My experience at NOVAFRICA has defined the researcher that I am today!
As a post-doc at Nova School of Business and Economics, I worked in different research projects within Novafrica knowledge center. What initially was a three-year appointment, ended up in a five-year long collaboration. During these years, the excellent support that NOVAFRICA offers created the perfect environment for a fresh PhD aiming at transitioning to a research career in development economics.
NOVAFRICA has succeed as knowledge center in development economics for a bright combination of elements. To me, the key is the balance between being an outstanding research center and keeping a friendly and collaborative environment across all members, from master students to the scientific directors, passing through the administrative staff. The first side is easy to see, is what I saw before arriving to Lisbon: members publishing in top journals, international conferences with top economist, etc. The second one is what I learned when I start working there.
Just after my arrival at Lisbon, a researcher of the center invited me to collaborate in a research project that was about to start. After me, a 1st year PhD student joint the team. During all the years that the project lasted, the three of us discussed ideas openly and made decisions together. What I first experienced in this project was the norm in the rest of the projects. Since I joined Novafrica I have worked with five PhD students, in all of them, PhD students were invited to participate as co-authors, which creates a friendly collaboration environment. I was also pushed to bring projects and got all the support needed what enhanced me to develop my own research agenda under the support of senior researchers. This research benefited for extraordinary visibility outside Nova, as I was able to discuss my projects and ideas with top economists visiting the center and during one of the many international conferences or workshops organized by the center.
Definitely, my experience at Novafrica has defined the researcher that I am today, my agenda but also the way I want to continue doing research.
Teresa Molina-Millán
Former Post-doctoral researcher at NOVAFRICA
Assistant Professor at the University of Alicante
