To public defend my PhD thesis I first need to officially submit it to the academic services. Regulations in Portugal vary within Universities but Azores University stipulates the delivery of eleven printed copies in paper.
The goal of this funding appeal is to cover final expenses to receive my doctoral degree from Azores University: for the printing of all copies required by academic services and the fee payment for certification documents.
These expenses were initially supported within the scholar approved by FCT (Portuguese Science and Technology Foundation) in 2011, when the project was submitted in 2010. In 2012, due to global budget restrictions, this support (as well as others) was unexpectedly cut and all scholarship students were only informed by a "new" regulation. Through a lot of effort, the main project goals were accomplished with less funding, but now, without any other support from University or other institution, this crowd-funding project was established to collect exactly the amount that was initially granted by FCT.
The amount is enough to cover all final expenses - but more then this, the appeal questions these inconsequent political measures, which give and take funds without any consideration to the people to which they supported with scholarships or without thinking about the consequences of doing so...
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About the author
Sílvia Lino always wanted to be a scientist and investigate the potential of the Portuguese sea. With a degree in Biotechnology engineering and a Master in Oceanography, this opportunity has finally arrived during her PhD. Over five years, Silvia has researched the possibility of deep-sea marine animals in Azores having natural compounds relating to biological activity in human diseases such as cancer and malaria. Her thesis is now finished but to be able to defend it, eleven printed copies have to be delivered to academia in Azores University...
Besides scientific research, Silvia has a great desire to talk about science and in particular to share with the wider public the conclusions from the on-going research. This has led her to participate in the 2015 Portuguese edition of Famelab, in which she was selected for the final, to be held in Pavilhão do Conhecimento, in Lisbon, on 9 of May.
This crowdfunding project has been realised with the precious help of friends from a variety of areas who gave their help voluntary with the project conception (Lia Goulart, Carlos Monteiro and Luis Monteiro), photography and edited images (Mac Photography) and video production (Joana Pena).
Budget and due dates
* 750 euros in 30 days:
- 300 euros for printing 11 copies
- 250 euros for University fees (200 for diploma + 50 for conclusion certificate)
- 200 euros for rewards
* If 300% of the funds initially asked:
- 1200 euros for designing an Internet site with all information about the last 5 years of research
- 300 euros for rewards
All rewards will be delivered after the thesis defence date. The website should be functional 6 months after the end of the period of the funding appeal.
* If more than 300% of funding is achieved, the funds will be donated to APCL (Portuguese Association against Leukaemia), an association that supports the promoter with an advanced training scholarship for the research work to continue.
Images
