Breaking Away from Formal and Structured Rules
Mariana Moniz joined us to discuss “How to Assess the Personality of Adolescents in Portugal?” She is a PhD student in the Doctoral Program in Psychology and conducts her research at the Center for Research in Neuropsychology and Cognitive-Behavioral Intervention (CINEICC).
Why did you decide to participate in PubhD Coimbra?
In the first year of my PhD, during the coursework, I took a science communication class—it was with the colleague who spoke at the start of this session. She had already promoted the event, and although I found it interesting, I never stepped forward to participate. Then my sister said she was signing up, and I saw it as the perfect opportunity to share my project and learn about others, which are so diverse. There aren’t many spaces where we can do this exchange in such a unique way.
How was your experience in this edition of PubhD Coimbra?
It was really interesting and stimulating. The audience was genuinely engaged, asked great questions, and highlighted important aspects, even though they came from completely different fields. That made the experience even richer. We’re used to speaking in extremely formal and structured ways, following strict rules. Here, the rules are simple: share your project in a relaxed, informal, and approachable setting. And that makes it much more satisfactory.
Would you recommend other colleagues to participate?
Yes, absolutely.