Summary

Members of the TEA board were invited by Professor Antonio Capone and host Lorenzo Paletti for a featured interview on “TUTTOCONNESSO,” the official podcast of Politecnico di Milano. During the conversation, the students discussed the origins of the TEA association, explaining it was founded to create a stronger community among master’s degree students who came from various undergraduate backgrounds and to organize enriching activities that complement their formal studies.

They detailed their events, such as company visits and alumni networking “aperitivi,” designed to bridge the gap between academic theory and real-world industry applications. A significant portion of the discussion was dedicated to the challenges of communicating telecommunications to the public. The students shared anecdotes about explaining complex topics to family and friends, touching upon common misconceptions and fears regarding technologies like Wi-Fi, satellites, and 5G. They highlighted how the “invisibility” of telecommunications makes it difficult for non-experts to grasp, often leading them to perceive it as “magic.” The interview also explored why telecommunications might be a less popular field of study and how the association’s activities help showcase its fascinating and diverse applications, from radar to signal processing, to a broader student audience.