Visualizations since May 2010

segunda-feira, 28 de dezembro de 2009

A PhD on the Road - Epilogue

I'm just leaving a draft version on supervisors hands, and so the adventure is coming to an end. I hate to finish things in a hurry, and so i prepared a epilogue section to be saying good-bye. Symbolicly i choose a pack of my life related with climbing volcanoes. I hope you like it.

Pacaia

During the main adventure i just had the chance of dropping by in Guatemala (just before Mexico) where i met Eduardo Neves, for a conference on lime treatments where we had a paper to present together. We were real partners then, not only because of the paper, but because we were both togehter finishing research works (i´m supervisor on his) and together we found a fantastic adventure to follow: Climbing the Pacaia, an active Volcano with 2500m. For both of us it was a first time, and as you know first times are never forgotten. I promised Eduardo i would publish the images of it only after he had defended the final work. That happened last week. A work together, departing from ground zero, and in 3 years a deep study and a clear understanding of lime-soil treatment is achieved. Fantastic work, 3 papers published and adventure together. The last MSc of pre-Bologna was this one, and so Eduardo is a kind of last of Mohicans.

So here it goes. Climbing mountains was something that came up with my father. Climbing Volcanoes came up from my heart. I just leave the movie of that adventure with a fantastic local Maya sound, coming from a deep research of the incredible Ranferi Aguilar - Nacimos Sin Miedo. We were lucky to watch their fantastic show together. You may find his blog´s adress in side bar

Congratulations Eduardo for a fantastic job. It has been a great pleasure to walk around with you. (I´m a bit jealous because you already finished and i´m still struggling). Let´s keep in touch.

Kisses and hugs for everybody


Epilogue (Rings of fire) - Climbing Pacaia Volcano from nunocruz on Vimeo.

Estou deixando um draft da minha tese com os meus orientadores, para os arranjos finais do trabalho. Detesto despedir-me das coisas a correr, de modo que preparei um último pacote de filmes para despedida. Simbolicamente, escolhi as subidas a alguns vulcoes, quer pela escalada que traz o meu pai de volta a mim, quer pelo vulcão em si mesmo que será sempre uma Meca para um profissional da área da geologia. Espero que gostem deste pacote final.

Pacaia

Durante o percurso do PhD on the Road, mesmo antes de entrar no México, cruzei-me com o meu amigo Eduardo (Castro Neves) na Guatemala, para apresentar uma comunicação (de ambos) sobre solos tratados com cal. A história conta-se em duas palavras. Fui convidado a ir a um congresso sobre tratamento de solos (Tremti, Paris) sobre o qual não sabia nada. Assisti, enquadrei-me com a técnica (estremamente útil em obras em linha) e preparei um programa de desenvolvimento que viria a ser recusado. Não desisti e convidei o Eduardo para uma parceria que se revelou muito proficua, a que se juntou o Tó Viana e a Lusical (Mário Marques). No congresso seguinte (este na Guatemala) tinhamos o assunto embrulhado, 3 artigos publicados (muito elogiado) e pouco depois uma tese de mestrado (do Eduardo), a última pré-bolonha. Por isso, para mim o Eduardo é uma espécie de Último Mohicano. No decurso desse trajecto, tropeçamos na aventura de escalar um vulcão activo, que se revelou extraordinário, especialmente por ser a primeira vez para ambos. E uma primeira vez nunca se esquece. Prometi-lhe que publicaria essa aventura quando defendesse a sua tese, em sua homenagem. Chegou essa hora, por isso.

Parabéns por esse magnifico trabalho. Foi um prazer fazer esta caminhada contigo.

