IST Instituto Superior Técnico alumna Agata Horwacik wins Best Master Thesis in Hydrogen Technologies

Agata fondly looks back on her time in the EIT InnoEnergy Master School since she feels the programmes are well-tailored to each student’s background and interests. She shares, “The courses were on a very high level, and my time there created many opportunities and opened a lot of doors for me. It provides students with technical knowledge by allowing us to study at leading universities such as IST and practical knowledge to apply the concepts that we’ve learned and tackle day-to-day problems, which is extremely important. And now, more hydrogen courses are being created since there’s high demand. I know when writing my thesis that the professors from IST provided me with vast knowledge on the rising topic of hydrogen, for which I am forever grateful.”

Agata shares her thoughtful insights about this growing field: “I think the impact of hydrogen can already be seen, as well as with rapid development and implementation of the technology. Many countries have already adapted the hydrogen roadmaps and made specific targets for hydrogen implementation in upcoming years. Recognised as an alternative fuel of excellent properties for many years now, we finally have the tools to make good use of it! It is precisely the right time to utilise the great potential of hydrogen to make this energy transition possible – to shift toward renewable energy at affordable prices hopefully in near future. It’s going to play a significant role in many sectors“. To accelerate value chain cooperation and make green hydrogen a commercially viable solution for a vast array of industries, EIT InnoEnergy is also leading an initiative called the European Green Hydrogen Acceleration Centre (EGHAC). The time is right to start an exciting career in this booming field! 

When asked what her biggest takeaway from winning the Best Master Thesis award has been (aside from the attractive prize money!) Agata says, “Winning has provided me with a great amount of motivation and is something that will push me to keep reaching for my goals and continuing to study. I think learning is most important for constant personal and professional development. If I could share one message, it would be that taking on something like this is always worth the effort – hard work pays off!”

If you’re ready to take on a new challenge, there is still time to apply to an EIT InnoEnergy Master School programme in a field that interests you – and choose a prestigious partner university such as IST Instituto Superior Técnico!