• For German
    research organisations
  • Research landscape
  • News and research areas
  • Your goal
  • Our service
Why Germany
  • R&D policy framework
  • Research infrastructure
  • Research funding system
Universities
  • Universities of applied sciences
Research institutes
  • Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft
  • Helmholtz Association
  • Leibniz Association
  • Max-Planck-Gesellschaft
  • Academies of sciences and humanities
  • Federal institutions
  • Länder institutions
  • Research infrastructure
  • Industrial research
Industrial research
Top universities
Research News
Latest Thinking – Making research visible
Global Health
Bioeconomy
InnoHealth
EnergInno
Future of Work
COVID-19 in Germany
Cancer Research
Bachelor or master
PhD
  • Good reasons
  • Two ways to get your PhD
  • Find your PhD position
  • How to apply for a PhD
  • Funding programmes
  • Funding organisations
  • Funding databases
  • Job portals
Postdoc
  • Good reasons
  • Career options & dual careers
  • Funding programmes
  • Funding organisations
  • Funding databases
  • Job portals
Advanced research
  • Good reasons
  • Career options & dual careers
  • Funding & awards
  • Funding organisations
  • Funding databases
  • Job portals
Research Position
  • Find a job
  • Potential employers
  • Research fields
Events & online talks
  • Events
  • Online talks
  • Innovation Week
Research news
Newsletter
  • Subscribe
  • Newsletter 2022
  • Newsletter 2021
Our publications
Success stories
Link to German Institutions research organisations
  • Research landscape
    • Overview Research landscape
    • Why Germany
      • Overview Why Germany
      • R&D policy framework
      • Research infrastructure
        • Overview Research infrastructure
        • DESY – Deutsches Elektronen-Synchrotron
        • DKRZ – German Climate Computing Centre
        • Research vessel Polarstern
        • FLASH – free-electron laser in Hamburg
      • Research funding system
        • Overview Research funding system
        • Government funding
        • How does government funding work?
    • Universities
      • Overview Universities
      • Universities of applied sciences
    • Research institutes
      • Overview Research institutes
      • Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft
      • Helmholtz Association
      • Leibniz Association
      • Max-Planck-Gesellschaft
      • Academies of sciences and humanities
      • Federal institutions
      • Länder institutions
      • Research infrastructure
      • Industrial research
    • Industrial research
    • Top universities
  • News and research areas
    • Overview News and research areas
    • Research News
    • Latest Thinking – Making research visible
    • Global Health
    • Bioeconomy
    • InnoHealth
    • EnergInno
    • Future of Work
    • COVID-19 in Germany
    • Cancer Research
  • Your goal
    • Overview Your goal
    • Bachelor or master
    • PhD
      • Overview PhD
      • Good reasons
      • Two ways to get your PhD
      • Find your PhD position
      • How to apply for a PhD
      • Funding programmes
      • Funding organisations
      • Funding databases
      • Job portals
    • Postdoc
      • Overview Postdoc
      • Good reasons
      • Career options & dual careers
        • Overview Career options & dual careers
        • Professorship
        • Postdoc positions
        • Junior research group leader
        • Researcher in industry
        • Research stays and visits
        • International collaborations
        • Dual careers
      • Funding programmes
      • Funding organisations
      • Funding databases
      • Job portals
    • Advanced research
      • Overview Advanced research
      • Good reasons
      • Career options & dual careers
        • Overview Career options & dual careers
        • Professorship
        • Visiting professorship & visiting lectureship
        • Leading a research group
        • Researcher in a company
        • Research stays and visits
        • International collaborations
        • Dual careers
      • Funding & awards
      • Funding organisations
      • Funding databases
      • Job portals
    • Research Position
      • Overview Research Position
      • Find a job
      • Potential employers
      • Research fields
        • Overview Research fields
        • Agriculture
        • Architecture
        • Earth Sciences
        • Engineering
        • Forestry
        • Law
        • Logistics
        • Pharmacy
  • Our service
    • Overview Our service
    • Events & online talks
      • Overview Events & online talks
      • Events
      • Online talks
        • Overview Online talks
        • Planning your research career in germany
        • The DAAD PRIME fellowship
        • Meet the Helmholtz Association
        • Learn more about the new Erasmus+ programme for PhD students
        • Interdisciplinary research
        • Global health research
        • Digital learning
        • Meet the German Research Foundation
        • Meet the Alexander von Humboldt Foundation
        • Ask a professor
        • Postdoctoral Opportunities in Germany
        • Doctorate Opportunities in Germany
        • The German research landscape
        • Doing research in humanities
        • Women in science
        • Departmental research
        • Online talk: bioeconomy
        • Research opportunities for Indian scholars
        • Universities of Applied Sciences
        • German research clusters
        • Scientific start-ups in Germany
        • Artificial intelligence
        • Online talks for science administrators
        • Future of work
        • How is a research group structured?
        • How to do research in industry
        • Learn from first-hand experience!
        • Funding your research stay
        • Registration Process and Technical Requirements
      • Innovation Week
    • Research news
    • Newsletter
      • Overview Newsletter
      • Subscribe
      • Newsletter 2022
        • Overview Newsletter 2022
        • February 2022
        • June 2022
      • Newsletter 2021
        • Overview Newsletter 2021
        • December 2021
        • October 2021
        • August 2021
        • June 2021
        • April 2021
        • February 2021
    • Our publications
    • Success stories
  1. Home
  2. News & Research Areas
  3. Latest Thinking – Making research visible

