Investigators in Massachusetts are working to establish a motive for the murders of two Brown University students and a professor from MIT, as former classmates of the suspect and one victim question whether their shared past at a demanding Portuguese university played a role.
A Shared Past at Lisbon's Notorious Técnico
The suspected gunman, Cláudio Valente, and one of those killed, MIT professor Nuno FG Loureiro, both studied at the University of Lisbon's prestigious engineering and technology school, known as Técnico, graduating in 2000. Contemporaries describe the academic climate there as emotionally gruelling.
Valente was remembered as brilliant and competitive, yet helpful to peers. He graduated top of his class with an exceptional average grade of 19 out of 20. Loureiro, described as an excellent but more easygoing student, finished with a 16 out of 20 average. At the time, both men appeared socially well-adjusted to their classmates.
The Mental Toll of Hyper-Competitive Academia
Nuno Morais, a 48-year-old researcher in Lisbon and former classmate, said he and others had been "racking their brains" for an explanation following Loureiro's killing. He pointed to potential mental health problems exacerbated by academic disappointment.
"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," Morais stated.
After graduating, Valente's promising doctoral studies at Brown University ended abruptly in early 2001, and he returned to Portugal to work as a programmer. In contrast, Loureiro's career flourished at Imperial College London, Princeton, and ultimately MIT, where he became director of the Plasma Science and Fusion Center.
Morais suggested Valente was "crushed" by his failure to complete his PhD, a dream shared by many in academia. He highlighted a pervasive culture in elite schools where struggling students face humiliation and immense pressure to be "the best of the best."
Broader Implications and Political Fallout
Morais, who now mentors students, criticised the normalisation of emotional distress in higher education. He noted that while institutions like MIT and Caltech have acted due to high suicide rates, Portugal lags in combating bullying and harassment within its universities.
The tragedy has also sparked a political debate on immigration. Valente re-entered the US in 2017 via the diversity lottery visa programme. Following the incident, Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem announced a pause to the scheme, stating the suspect "should never have been allowed in our country."
This move, and attempts to further restrict legal immigration using the crime as a pretext, caused outrage among the men's peers. Morais argued it misplaces the focus, stating: "Access to weapons and the hyper-competitive culture of some universities are closer to the root causes of these shootings than migration."
A spokesperson for Técnico said the school saw no clear connection between the shootings and the men's time there three decades ago, but acknowledged the institution would "come together to reflect and discuss."
