Elisa Corti is nominated in the Lab Heroes Awards - TM
Elisa Corti, Neuronal Signaling Lab, CNC-UC, Portugal
"Ladies and gentlemen, today I stand before you as "Alan-a-Dale" to share the reason why Elisa Corti, or "Cecilia Storti" among friends, deserves your award. Born in Brescia in 1994, Elisa's curiosity about the world led her to embrace science at 18, immersing herself in biology after high school.
From Milan to Trieste, Elisa fearlessly navigated the academic world, finding her true love in neuroscience. After defending her master's thesis, she embarked on her doctoral journey, becoming one of the 14 Early Stage Researchers of the European-funded consortium Syn2Psy in 2019. This decision brought her to Coimbra, where I had the pleasure of meeting her.
Elisa is an incredible researcher and represents the perfect example of someone who truly loves her work. Sharp, intelligent, and insightful, you can find her darting through the hallways, always busy and immersed in her experiments. This might make you think that this leaves her with no time for others, but that's not the case. Her availability is extraordinary. Elisa is always ready to help others, and her knowledge makes her a reference point for everyone (also because her brain is literally the inventory of our lab).
Although it is clear that she is very competent, the reason she deserves your award is different. When I arrived in Coimbra, Elisa was one of the first people I met. Despite not knowing me, she welcomed me under her wing, making me feel at home from the first day. Caring and affectionate, Elisa has gradually carved out a fundamental role for many, especially for me. Always ready to smile in adversity and to ask "How are you?", Elisa is one of the women with the broadest shoulders I have ever met. While we know that a doctorate is complex, often marked by more lows than highs, Elisa faces it with great determination and dignity, tackling problems head-on without fear.
Today, her doctoral journey is about to end, and despite our paths will likely take different directions, I believe this is the best way to thank her.
"Because she's the hero Coimbra needs, but not the one it deserves right now”"