This episode features Nancy’s interview with Maria who studies the neural mechanisms of how social interactions influence fear and avoidance behaviors.

When she was in 8th grade, Dr. Maria Diehl’s curiosity drove her to a defining moment. During a fetal pig dissection in biology class, Maria first followed her teacher’s instructions, identifying different organ systems in the chest and abdomen. But then Maria decided to stray from the directions and opened the skull to sneak a peek at the brain. From then on, she was hooked. She knew she wanted to spend her career doing something brain related. Today, Maria is an assistant professor in the Department of Psychological Sciences at Kansas State University. Her lab studies adaptive behaviors and the neural circuits underlying them.