From Portugal to Aalen to PhD in GlasgowCooperative doctorate at Aalen University
Magnificent robes: Rui Almeida (pictured right) with his doctoral supervisor Prof. David Harrison from Glasgow Caledonian University.
Dr. Rui Almeida came to Aalen as an exchange student six years ago. Now the Portuguese man lives here with his family, and recently received his international doctorate degree at the Glasgow Caledonian University (GCU).
Rui Almeida, or more specifically, Dr. Rui Pedro Jorge da Costa e Almeida, received his Master’s degree at the University of Minho in Braga (Portugal) and came to Aalen University in 2012 in the framework of an Erasmus exchange program. After that, he stayed there. In the meantime, he works as a recent doctoral graduate in the Center for Optical Technologies (ZOT) at Aalen University. “The great equipment in the research field fascinated me”, says Rui Almeida, “and in ZOT, the interdisciplinary collaboration. As an educated mechanical engineer, I work together with optical, electric and mechanical engineers. Together, we cover the entire spectrum of simulation, processing and measurement”.
In the framework of the program “Research at Technical Colleges” funded by the Federal Ministry of Education and Research, which supports technical colleges in cooperation with universities, Rui Almeida developed a new simulation model for polishing injection-moulding tools at ZOT with Prof. Dr. Rainer Börret.
While defending his thesis, the reviewers from Glasgow and London were impressed by Rui Almeida’s research performance – as one of 20 doctorate candidates, the young researcher passed the defense without further reworks. His supervisor at Glasgow Caledonian University, Prof. David Harrison, was very happy to present Rui Almeida with a PhD-certificate at the celebratory conferment in Glasgow.
And what’s happening next? “Aalen has become my home”, says Rui Almeida. “I am currently renovating an older house with my wife and my son”. And there are more than enough research topics at the university. Currently, the 29-year old is researching the topic 3D-printing in the “SmartPro Project” at Aalen University. “I hope that Rui Almeida stays with us for a while”, says his supervisor, Prof. Dr. Rainer Börret, and grinningly adds: “but his family and the house renovation take priority. Otherwise, he is also now the team captain for the Badminton team at MTV Aalen”.