Investigators in Massachusetts are probing the possible connection between the murders of two Brown University students and an MIT physics professor and the suspects' shared academic background at a demanding Portuguese university. The suspected gunman, Cláudio Valente, and one of the victims, Nuno FG Loureiro, both graduated in 2000 from the University of Lisbon's engineering school, Técnico, known for its gruelling academic climate.
Former classmates describe the environment as emotionally gruelling, with a hyper-competitive culture where struggling students are humiliated. Valente was brilliant and competitive, finishing top of his class with an average grade of 19 out of 20, while Loureiro was excellent but more easygoing, with a 16 average. Classmates recall both as socially well adjusted at the time.
Nuno Morais, a researcher at the Gulbenkian Institute for Molecular Medicine in Lisbon, said classmates have been 'racking their brains' for signs of trouble. 'Having known Cláudio and having had a good relationship with him, we can’t find any other explanation than a serious mental health problem – exacerbated by resentment for not having achieved the academic career he dreamed of,' he said.
After graduating, Valente enrolled at Brown University for a PhD in physics but dropped out after a few months in early 2001 and returned to Portugal to work as a programmer. Loureiro studied at Imperial College London and Princeton, later joining MIT in 2016 as a professor of nuclear science and engineering. Classmates suspect the competitive academic atmosphere may have taken a mental toll on Valente, who was crushed by his failure to complete his PhD.
Morais noted that institutions like MIT and Caltech have taken steps to relieve student pressure due to high suicide rates, but Portugal lags in addressing bullying and harassment. 'The prevailing culture is still one in which senior figures behave in ways that are prejudicial to mental health and that continues to be tolerated. Tragedies like this should prompt us to think very carefully,' he said.
A spokesperson for Técnico said the school is not aware of any connection between the shootings and the time Valente and Loureiro spent there, adding that they seemed to have a normal, collegial relationship. Valente returned to the US in 2017 through the diversity lottery immigrant visa programme and was granted a green card.
