Turning Limitations into Opportunities: The SEPEX Experience

SEPEX is the largest innovation and technology fair at the Federal Center of Technology in Rio de Janeiro. It has been happening for almost 20 years and is one of the institution's main attractions. Its goal is to provide students with the opportunity to develop innovative projects and present them to the community.

However, in mid-2021, the pandemic imposed restrictions that led to the complete online realization of SEPEX. Although this allowed the fair to take place, there was a significant problem: the number of projects submitted to the extension program - essentially practical projects - dropped by more than 40%, which had never happened before in the institution's history.

That's when I decided to intervene. Instead of resigning ourselves to this reality, I decided to lead a group of students to create a strategy that would allow us to turn this limitation into an opportunity.

The Power of Teamwork

It was then that, together with this group of students, I established that we would submit a minimum of 20 projects to SEPEX. To achieve this, we had to meet regularly to discuss topics and create strategies to achieve our goals.

First, we identified social problems and existing limitations. Then, we began to develop solutions based on these insights. We developed a model to assist in project creation and established communication strategies to promote our projects and reach more people.

Our strategy was a success. In the end, we managed to submit more than 30 projects to SEPEX, surpassing our initial goal and setting a new record for the institution.

In addition to creating new projects, I also joined existing ones that needed help due to the new situation. With my programming skills, I was able to assist many students in completing their projects and delivering them on time.

In the end, I was awarded in various different categories at SEPEX, including Applied Social Sciences, Engineering, and Agricultural Sciences. It was an incredible experience and taught me an important lesson: turning limitations into opportunities is possible and can lead to great results. Additionally, I also received awards in the undergraduate category, which is unprecedented in the institution's history, as I was a high school student.

List of Awards Received