Nessa estada, assistimos a um espectaculo fantastico de um grupo de pessoas (Ranferi Aguilar e a sua gente "Nacimos sin miedo") que dedicam a sua vida a procurar as emoções das gentes Maias. Fui tocado por essas emoções e assim o filme é "cantado com esses sons". Podem seguir o seu blog através do endereço na barra lateral

Beijos e abraços

sexta-feira, 18 de dezembro de 2009

A PhD on the Road (Back Home)

It was running the year of 1994 when i first knew about DMT, in the entrance hall of Industrial de Sondeos in Madrid. At the time, I was a young engineer in the beginning of a professional career with a lot of dreams to fulfill, desperately looking for modern forms of testing and I was touched by the simplicity and versatility of the test. As a consequence, one DMT unit was bought by LGMC of CICCOPN, the first quality controlled laboratory of mechanical testing in Portugal, which gave rise to a long run after its applicability in residual soils. One year later, at the end of 1995, the first MSc dissertation on DMT in portuguese soils was concluded, which included already a first attempt to introduce it in residual soils. Since then, the portuguese experience gave rise to 30 publications crossing a wide range of problems related with DMT in residual soils.

My PhD thesis is the result of this long run, but it is much more than one man’s work. In fact, this was produced by a lot of fantastic people that worked with me as team mates in LGMC, later in MOTA-ENGIL to where I moved in 2003 and also Aveiro University. They gave me the pleasure of walking along with me, proving that friendhip and a good mood can really take us far. Let me introduce all of them, singing a song with a great meaning for portuguese (Traz um amigo também – Resistência) that is my tribute to their capacity of always bringing a friend along with them...

José Manuel Carvalho - The first DMT operator (1994) and a long journey companion in the hardest early times

Fernando Gomes – Development of first calculation sheets which allowed storing important data basis since the earlier begin (1995). Fantastic job mounting exactly what i needed (and i didn´t know i needed)

Sonia Inês Figueiredo – The first global data treatment of combined testing programs, which included 15 sedimentary and 7 residual experimental sites (2000). My Soninha. Quite short the time we had been together, but so full of empaty. And a great job that became a huge step forward towards the work i´m trying desperately to finish.

Jorge Cruz – Development of DMT multi-testing campaigns. This work gave rise to Geotechnical Engineering degree final work, awarded with Lisoarte Gomes Prize (2003) and a MSc thesis (2008). The best engineer i´ve ever work with. Either in friendship and teamwork

Jorge Ribeiro – Geotechnical Engineering final work based in LGMC experimental site, (2004), closing an important stage on residual soil characterization. We learn about triaxial testing together, with efficiency and companionhip

Ricardo Rocha – Introduction of geophysics in combination with mechanical testing (2005). A great future is expected in geophysics. He deserve it. Clearly

Eduardo Neves – MSc thesis in artificially cemented soils which gave important impulse to the main experience of actual work (2007). So many things together, maybe the one who lived more different stages with me. And we climbed together to the top of Pacaia to see magma coming out from the earth.

Manuel Cruz – Development of advanced mathmatics & engineering interfaces (2007), co-supervising the research works on propagation errors of results. Don´t tell anyone this secret, but he is my bro.

Carin Mateus – MSC thesis on error propagation of DMT results, departing from measurement errors (2007). My day-to-day help, support and fuel to go on.

João Branco working together with me in rock mechanics (so important its understanding to understand residual soils). Maybe the one who worked with me in the most difficult conditions. And he gave everything. Fantastic job, fantastic friendship

Patricia Vieira & Luis Machado – Same kind of previous work applied to SCPTU and PMT, closing the pack of the main in situ tests for a proper residual soil characterization (2008). Together with Fernando Paiva and Denise Silva, they make a younger and promising generation of team mates. Let´s walk towards something useful, together.

Carlos Rodrigues – Determinant contribution on the main research program related to the present work, and more than that, the arm-to-arm he always gave me, no matter the circunstances. About this i would just say... he taught me a different meaning for friendship

Mike Lopes, David Felizardo & Catarina Lemos - They taught me how far a team can go, always with a beautiful shining smile

My Friends, this work is the result of what we were able to do together, and I sincerely hope you can feel proud of it. Thank you all for your contribution. It has been a pleasure to walk with you.

The Long Run from nunocruz on Vimeo.

Uma ode à amizade e à entrega em torno de um bom objectivo. Um prazer trabalhar com gente tão boa. Fica a mensagem...

