There are few years of INESC TEC history without Ana Isabel Oliveira. As the person in charge of the Board Secretarial Coordination, she has been “at home” for more than three decades. This is a story of dedication and commitment – always taking care of this institution and its community. After “starting from scratch” on several occasions – and countless questions solved – she remains here.
Certain things do not change: Ana Isabel may define her plans for the following workday, but there’s always something that plays tricks on her: “everything falls flat”. This has been the case for 35 years, ever since the moment she opened the door to a “new world”: INESC. It couldn’t have gone better: she realised that she enjoys the lack of routines, and that her work only makes sense when she’s close, in direct contact with people. She was not aware of it at the time, but she was getting ready for a straight path: the secretarial line of work became “her home” ever since she first stepped foot through the door. Did she ever consider a small “detour”? “What for? I’m happy here.”
However, some things change: Ana Isabel Oliveira realised – from her first day at the Largo de Mompilher building, until the present days at INESC TEC and Asprela – that this institution is changing and growing, much like all those who are part of it. She quickly learned that work can be a house of cards, ready to be rebuilt: her knowledge over the years helped her understand that “it’s vital to stay up to date and be able to adapt”.
“The tasks carried out by our service rely on proximity, and we must learn to understand people and cultivate a relationship. But then, we start helping someone else, forcing us to adapt to a different profile and personality”, she said.
And when that happens, you must “start from scratch”. Ana learned that, in her job, “knowledge” is about understanding how “others deal with problems”. Just a few metres from the glass room where she works – akin to an information hub – the head of the Board Secretarial Coordination recalled a journey that began far away: the day she was welcomed by Regina Freitas and Cidália Lima on the first day at her new job. This was followed by “days without routines”, while feeling the pulse of an institution that often hinders her plans. For several years, she was “the only woman in the room”, working as secretary to the telecommunications unit and the automation centre; she’s been working closely with major decision-makers for 20 years.
Leaving INESC TEC business… at INESC TEC
Before “sharing the office” with the members of the Board, this “introvert girl” met José António Salcedo – and gained some confidence. “He often presented a problem and did not mind the way I solved it. As long as I got the job done, he didn’t mind, and this gave me a sense of autonomy like never before; he listened to me and valued my advice and opinions,” she recalled.
This was a turning point. The “initial shyness” disappeared when the Board “opened” the doors to her. Ana Isabel – methodical and light-hearted – improved her “attitude and presence” when she was invited to support Mário Jorge Leitão (at the time, member the Board): it was almost the warm-up for a 13-year “marathon” with José Carlos Caldeira, “a role-model”. “I’m not the only one saying this, but he was unstoppable: assigning tasks to three or four people at the same time. I was responsible for the majority of said tasks.”
She joined the creation and incubation of Produtech – “a very challenging project”; and she actively participated in the expansion of the headquarters building, when this process was a mere idea on a blueprint, yet to be materialised. Ana Isabel is also part of the EXPLORE and ForestWISE European projects. However, her duties at INESC TEC did not end after leaving the building: “I always dedicated a lot of my personal time to the institution. Many more hours than those required.” Now, this is no longer the case: things change. “I changed; I used to take some of my work problems home, always prioritising my career. I still give all I got to INESC TEC, but I don’t take problems home.” The vivid memory of her daughter, alone, waiting for Ana Isabel at the daycare, made her stop spending days watching the sun go down from inside her office.
“I was able to overcome all those challenges,” she concluded. “And why? Because I enjoy working at this institution, and I’ve grown fond of the projects I take on – and, above all, of the people I work with. I believe that my time at INESC TEC was characterised by effort, dedication and resilience. I think I contributed to the growth and sustainability of INESC TEC,” she pointed out.
First, a question: “Is everything okay?”
Ana Isabel learned how to leave INESC TEC business at INESC TEC. In the meantime, she began to explore a new idea – before quickly dismissing it: establishing a company dedicated to organising events; she simply didn’t have enough time. And other plans got in the way: family and children; volunteering; thinking about future hiking plans – she knows many miles in the northern region of Portugal; and a future with sunbeds, basking in the sun near the shore. “The sun, the beach and the sea are my comfort zones. They help me forget all my problems and recover. There’s nothing like a nice summer afternoon, reading a book by the sea.”
In the future, during one of those afternoons, and after leaving INESC TEC, she will remember those many years of “a continuous learning process”. She will recall the times she witnessed the “amazing” expansion and evolution of the institution, when she supported José Mendonça: “a kind man, a true friend; a loyal and thoughtful person, skilled with words and improvising. A fighter.” As to more recent duties, Ana Isabel mentioned the current Chairman of the Board, João Claro: “he will keep writing our history, marked by inspiration and resilience, leveraging the future. To me, it’s a great opportunity to learn from a wise, thoughtful – yet commanding – man, the one who will write a new chapter.”
Among members of the Board, researchers, and all those who work alongside her at INESC TEC, she managed to find some friends. Something that is natural to Ana Isabel. “We become fond of it”, she mentioned. She’s always on the phone: “it’s better to speak directly with people”. She told us that, in a “sea” of emails, messages – or faxes, since we’re also talking about the past – a call can make a difference: “I call them to solve problems, but also to ask them ‘is everything okay?’ I believe that this is the key to understanding how other people are doing. We become better people when we support each other.”
Habits from a person who likes to share her knowledge. She does it whenever she can, alongside the “tight-knit” team she manages. Processes, folders, dossiers, requests, events: “the members of our team have different outlooks; but we’re very close. We protect and support each other, and we promote the exchange of knowledge, towards improving our strength as a team. I don’t keep anything to myself; and I feel proud when my knowledge and practices inspire others, making them improve as professionals – and helping them become better people.”
“I often say that having a good work environment is crucial to makes us happy while performing our duties. We spend more time at our work than with our own families,” she concluded. At INESC TEC, time flies: and Ana Isabel feels happy about it.
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