopkins University in the area of cancer research for a period of 6 months (from March to August 2024).
Program
- Training Opportunities: 2 HOPTEC Scholarships for Técnico Master’s students to conduct the research for their master’s degree at Hopkins. In return, these two students would be named HOPTEC Ambassadors and be involved in the HOPTEC activities.
- Dynamic Collaborations: HOPTEC Seminar Series; HOPTEC Annual Symposium; HOPTEC Grant Competition. (Events to be announced in 2024)
- Scientific Advancements: By creating a network of exchange students and active collaborations, HOPTEC will promote the transfer of knowledge and skills between institutions, leading to impactful discoveries.
Objectives
- Promote transfer of knowledge and skills between institutions
- Provide cutting edge research opportunities
- Shape personal and professional paths to students from both institutions
Scholarship Details
The HOPTEC Scholarship Program covers traveling, provides guidance regarding visa and housing matters, and ensures that the host institution (Hopkins) will provide a stipend to help support the selected students while living in Baltimore.
- Covers traveling
- Provides guidance on visa and housing
- Hopkins will provide a stipend to support students
Eligibility Criteria
- The applicant must be a student enrolled in the 2nd year of a Master’s program at Técnico Lisboa, in the field of Bioengineering (or related fields, if well-justified in the personal statement).
- The applicant only has 30 ECTS (dissertation) left to complete at the beginning of the 4th semester of the Master’s degree.
- The applicant has a minimum grade average equal or above 16/20 in the Master’s degree (previous semesters) and 14/20 in the Bachelor’s degree.
- The applicant has at least intermediate written and spoken English proficiency (no certificates required).
Applying
- Online application due January 3rd, 2024
- Application process includes CV, transcripts, statement of purpose
- Interview, to be scheduled later
Selection Process
- The selection process will be initiated with an online application including:
– Application Cover Page (download here)
– Personal statement (your background, motivation, future aspirations, etc).
– Curriculum vitae.
– Transcripts from Bachelor and Master’s degrees. - Application materials should be in English (mandatory for personal statement and CV). The application package must be sent to international@tecnico.ulisboa.pt by January 3rd, 2024 by 23:59 (GMT) with the subject “HOPTEC – Name” (for instance: HOPTEC_MariaAlmeida).
The HOPTEC selection committee is composed of the two HOPTEC Program chairs, two professors from Técnico and two professors from Hopkins. This committee will select the 4-6 top applicants based on the submitted applications for a formal interview with at least one professor from each university. Interviews will take place between January 8th and 11th, 2024. After the interviews, the 2 top students will be selected in a final selection committee meeting.
Selected students will be announced by January 12th.
HOPTEC Ambassadors
The awarded students will be named HOPTEC Ambassadors. In addition to completing their master’s work with an international experience in Hopkins, the HOPTEC Ambassadors will be responsible for the following:
- Participating in the HOPTEC Seminar Series;
- Organization of the HOPTEC Annual Symposium;
- Designing and giving a workshop based on the content of their dissertation work during the HOPTEC Annual Symposium;
- Providing guidance to the next generation of HOPTEC Ambassadors.
Questions can be emailed to international@tecnico.ulisboa.pt with the subject “HOPTEC – question”.
HOPTEC Founders
Crucial HOPTEC Contributors
Former Students
Several Técnico students have already conducted thesis research at Hopkins with great success, completing dissertations with distinction.
- Eduarda Vaz
- Vasco Queiroga
- André Forjaz [2019-2020]
- Inês Godet [2017-2018]
- Alexandre Carnet
- Duarte Ferreira
- João Brás
- Ana Maria Carmo
- Leonor Guedes Da Silva