Miriam Huárriz, a student of the School of Philosophy and Letters of the University of Navarra, has just returned from London, where she has done an internship with Professor research stay with Professor Mairéad MacSweeney, from University College London (UCL). 

For three weeks, she worked at the Institute of Cognitive Neuroscience (ICN) and the Deafness, Cognition and Language Research Centre (DCAL) at UCL; the Birkbeck Babylab at the University of London; and the British Medical Association's project Baby Brains. "The opportunity to travel to London arose when I met Professor MacSweeney, director of the Deafness, Cognition and Language Research Centre (DCAL), at the congress WoRLD of the Basque Center on Cognition, Brain and Language, which I attended in October in San Sebastian," she explains.

In addition to studying the double Degree in Philology Hispanic and bilingual Journalism, our student collaborates with the laboratory of Habla at the University, directed by Professor Mark Gibson, where she is developing a study on language acquisition in children with cochlear implants and in hearing impaired children whose mother tongue is language language of signs. She assures that "being able to work in London has been a great opportunity to enrich my research. Having access to the methodology of centers specialized in this line and in this specific population has not only provided me with knowledge, but also with advice, new contacts and supervision by professionals from my study area ".

On the advice of Professors MacSweeney and Gibson, Miriam took advantage of her stay in London to attend to attend the Research Skills Summer School: The language of deaf people, an introductory course at research on language sign language acquisition and development language in deaf people. "It has been a very valuable experience, with professionals from one of the leading centers in the research of language in people with hearing difficulties," she says. "I'm taking away some keys on how to approach my study and, although it has been intense, I've learned a lot. In addition, I have had the opportunity to present my ideas and contrast them with my colleagues and with the professors leading the course".

When he takes stock of the experience, he does not hesitate to recommend training to his colleagues, beyond the classroom: "I think it is a good opportunity to enter contact with other institutions, meet professionals and specialize in fields in which you might not be able to focus at the University. In addition, having experience of internships or stays in foreign countries adds to the staff, intellectual, professional and curricular level".