The Spread of Scientific Knowledge and Technology Transfer: André Coyne (1891–1960) and the Construction of Dams in 20th Century Portugal

Abstract

After the 1st World War, hydroelectricity was definitively recognized as an energy alternative for Portugal, a country with a scarcity of coal. However, the construction of dams required not only large investments, but also very specific and up-to-date knowledge and competencies. On the one hand, this favoured the internationalization of enterprises and foreign investment, while, on the other, it determined the development of research and experimentation in laboratories equipped with state-of-the-art technology and bibliography, study trips abroad, and international collaboration among engineers. Moreover, the construction of dams in Portugal promoted the engineer’s mobility and the transfer of technology, above all when the great dams began to be constructed in the 40’s. The professional trajectory of André Coyne, an engineer who had constructed dams in the “four corners of the world” is a good example of the mobility of experts, which determined his technical competencies and his international recognition.