Mendeley is pleased to host guest blog posts from our Advisor Community on research life, collaborations, and workflow. Here Jorge Sinval writes about the connections he has made through his work as an Advisor.

By Jorge Sinval

Mendeley represents a lot in my professional life: it made some important connections possible, and transformed my network. I’m a double degree PhD student in Psychology from the Faculty of Psychology and Education Sciences of the University of Porto, and, Faculty of Philosophy, Sciences and Letters of Ribeirão Preto of the University of São Paulo.

Mendeley has given me the opportunity to meet several leaders in my field. Here are my favourite collaboration stories:

I first have to thank to my supervisor, Professor João Marôco (ISPA – IU), and to my co-supervisors, Professor Cristina Queirós (FPCE – UP) and Professor Sônia Pasian (FFCLRP – USP). They always support my Mendeley events, and the time I spend on them. Through them, I was able to make some especial contributions to Mendeley, such as faculty lessons.

Mendeley gave me the opportunity to meet Professor Carlos Lopes (ISPA – IU). He helped me improve my events performance, and, with his help, I was able to with develop various Mendeley events in ISPA, including one with the rector, Professor Rui Oliveira and his research team. He also gave me the opportunity to participate in a national meeting for the Higher Education librarians, where I did a Mendeley event. In this event, I met a lot of librarians from all over the country, and many of them helped me find journal articles.

One of my working projects is a systematic review with metanalysis, for the Cochrane Occupational Safety and Health Review Group. In order to accomplish this work, I need to have access to the maximum amount of databases. With Mendeley, I was able to meet a librarian from the Rectory of the University of Porto, Manuel Montenegro, and with him I could fill the list of the most pertinent databases for my study. He also helped me to design a special workshop for University of Porto librarians that took place in the “Old Collection” room, a space with a lot of history for our University.

Another interesting opportunity that Mendeley created for me was a meeting with a specialist in one of the areas of my interest. I met his PhD student in one of my Mendeley workshops and because I had a folder with the name “Job Insecurity”, she was able to connect me to her co-supervisor, who was visiting Portugal.

Through these connections, I was able to request the loan of a three volume book, from the only copy of the handbook in my country. It is like a Bible in my area of research, and it deserves the weight of carrying it.

My most recent event was at the ISCTE – IUL in Lisbon, where my brother, João Sinval, studies. I talked to the librarian Teresa Segurado, and the session occurred, it was one of the largest sessions I have given, as well as the most heterogenic, from graduate student to the pro-rector, Professor Susana Carvalhosa.

Mendeley continues to enrich my network. Before I started at my new University, I was already able to get to know a librarian from my institute, Solange Santana, before I even arrived! With this, all that I have to say is… Thank you Mendeley… For changing my way of doing research =)

Interested in writing a guest blog about your research life? Email Shruti Desai shruti.desai@mendeley.com.