The recently refurbished and reinaugurated Conference Hall Juan de la Cierva of the School of Aeronautical and Space Engineering hosted the ceremony of diplomas award to the fourth promotions of official Master's degrees, chaired by the Rector of the Universidad Politécnica de Madrid (UPM).
191 new Master's graduates from the UPM were granted their diplomas, 121 graduates from the Master's Degree in Aeronautical Engineering (Máster Universitario en Ingeniería Aeronáutica, MUIA), 58 from the Master's Degree in Air Transport Systems (Máster Universitario en Sistemas del Transporte Aéreo, MUSTA) and 12 from the University Master's Degree in Space Systems (Máster Universitario del Sistemas Espaciales, MUSE).
All of them now begin a new phase, either pursuing doctorate studies or joining the industry as professionals. And as such, they will acquire the responsibility not only with their work, but also with the society, which has been very present during this ceremony.
"You have all learned to solve current problems and you will work on projects that will solve first-class social problems. You will be business leaders and you will assume responsibilities that you cannot imagine right now, "said Javier Crespo, Director of ETSIAE.
Kevin Lucas Esparseil, the most outstanding student of the fourth MUIA promotion, referred to the same idea outlining that: "We are beginning a new phase where responsibility is expressed in other terms. The challenges of the industry that once seemed to us the problems of others are now ours. As professionals, we should make possible the progress of the society in a sustainable way and without taking steps back on the progress achieved."
As for the Rector of UPM, he referred to this responsibility by acknowledging that “engineers have to keep the society moving; in this case, through air and space. At the UPM we are working to provide solutions”.
Doctorate studies, third educational step
During his speech, the Rector also encouraged the graduates to continue their studies undertaking the third step, doctorate studies. "The engineer innovates, applies solutions with existing knowledge and when he finds an unexplored gap, he researches to overcome that barrier". In addition, the UPM is a leader in research: “UPM accounts for 75% of the activity of transfer of scientific and technological knowledge of Madrid university system and at the same time it is the university that contributes with the higher number of CEOs to Ibex35".
The book "Ingeniería Aeronáutica y Sociedad”
On this occasion, the final lesson that graduates received was linked to the presentation of the book “Aeronautical Engineering and Society”, written by Luis Utrilla, an historian and technical aeronautical engineer by the UPM and Vicente Padilla, aeronautical engineer by the UPM and Vice-Dean of the Official Association of Aeronautical Engineers of Spain (COIAE).
Through this book, its authors want to value the impact of this engineering field on society and its progress. Utrilla talked about the imagination as the seed of technological and technical development as the application of skills to meet a specific need through the use of tools. Hence, mechanization has converted engineers into "a key element of society's progress”.
As result of the technique rapid progresses, “the University must give a new approach to the study of science providing an answer to the challenges of society,” said Utrilla. In the aerospace field, Padilla recalled that society demands “a more comfortable, safer, faster and cleaner aviation means and it will be up to these young people who today are graduating to reach those milestones in their engineering career”.
Talent awarded by companies
ETSIAE graduates are prepared to take on all these challenges. “You are well prepared to embrace the world of work, a demanding professional world, highly specialised, with multidisciplinary and cross-centred working teams," said the Director of ETSIAE.
All graduates have also completed their internships in different companies and many of them have also obtained international experience thanks to double degree agreements or through stays in foreign universities.
The companies value both the talent of these students and the training received, for that reason, during this ceremony Airbus, Caja de Ingenieros, ENAIRE, GMV, Ineco, Isdefe, ITP Aero, Siemens Gamesa, and the Ignacio Da Riva Microgravity Institute (responsible for teaching the MUSE) awarded prizes to the graduates with the best academic results of each class and to those who have performed the best Final Master Project.
Staff recognition
Furthermore, ETSIAE recognises in this act the teaching and research staff and administration and services with 20 years of work service in the centre and also thanks the recently retired staff for their professionalism and dedication.