MEET THE DIBIO SCIENTIST SERIES : MARIA SANTACA'

Scadenza: 02.11.2022 14:35

Pubblicato il: 10.04.2022 13:00

Maria is a post-doctoral fellow at DiBio

Can you summarize in few words your research?

My research interests are in the field of Evolutionary Biology. I focus in particular on sexual selection, using zebrafish as a model species. I am studying male and female interactions before mating, and also the sperm-eggs interaction after mating in light of evolutionary processes.

What is the most rewarding and the most challenging part of your work?

I consider myself extremely fortunate to have a job that allow me to continue learning, exploring the depths of knowledge, travelling the world for conferences and collaborations, meeting new people with the same interests. Seeing your research being published is one of the most rewarding parts of this work. Unfortunately, there is also many less pleasant aspects including the difficulty to obtain funds to conduct your own research, especially in the early career stages.

Tell us your story: what brings you to DiBio?

I arrived at DiBio in 2012 to pursue my bachelor’s degree in Biology and, subsequently, my master’s degree in Evolutionary Biology. I did a PhD in Psychological Sciences in Padova, at the Department of General Psychology, focusing on animal behaviour and cognition. After completion of my PhD, I joined the research group of Prof. Clelia Gasparini: given the interest I have always had in sexual selection, the decision was very easy. I am happy I had the possibility to come back where it all started.

What would you tell your younger self?  

There are a lot of advice that I would tell to my younger self: don’t forget to have fun, don’t be afraid to say your opinion and propose your ideas, don’t be intimated by senior researchers and if you don’t like some situations, try your best to change it! Lastly, always be ambitious and take a challenge, you never know what you can achieve.

What’s your favourite “toy” for research – and what can it do?

There are several tools that I daily use during my research but the most powerful one is my mind! A curious and open mind is fundamental to enjoy research, always come up with new hypotheses that you can’t wait to test. It allows being a brilliant scientist!

What are your interests outside science?

I have plenty of interests outside science. The main three are definitely animals (I've always had a small zoo at home), food (cooking but, especially, eating!) and watching films.