05-11-2024
Dinis Branco Pratas assures us that Mathematics is not a seven-headed beast as it might seem at first glance. ‘It's more like a puzzle, a jigsaw, and with work it can be fun. Besides, we live surrounded by mathematics,’ he says. The student is among the winners of the Gulbenkian New Talent Scholarships 2024, in the area of Mathematics .
The programme distinguishes university students who demonstrate high academic merit and encourages the development of their culture and skills, supporting them in their studies with recognised specialists who act as tutors.
Originally from Castro Verde, in the Alentejo, Dinis Pratas arrived at the Caparica Campus in 2023 for his first year on the Undergraduate Programme in Mathematics. It was his first choice, he says, because he considered NOVA FCT to be the best School to achieve his goals. ‘I came because of the atmosphere on Campus. It's a calm place that encourages study,’ he adds. When he arrived, his expectations were fulfilled. ‘The relationship with the teachers and classmates is very close and has been one of the driving forces behind my passion for mathematics’.
Now, after receiving the Gulbenkian New Talents Scholarship 2024, he is looking forward to invest it in books and training programmes in mathematics. The money will also be applied for a research project, yet to be defined. For the student, all areas of Mathematics are interesting, but it is currently Functional Analysis and Abstract Algebra that spark his enthusiasm. In the future, he aims to become a university lecturer and researcher.
