Discovering Neuroscience

“It was through my psychology major that I was formally introduced to neuroscience,” Victoria says. “My initial research with Dr. Gould sparked my interest in lab work and in the brain.”

Victoria says she feels that a person’s brain encompasses everything about them. “It’s responsible for everything you have ever perceived, thought, dreamt, and wanted. How can anything be more awesome than that?” she says. “If I'm going to dedicate my life to something, it’s going to be this little beige blob of tissue that continually amazes me.”

After graduating from Luther, Victoria went to the University of Iowa to pursue a Ph.D. in neuroscience. She currently studies neural pathways that influence relapse in cocaine addiction.

Prepared for the “Real World”

Victoria feels that Luther gave her a solid understanding of basic biology. “Above and beyond that, it has influenced the way I live now that I am in the ‘real world’,” she says. “The supportive community of friends and faculty at Luther always encouraged me to explore, connect, and learn. All are core values that were paramount in my development as a person.”

How She Arrived at Luther

Victoria often says that Luther chose her. “I was in university in Brazil (where I’m from) when I heard about an opportunity to apply. I decided to give it a shot without knowing much about it, and a couple of months later I was arriving in Decorah,” she says. “I think that being ‘found’ by Luther was the best luck I ever had! Shout out to the international student office!”