Beatriz Almeida
23 years old · Coimbra (studying), family in Viseu
Master's student in Biomedical Engineering + part-time research assistant
Persona: Coimbra Student / Recent Graduate
Beatriz Almeida
Quick Profile
| Attribute | Value |
|---|---|
| Name | Beatriz Almeida |
| Age | 23 |
| Gender | Female |
| Location | Coimbra (studying), family in Viseu |
| Occupation | Master's student in Biomedical Engineering + part-time research assistant |
| Education | Completing Master's (Universidade de Coimbra) |
| Housing | Shared student apartment (€280/month, her share) |
| Family | Parents in Viseu (father accountant, mother nurse), younger brother (19) |
| Voter Status | Portuguese citizen - can vote |
Background Narrative
Beatriz is at the crossroads that defines her generation. In six months, she'll have a Master's in Biomedical Engineering from one of Portugal's best universities. Her grades are excellent. Her research supervisor has connections in Germany, the Netherlands, and the US. Every week, she gets LinkedIn messages from recruiters in other countries.
Her parents sacrificed for this education. They drove her to Coimbra every September with car packed to the roof, sent money when the research stipend was late, never complained about the cost. Now they watch her consider job offers that would take her away forever.
She loves Portugal—the language, the culture, the way people gather for dinner, the sound of fado, the Atlantic. But she's done the math. A starting salary in Portugal: €1,200. The same job in Munich: €3,500. Student loans aren't the issue (fees are low), but starting life is. Rent in Lisbon for a young engineer? Impossible.
Her boyfriend Miguel is in the same situation. They've talked about leaving together. They've talked about staying and fighting. They haven't decided.
Economic Situation
| Aspect | Detail |
|---|---|
| Income level | Very low (€400/month research stipend) |
| Income source | Research assistantship + parents' support |
| Financial stress | Moderate (student, future uncertain) |
| Housing cost burden | 70% of own income (parents supplement) |
| Economic trajectory | At decision point |
Values Profile (Schwartz Framework)
Higher-Order Values
| Dimension | Rating | Expression |
|---|---|---|
| Self-Transcendence | 4 | Cares about justice, equality, environment |
| Self-Enhancement | 4 | Ambitious, wants to achieve, be recognized |
| Openness to Change | 5 | Craves new experiences, knowledge, growth |
| Conservation | 2 | Questions tradition; values some security |
Specific Values (Top 3 priorities)
- Achievement: Her education represents years of work; she wants it to matter
- Self-Direction: Values intellectual freedom, making her own choices
- Universalism: Believes in equality, science for good, environmental responsibility
Moral Politics Frame (Lakoff)
Primary frame: Nurturant Parent
Expression: Beatriz believes in a society that invests in people, supports development, and creates opportunity. She's frustrated by a Portugal that trains excellent professionals then fails to create conditions for them to stay.
Information Ecosystem
| Source Type | Specific Sources | Trust Level |
|---|---|---|
| TV | Rarely watches | Low interest |
| Online | Público, Observador, international science news | Medium-High |
| Social Media | Instagram, LinkedIn, Twitter/X (academic), TikTok | Medium |
| None | N/A | |
| Community | Classmates, research group, online student networks | High |
Media consumption pattern: Digital native. Gets news through social feeds, reads long-form articles when interested. Academic Twitter for field news. LinkedIn increasingly for job market reality checks.
Political Profile
Voting History
| Election | Vote | Reasoning |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 Legislative | Livre | "Most aligned with my values, fresh" |
| 2022 Legislative | BE | "Left alternatives to PS" |
| 2021 Presidential | Ana Gomes | "Principled, anti-corruption" |
| Historical pattern | Progressive left, looking for authenticity |
Political Identity
- Left-Right self-placement: 2/10 (clearly left)
- Party identification: None strong; sympathizes with progressive left
- Political engagement: Moderate-High—votes, protests occasionally, social media active
2026 Presidential Inclination
- Current leaning: Catarina Martins (likely)
- Certainty: Likely
- Key deciding factors: Democratic values, climate, housing, not Ventura
Top Concerns (Ranked)
- Emigration decision: "Do I stay and struggle or leave and feel guilty?"
- Climate crisis: "My generation will live with consequences of inaction."
- Housing impossibility: "Even with a Master's, I can't afford Lisbon or Porto."
- Democratic backsliding: "Chega's rise terrifies me. How did we get here?"
- Career opportunities: "Portugal doesn't invest in R&D. Where do I go?"
Hopes
For herself:
"I want meaningful work that uses what I've learned. I want to be able to stay in Portugal without feeling like I'm choosing poverty. I want a life, not just survival."
For Portugal:
"I hope we can become a country that keeps its talent. That invests in science, innovation, young people. That doesn't just export us."
For her generation:
"I hope we don't all scatter. I hope enough of us stay or come back to build something different."
Fears
Personal fears:
"Leaving and losing connection to home. Becoming one of those emigrants who visits twice a year and slowly forgets how to be Portuguese."
Fears for Portugal:
"That my generation is the transition generation—the last to have roots here before everyone just leaves. That Portugal becomes a retirement home for foreigners."
Deepest fear (often unspoken):
"That I'm already too attached to go and too practical to stay. That there's no good choice, only different kinds of loss."
"In Their Own Voice"
How she'd describe Portugal today:
"A country that invests in educating us, then shrugs when we leave. We're not ungrateful—we're realistic. You can't pay Lisbon rent on Portuguese salaries. You can't build a research career where research isn't funded. This isn't disloyalty. It's math."
What she'd say to someone who disagrees with her politically:
"I understand being frustrated. But blaming immigrants or the EU isn't going to fix Portuguese salaries or housing. Those are choices our governments made. Let's talk about how to fix that."
Her message to politicians:
"Stop using brain drain as a talking point and start treating it as the emergency it is. We don't want tax breaks to come back at 40. We want reasons to stay at 25. Fund research. Build housing. Pay teachers. Create opportunity."
Scenario Response Predictions
| Candidate | Predicted Response | Key Trigger |
|---|---|---|
| Ventura | Strongly Negative | Anti-democratic, anti-science, everything she opposes |
| Gouveia e Melo | Neutral | Competent but politically unclear; military makes her wary |
| Marques Mendes | Negative | Establishment that created these problems |
| Seguro | Neutral-Positive | Better than right, but is PS serious about change? |
| Catarina Martins | Strongly Positive | Values aligned, principled, represents her politics |
| Cotrim Figueiredo | Mixed | Some modernizing appeal, but too market-focused |
| António Filipe | Neutral | Respects workers' rights message, seems dated |
Notes for Scenario Development
- Emigration decision as central drama—will she stay or go?
- Boyfriend Miguel creates relationship dynamics
- Parents' sacrifice adds emotional weight
- Academic/research context for specialized perspective
- Could interact with: Portuguese emigrants abroad, older academics who stayed, younger students looking to her
- In "Day in the Future" vignettes: job interview scenes, video calls with friends abroad, lab work, packing suitcase?