Beatriz Silva and Bruna Oliveira, engineering students from the University of Minho and members of the High-Performance Engineered Textiles research team at 2C2T, are set to receive the Master’s Awards given by the Order of Engineers – Northern Region (OERN).

Beatriz Silva, from Textile Engineering, and Bruna Oliveira, from Biomedical Engineering, were selected to receive the €1,000 prize in recognition of their academic merit and professional potential. Beatriz, who is completing her Master specialisation in Advanced Materials and Technologies, is currently working on the ‘Production of filtration membranes from recycled cellulose acetate to capture wastewater contaminants’, while Bruna Oliveira is working on the ‘Development of artificial tendons: evaluation of the responsiveness to mechanical stress and biological performance after natural extract functionalisation’, both under the supervision of Assistant Researcher Helena Felgueiras. “This honour is a recognition of the excellence and dedication of the researchers at 2C2T, encouraging them to continue their academic training and contribute to the advancement of the textile sector in Portugal,” adds the supervisor.

The Master’s Awards are an initiative of OERN, in partnership with other entities (A400, ACA, Casais, Mota-Engil, NCREP, Painhas, Sopsec, Top Informática, Vialsil), and are awarded annually to the best second-year master’s students in various engineering fields, taught at public higher education institutions in the Northern region of Portugal. In this first edition, 82 applications were submitted, and a total of €50,000 in prizes will be awarded. The award ceremony is scheduled for 26 September at OERN’s headquarters in Porto.