For her MIT-Brazil summer internship, Talia worked in the Brazilian Amazon on biomechanical properties of native plants with Prof. Lauro Barata and researchers at the Universidade Federal do Oeste do Pará. Combining field and laboratory work, she extracted essential oils and resins from a tropical tree that could have novel chemical and mechanical properties. While there, Talia studied Portuguese and organized ad-hoc English classes for her colleagues at the university. Inspired by the vibrant carimbó music scene in Santarém, Talia joined a local group, singing and playing percussion in this traditional Amazonian musical style. Talia is a 2020 recipient of the Fulbright scholarship and is set to return to Brazil —when the pandemic allows— to continue materials science research in the Amazon in collaboration with local researchers and communities. In the meantime, she begins her Masters and Ph.D degrees in Mechanical Engineering at MIT this Fall.
