With the 2025 Flux Congress just around the corner, the Flux Trainee Committee is excited to spotlight some of your fellow attendees through our trainee research profiles. If you’re a trainee—whether a student, post-bacc, or postdoc—and would like to be featured, we invite you to fill out our interest form!
At Flux, we are committed to nurturing the next generation of researchers who are shaping the future of developmental cognitive neuroscience. In our new Trainee Spotlight series, we will highlight the achievements, aspirations, and contributions of outstanding trainees within our community. These young scientists are not only pushing the boundaries of research but also embodying the spirit of collaboration and innovation that drives our field forward.
Today, we are excited to introduce Dr. Sara De Felice. Let's dive into their journey, insights, and what motivates them to make a lasting impact in developmental cognitive neuroscience.
Dr. Sara De Felice
Postdoctoral researcher, University of Cambridge
What is the focus of your research?
I study the role of naturalistic social interaction in human learning and model the behavioural and neural dynamics that support this process. My current focus is on peer-learning in adolescence.
What is your most interesting research finding or inquiry so far?
One of my most interesting findings is that social interaction enhances learning in adults and adolescents, extending work in childhood. In adults, I used hyperscanning and showed that neural synchrony between teacher and learner predicts learning and is shaped by joint attention and mutual gaze. My latest work focuses on adolescence and shows that adolescents are especially sensitive to social learning, consistent with social cognitive development observed during this developmental stage.
Are you presenting at the Flux meeting in Dublin?
Yes, I will present a poster with the title 'Adolescence as a Sensitive Period for Learning with Others'
What do you enjoy doing when not researching?
Outside of research, I enjoy spending time with my baby, cooking, trekking in nature, sewing, and practicing yoga.
Best piece of advice you have received as a trainee?
Once you've ticked a box, there is no reasons why you should tick it harder. That is, once you’ve met a requirement or gained an experience (e.g. teaching, supervising, conference etc), don’t over-invest in it, instead focus your energy where it will make the biggest impact for your career.
Do you have any advice for early-stage trainees?
Follow what genuinely motivates you and choose collaborators who inspire you and support your growth. The rest will naturally follow.
Please list any social media accounts / personal websites that you would like us to highlight
https://sites.google.com/view/saradefelice/home
https://bsky.app/profile/saradefelice.bsky.social
https://x.com/Sara_De_Felice