Monica is originally from Brescia, Italy. She earned a bachelor in Political Sciences, International Studies and Public Administration from Padua University. Always fascinated by the Arctic region, Monica decided to continue her studies at Aalborg University, in North Jutland, Denmark, where she specialised in Arctic Studies and deepened her academic knowledge of the High North.

While pursuing her Master degree, Monica got the chance to visit the University of Bergen through the UArctic north2north mobility program, as she was writing her semester project work about the role of Norway when it comes to sustainable development.

Then, during her 9th semester, Monica moved to Brussels, working at the International Polar Foundation (IPF) where she helped to organise the Arctic Futures Symposium 2019 and Arctic Shorts Film Evening. Staying in Belgium offered her the possibility to immerse herself into the European hub and to participate in many different events, conferences and meetings where the Arctic was indeed a hot topic. While in Brussels, Monica was also part of APECS (Association of Polar Early Career Scientists) Belgium. Her working experience at IPF and APECS Belgium also provided her with a new awareness regarding the challenges involving the South Pole, as she worked closely with Arctic and Antarctic scientists.

Coming from a non-Arctic country, Monica believes that the best way to improve her knowledge about the High North is through first-hand experiences. As an intern at the Thematic Networks and Research Liaison Office, during fall 2020, Monica is eager to obtain new insights about Arctic-related matters dealing with education, cooperation, research and much more. She is also looking forward to spending the next four months in Oulu and exploring Finland.

The internship is made possible by the Danish Agency for Science and Higher Education funding of the north2north mobility program.