- Hometown:
- Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
Mariana (she/her), from Brazil, will be majoring in biology. IU stood out to her early on because of its wealth of resources, including the Herman B Wells Library, and the opportunity to pursue her interest in environmental research. Mariana’s model is Marie Curie, the only person to have been awarded Nobel Prizes in two different scientific fields. As a reward for acing her school’s German proficiency exam, she was invited to participate, along with students from Hungary, Norway, Romania, and South Africa, in a month-long trip to Germany, during which she also attended a local school. For her projected study abroad, she would like to enroll in a program that will allow her to pursue her interests in environmental biology. In Brazil, her favorite place to visit is a nature preserve called Serrinha do Alambari in the mountains of Rio, where her family has camped since she was a baby. One of the most exciting things she has ever done is swimming in a prehistoric underground spring in Florida called Devil’s Den. She would like to thank her high school biology teacher, Ms. Torrents, whose expertise and knowledge continue to inspire her as she is pursuing her dream of becoming a researcher. Mariana is a mystery buff and loves a good Agatha Christie novel. “Once I start one of her books, I cannot put it down.” In the Wells Scholars Program, she will hold the J. Reese scholarship.