Dispatch from a Baylor Summer Fellow | Iara Peralta Siracusa

During my internship in Italy, I found myself in profound retrospective self-realization about how much I have learned, both professionally and about myself. An idea that seemed a long shot became my day-to-day routine in the summer. Navigating a completely different language every time I stepped outside to learning how to prepare a honeybee for brain imaging. Being in this position to immerse myself in a different culture and work environment, I became more adaptive and agile in how I approached problems. Although I had never worked with animals, doing so made me curious and taught me how to approach unfamiliar, complex problems. At the intersection of neuroscience, animal behavior, computational analysis, and physics, the implications of this research expanded my understanding of the value of interdisciplinary scientific inquiry. 

We live and depend on nature. From the food that makes our meals to the ecosystems that sustain life. Together, all living organisms create an interconnected system in which the well-being of each species contributes to the harmony and health of our shared environment. In serving the greater good, my work contributes to a better understanding of how living organisms perceive and respond to the environment. Research suggests that honeybees use magnetic fields for spatial navigation and for building hive combs. This ability could potentially allow honeybees to orient themselves while pollinating and returning to their hive. By investigating the influence of magnetic fields on honeybee behavior, the research that I have been involved in contributes to the common good by advancing knowledge that may help to protect pollinators, preserve biodiversity, and strengthen food security around the world.

As my time in Italy approaches an end, the lessons that I have learned will continue to challenge me to become a better researcher and global citizen. Through my experiences, I learned to accept uncertainty and to allow evidence to guide me. Furthermore, this research opportunity encouraged me to thoughtfully connect science and service to understand the natural world.

Iara Peralta Siracusa (Senior, Neuroscience)