Meet with Navya Srivastava from India

My name is Navya Srivastava. In 2022, I spent a semester at Polytech Clermont, from January to July, as part of an international study-abroad programme from my home institution, VIT Vellore, in India.
  
Today, I am a research assistant at the European Molecular Biology Laboratory (EMBL) in Rome, where I work in the Epigenetics and Neurobiology Unit in Dr Cornelius Gross’s laboratory. From July, I will begin a PhD in neuroscience at the Medical University of Innsbruck in Austria.
  
Looking back, my experience at Polytech Clermont was much more than an international exchange. It was the starting point of my scientific journey and gave me the confidence to build a career in research across borders.

A first step into international research

Before joining Polytech Clermont, I had had very limited laboratory experience, partly because of the COVID-19 pandemic. My time in Clermont-Ferrand immediately immersed me in practical scientific work and introduced me to a new approach to research.
  
What I remember most is the strong culture of hands-on scientific inquiry. From detailed coursework to a CEFIPRA-funded research project, I was encouraged to learn by doing, experiment, question results and find solutions independently.
  
My Master’s thesis, supervised by Dr Cédric Delattre, was a particularly defining experience. I worked on the production of polyglucuronic acid, its modification into PGU-Ph and, ultimately, the formulation of a completely novel bioink for 3D bioprinting.
  
It was the first time I had worked independently in an international research laboratory. More than developing technical skills, this experience shaped my confidence and my identity as a young scientist.

From Clermont-Ferrand to laboratories around the world

My experience at Polytech Clermont sparked a strong interest in academic research. Since then, I have actively sought opportunities to work in research laboratories in different parts of the world, including Canada, Austria and Italy.
  
Today, I am working at EMBL Rome, in the laboratory of Dr Cornelius Gross. My research focuses on understanding how negative social experiences affect the hypothalamus and predispose mice to long-term changes in social behaviour.
  
Through this work, I contribute to preclinical research into the mechanisms underlying mood disorders. I use cutting-edge neuroscience techniques, including calcium imaging, stereotaxic surgery and DeepLabCut-based behavioural analysis, to investigate how social stress affects hypothalamic circuits.
  
My long-term ambition is to become a neuroscientist studying how experiences reshape memory and influence emotional behaviour. I am particularly interested in understanding how environmental experiences modify neural circuits, how these changes affect behaviour and what they may reveal about neuropsychiatric disorders.
 
Ultimately, I hope to contribute to translational research that can inform new approaches to mental health and improve human well-being.

The skills that travel with you

My time at Polytech Clermont gave me a number of skills that continue to be useful every day.
  
The first is experimental independence. Polytech was where I first learned how to design experiments, troubleshoot problems and work through unexpected results on my own.
  
The second is resilience and adaptability. Working on a complex polymer-synthesis project as a beginner inevitably involved failures and unexpected challenges. Learning how to persist, analyse what went wrong and find creative solutions has remained invaluable throughout my research career.
  
I also developed a strong understanding of international collaboration. As an ambassador for Polytech at VIT, I had the opportunity to represent the school and help foster connections between the two institutions.
  
These experiences taught me that scientific research is not only about technical expertise. It is also about curiosity, flexibility, communication and the ability to work with people from different backgrounds.

An international experience that opened new doors

Polytech Clermont was the starting point of my international scientific trajectory.
  
The exchange programme gave me access to high-level research training and, unusually for an undergraduate student, allowed me to complete a full Master’s thesis abroad. The success of the project led to a first-author publication, strong letters of recommendation and, above all, the confidence to apply for increasingly competitive international opportunities.
  
This eventually led me to programmes such as Mitacs Globalink and ISTernship, as well as to my current research positions in Austria and Italy.
  
Most importantly, Polytech Clermont showed me that I could thrive in an international research environment. It changed the way I viewed my own potential and gave me the foundations on which I have built my career ever since.

Research for a healthier and more sustainable society

My current research is not directly related to environmental sustainability or the energy transition. However, I believe that scientific research can contribute to sustainable development in many different ways.
  
By studying how the brain responds to stress and social experiences, my work contributes to a better understanding of mental health. Improving our knowledge of brain function and neuropsychiatric disorders can ultimately help inform interventions that reduce the social burden of mental illness and support healthier, more resilient communities.
  
Sustainability also has a more immediate dimension within the laboratory. Careful experimental design, reproducibility and responsible resource management are essential to good scientific practice. In animal research in particular, this means designing experiments carefully, optimising protocols and minimising animal use wherever possible.

Looking towards the future

My goal is to continue exploring the relationship between experience, memory and emotional behaviour.
  
I want to understand how the environments we experience can reshape the brain, how these changes influence behaviour and how they may contribute to neuropsychiatric disorders. Through my future PhD and beyond, I hope to develop research that bridges fundamental neuroscience and potential applications in mental health.
  
My experience at Polytech Clermont taught me that an international career can begin with a single opportunity — provided you are willing to take it.

A message to future international students

To students at Polytech Clermont who are considering an international career, my advice is simple: do not let self-doubt hold you back.
  
International experiences can seem intimidating before you take the first step. You may wonder whether you will fit in, whether you will adapt to a different academic system or whether you will be able to meet the challenges ahead.
  
These fears are completely natural. But what matters is choosing to go for it anyway.
  
Over the past few years, I have learned that the willingness to learn can take you further than raw intelligence. Being curious, staying open-minded and being ready to adapt can make all the difference.
  
My experience at Polytech Clermont was transformative, empowering and truly foundational to my scientific journey. It gave me hands-on research experience, helped me develop resilience and adaptability, and gave me the confidence to pursue opportunities around the world.
  
Above all, it taught me that stepping beyond what feels familiar can open doors you never imagined were there.