Traz um amigo também (Zeca Afonso, cantado por Resistência).

Está fácil de lêr em inglês. Logo, logo traduzo.

Beijos e abraços

sábado, 12 de dezembro de 2009

A PhD on The Road (Back Home)

Portugal

Friends are the most valuable thing of one man´s life. I will do anything to keep the joy of a friendship, all the time, since we live a time were these kind of values are loosing its meaning, every day. I suspect that we are really gonna need as many friends as possible dreaming together to overcome this world dangerously sliding to hell, to loneliness, to a global war. We have to keep on dreaming that this can make the difference.

The movie of today is a tribute to friendship and the capacity of dreaming together. The music is from Resistência (Não sou o unico, I´m not the only one) and tell us that when you are dreaming, you are never alone.

Ladies & Gentleman... I´d like to introduce you to my friends of this sailing trip that brought me back home

Alexandre e Afonso Santos, Mena Zambujal, Vitor Az, Silvia Fernandes

Kisses and hugs to all my friends, plus to those that will be, some day.


Blowin in the Wind - Dreaming for a lifetime from nunocruz on Vimeo.


Uso mais uma vez as palavras de artistas da minha terra para dizer o que me vai na alma (Resistência, Não sou o único). Sonhar é o meu lema fundamental. Olhar o céu e Sonhar em equipa é aquilo que mais enriquece a minha vida, porque sempre me trouxe e me conduziu ao valor inestimável da amizade profunda. E quão importante isto se vai tornando neste mundo cada vez mais perigoso e cada vez mais à beira do abismo. Todos juntos, unidos em torno de amizades sinceras...talvez consigamos.

Deixem-me apresentar-lhes o grupo de amigos desta viagem que me trouxe de volta a casa...
Alexandre e Afonso Santos, Mena Zambujal, Vitor Az, Silvia Fernandes

Beijos e abraços...

para todo o rol infindável de amigos que tenho, e para aqueles que hão-de ser. São o tesouro que guardo da vida.

sexta-feira, 4 de dezembro de 2009

A PhD on the Road (Portugal)

Albufeira - Ilha do Farol

So many things i have in my mind, but i just want to say a small thing. At the end of my work.

First, at the end of my work, just like Socrates (The Greek), i should be humble enough to say...

"I just know that i know nothing". "No sé nada" from Rodrigo Leão & Daniel Melingo, makes the moment.

Second is my tribute to my mother, my auntie and the fantastic grand mother Guida, because of they thaught me about emotions. That´s where my passion for life comes from. "Pasión" from Rodrigo Leão & Ana Carolina makes the right foot step for the images i selected from the moments i´ve lived. Passion is needed for everything. Believe it or not.

Finally, i just want to say that Rodrigo Leão and his friends makes the perfect sense to my way of living. I feel blown by their music and their lyrics. Enjoy it, because it is worthy. And feel a bit what it is being Portuguese. Exactly what you may feel when you listen to that music

All we need is love


Blowin in the Wind - Passion from nunocruz on Vimeo.

Hoje só quero partilhar convosco emoções, fluindo livres no vento. Com o Rodrigo Leão e a sua gente, em cujo trabalho os meus sentimentos irresistivelmente se revêem. Sinto-me pura e simplesmente esvoaçando com as suas notas, as suas palavras, e as emoções que delas emana.

Escolhi "No sé nada" (Rodrigo Leão & Daniel Melingo) pela acuidade que isso têm com o final de um trabalho de investigação, e com a minha própria existência, em transição de fases.

Em seguida. "Pasión" (Rodrigo Leão & Ana Carolina), por ser a paixão pelas coisas aquilo que de mais importante aprendi ao longo deste percurso e, sobretudo com o desenrolar deste blog. Paixão é o que verdadeiramente precisamos para fazer da nossa vida uma coisa genuina. Obrigado à minha mãe, titiá e avó Guida pelo que sempre me ensinaram sobre emoções.

As palavras tão docemente sopradas que imergem do filme dizem o resto.

All we need is love