A PhD Student Reflects on the Impact of His Experiences Abroad

Giovanne Baroni Diniz, a PhD candidate at the University of São Paulo, has proactively sought opportunities to conduct science abroad. He’s visited labs and attended conferences in the United States and Canada, completed a fellowship with SfN’s Latin American Training Program (LATP), spent three months researching in France, and visited other countries for professional growth. Here, he reflects on how those experiences have impacted his outlook on the field and inspired him to contribute to an inclusive culture.

Why did you want to gain experience abroad?

We get so used to how science is done in our home countries. When you go abroad, you realize some of what you assumed was standard was actually just part of the local scientific culture and not happening everywhere.

It can be challenging to adapt to a new culture, but eventually you learn from the differences and gain a new perspective. Diversity is really important in the workplace. Especially because we are trying to solve problems, getting fresh perspectives and looking at questions from different angles is so important for science.