Pre-Departure: Italy and the Scientific Revolutions

June 30, 2017

Travel is extremely important to me, and ever since I went to Italy nearly 4 years ago, I have been itching to go back and explore the rest of the country. I hope to travel as often as possible in my lifetime, so I absolutely wanted to take advantage of study abroad opportunities in college. A Dialogue was the perfect opportunity for me, as it would not interrupt my schedule of classes and allowed me to study a specific topic while traveling.

I have been interested in science in all forms ever since elementary school, and I am currently studying Biochemistry and Neuroscience in hope of pursuing a career in research after college. Italy and the Scientific Revolutions was perfect for me because it allows me to learn more about the development of science, as well as other areas such as computer science and quantum physics that I don’t have the chance to study formally in school. I’m so excited to see firsthand the places where esteemed scientists such as Galileo and DaVinci spent their lives, while learning about their contributions to science, and the struggles they faced standing up for their ideas. Even though Italy is the only foreign country I’ve visited so far, I couldn’t pass up the chance to see more of the country through a lens of scientific discovery (plus the food is fantastic).

With any free time I have, I will be walking the streets of Florence and Rome with my camera in hand. The best gift I’ve ever received is my DSLR camera because it’s sparked my passion for photography. What I love most about it, is that it enables you to capture the beauty of small details that most people may not stop to appreciate. I’m thrilled to have the Italian countryside as my canvas for four weeks and I’m sure I will be taking an absurd amount of photos during my time there.

I’m definitely nervous to be somewhere where I don’t speak the native tongue, but hopefully I’ll be able to quickly learn after starting classes and practicing with the locals. I hope to truly understand the culture and gain a more global perspective on life through this experience. In my opinion, the world is much too beautiful to spend your life in one place, and I’m thrilled to be seeing one more piece of it.

Written By

Sarah Williams

Hi! I'm currently a second year Biochemistry major with a minor in Neuroscience, finishing my first co-op at Warp Drive Bio where I utilized structural biology techniques to aid in drug discovery. Science and travel are my two greatest passions so I couldn't pass up the opportunity to combine them on the Italy and the Scientific Revolutions Dialogue! I spent a week in Northern Italy in high school, and I'm so excited to be exploring more of the country, especially while leaning about its significance in the development of science. All of my free time will be spent walking through cities with my camera in hand, eating my weight in cheese and gelato, and (hopefully) learning the local language.