What happens in a person's brain when a memorable experience occurs?

Helping us to better understand the neurological processes involved in memory formation, Alessio Attardo's research on engram neuron creation has clear applications for the treatment of people who suffer deficiencies in this area.

Notice "OK" activates the video. This transmits information to YouTube. Please note our privacy policy.

Why did you choose Germany as a research destination?

I first came to Germany from Sicily in 2002 to start a PhD at the MPI of Molecular Cell Biology and Genetics in Dresden. At that time, it was basically by chance: I had interviewed in various schools and decided to go to Dresden because I simply loved the institute and the science there. I lived in Dresden for 5 years, then I moved to the USA for my postdoctoral fellowship. After that I really wanted to come back to Germany because I knew the research environment was excellent, funding was good, and the overall quality of life was very good. During my period in Dresden I became acquainted with the German culture and I knew I’d like to live in Germany.

What was your first impression of Germany, the German culture and its people?

I suppose for me a lot had to do with the language initially: I had not studied any German language prior to moving to Germany, so at the beginning it was hard. Also, the proverbial directness of German people can be easily interpreted as lack of politeness which can be intimidating. However, in Dresden I always – literally – found friendly and helpful people, which helped a lot. After I gained some confidence with the language and understood some "basic laws" of German interpersonal interaction, my life became richer and I could enjoy a lot more of the German culture. Regarding my current impressions of the culture, they are obviously biased by my "home culture" – of an Italian from the south – and by my long stay in the USA. I truly appreciate the attitude of "getting things done", but with attention to sustainability and efficiency. I also like the general forward-looking attitude. The aspects I am not very fond of are lack of propensity toward risk-taking and a general feeling of dissatisfaction I often see in people – even though the average quality of life is very good.

Did you encounter any difficulties while settling in in Germany?

I am in a somewhat privileged position as I came to Germany first as a student in a place that supported me very well during my settling process. When I settled to Germany for the second time it was in Munich, which is a very dynamic and international city; by that time I had a German wife and a small child. We really had no major issues and settling was relatively smooth, despite the – somewhat expected – issues with high living costs in the city.

Do you have tips for other international researchers who are thinking about coming to Germany or cooperating with researchers in Germany?

My advice would be to persist and try to go beyond the first difficulties you might encounter with the language and the people: you'll discover a richness and many opportunities in the country.

Short and crisp: What is your favourite

  • German word: Schornsteinfeger (Still can't pronounce it…)
  • German dish: Schweinshaxe (Had too many of those…)
  • piece of German culture: Public transportation you can bet your life on

 

Find out more about Alessio Attardo and his research project on the Latest Thinking website: www.lt.org

Get updates! If you want to stay informed, follow us on LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook, WeChat, YouTube or via RSS and subscribe to our newsletter.

An Initiative of the BMBF Website
Editor DAAD Website
  • Contact us
  • About us
  • Imprint
  • Data protection