(1/6) Today we are highlighting Rosana Cunha @rosannafcunha (She/her). She got her masters from the Museum of Zoology of the University of São Paulo and is currently looking for Ph.D. programs in genomics, biogeography, and/or ecology of this group

(2/6) What is your research about?I am interested in understanding the biodiversity of Asteroidea. I have been working with the morphological taxonomy of sea stars since 2009 and I recently obtained my MS in Systematics, Animal Taxonomy, and Biodiversity from @MZUSP

(3/6) What is the favorite place science has taken you too?I love Natural History Museums, and my research with sea stars has given me the opportunity to work inside the collections of three of the most important ones from around the world. During my undergraduate (1/3)

I got a Summer internship at the @MCZHarvard, and during my master's, I received a Fellowship from the @NMNH, and I was a visiting researcher at the @NHM_London for 10 days. (⅔)

It was impossible to hold my tears on my first day, I never thought I could go so far in my career! I very much look forward to new places my studies will take me! (3/3)

(4/6) Who is your role model?Dr. Lynn Margulis. In my first class in the biology course, my professor explained the Serial Endosymbiosis Theory, and that day I was 100% sure I wanted to become a scientist!

(5/6) Why did you pursue Science?I knew, since I was 10, I wanted to be a biologist. At first, I wanted to be a geneticist, then I discovered Marine Sciences in my first internship and never left it behind. It has been ten years since I started working with sea stars!

(6/6) What has been your biggest obstacle as a scientist?The language has been a very big challenge for me. I come from a simple family and I could not afford an English course before university. (1/4)

During my undergraduate, I needed to translate each word on the papers to be able to understand the subject and develop my research and get the assignments done in the classes. (2/4)

Even now, 10 years later and after some exchange opportunities, I could not apply for a PhD position in Australia because I was short by 1 point in the Writing session of the TOEFL test, even after they affirmed that I had a very competitive curriculum. (3/4)

It was very frustrating for me! Another obstacle for Brazilian students is the lack of government investment in research and the payment of better scholarships to students, which results in many students giving up on their journey! (4/4)