Arianna Scalfi, a young graduate in neuroscience at the University of Trieste, tells us about her educational journey. Starting from a small valley in Trentino, she participated in international mobility programs in Finland and Denmark, until arriving in Madagascar, where she is now doing her civil service.

What prompted you to study neuroscience in Trieste?

I chose the master's degree in neuroscience because I have always been fascinated by the functioning of the human mind and the impact it has on our daily lives. Among various universities, my choice fell on Trieste, especially because in the training proposal the program offered frequent meetings with former students already working in corporate environments, thus allowing me to have a first-hand contact with the working world and not limiting myself exclusively to pure research. Another reason was that the course was entirely in English, which allowed me to improve the language skills needed to be competitive in science, where English is the predominant language.

Let's talk about your Erasmus experience. 

I became interested in Erasmus thanks to Professor Tongiorgi, coordinator of our degree course, who explained the opportunities offered by the project in a very engaging way. I then joined a six-month programme in Helsinki, since I was attracted by the Scandinavian countries' quality of life and reputation for research. The University of Helsinki offered a practical course in electrophysiology on the subject of Brain Slice Electrophysiology, a subject which I had already partly covered in the first year of my master’s degree in Trieste and which I intended to develop further in my dissertation. From an academic point of view, I was struck by the informal and collaborative approach in the University in Finland: the frequent group work made the learning extremely engaging, while discussion with the professors was more direct than in Italy, almost as if it were a conversation between colleagues.

After Helsinki, you did an Erasmus Traineeship in Denmark. It seems you are drawn to glacial temperatures! Tell us about this experience.

The Bora of Trieste was not enough for me! But in all seriousness, I chose to do the traineeship in Aarhus because, in addition to being Denmark’s second largest city, I knew that there were many neuroscience research groups. Here I found a professor who was extremely willing to welcome me and support me in the development of my thesis on electrophysiology. I found the work environment very balanced regarding private life and work. I was given a lot of autonomy and trust right from the start, which allowed me to work well with the professor and bring concrete results. Specifically, we conducted a study to understand whether an antiepileptic drug can affect synaptic plasticity by modifying the brain circuits responsible for functions such as memory. 

You are currently performing civilian service in Madagascar. How did this choice come about?

Working with NGOs has always fascinated me. I think it is still a little explored area in which scientists can be of great use. Currently, although not computer science, I am engaged in the creation and development of a hospital database, an experience that is helping me to become more flexible, expanding my professional vision and making me understand the importance of adapting to different contexts.

One final question: Where do you see yourself in a few years?

I am still in the process of defining my career path, but I know I want to stay in the field of science. Although I have not yet identified a specific area, I feel attracted to biomedicine and the functioning of the human brain. In addition, I am discovering an interest in public health, and I would therefore like to embark on a path that combines research and practical experience.