Giulia Martins Cavalcante, an international student from Brazil, is double majoring in neuroscience and psychology with a concentration in neurobiology and she is graduating a semester ahead in fall 2025. On campus she is actively engaged as a member of the Division 1 tennis team, a resident advisor, wellness peer educator and tutor. 

During summer 2023, Giulia completed an internship at Vila São Paulo Residencial Terapêutico, a mental health clinic in Brazil. Here, she participated in group therapy sessions, gaining invaluable experience in working with patients grappling with severe mental disorders such as schizophrenia, substance abuse, and antisocial behavior. Securing this opportunity involved leveraging her network and reaching out to the clinic’s director, whom she contacted via text, sending her crafted resume prepared with guidance from her career advisor, Stephanie Sartori. 

This summer 2024, Giulia will be completing an internship for two months at Rede D’Or São Luiz, São Paulo, Brazil. She will be shadowing Antonio De Salles, M.D., Ph.D., a distinguished neurosurgeon with over two decades of experience, who obtained his medical degree from the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA. Dr. De Salles, also co-director of the Radiosurgery Program at UCLA and a member of the Deep Brain Stimulation (DBS) screening committee, will provide Giulia with insights into DBS, a surgical procedure involving the stimulation of neurons via electrodes implanted in the brain.

Giulia’s proactive approach to networking facilitated her access to Dr. De Salles, as she diligently researched his background, including published articles, before reaching out to him to express her career aspirations. Encouraged by her participation in the Professional Development Retreat hosted by the O’Brien Center for Career Development in spring 2024, Giulia emphasizes the importance of leveraging connections, including professors, to advance one’s career trajectory. After graduation, she aims to further her education and delve more into clinical research in neuroscience. Giulia recommends maintaining a robust network, emphasizing the potential opportunities that may arise from unexpected connections in one’s professional journey.