RTG 2906 Curiosity

Giulia Bigazzi

I obtained my B.Sc. in Biological Sciences (2019–2022) and my M.Sc. in Environmental and Behavioural Biology (2022–2025) at the University of Florence, Italy. During my Bachelor’s thesis, supervised by Dr. David Baracchi at the CBE Lab, I investigated individual variability in bumblebees’ self-control and their ability to perform a reverse learning task. For my Master’s thesis, supervised by Prof. Duccio Cavalieri, I explored the relationship between microbiology and behaviour, studying the effects of volatile organic compounds produced by the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae on the behaviour of the social wasp Polistes dominula.

After my studies, I completed a postgraduate Erasmus traineeship at the Konrad Lorenz Institute of Ethology (University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna), conducting field research in Morocco on the behaviour of free-ranging dogs, with a focus on social learning, personality, and socioecological dynamics.


Exploring social curiosity in gray mouse lemurs (Microcebus murinus)

Curiosity is a key driver of learning, motivating individuals to seek and acquire new information. This project investigates social curiosity—the motivation to obtain information about other individuals—in gray mouse lemurs, a primate species characterised by a flexible social system combining largely solitary foraging with opportunities for social interactions, especially in sleeping combinations.

By studying whether non- strictly social individuals actively seek social information and whether this tendency is related to social learning abilities, this research aims to explore the evolutionary roots and functions of social curiosity in primates. Experiments will be conducted on a wild population of gray mouse lemurs at the DPZ field station in Kirindy Forest, Madagascar, combining behavioural and cognitive tests.


I have always been fascinated by the social lives of animals — their alliances, interactions, conflicts, and generally the flow of social information between individuals. Who is interested in whom? Who learns from whom? Why do some individuals seek social information while others do not? These questions sparked my interest in sociobiology and continue to drive my research on social learning, cognition, and individual differences across species.



I have gained research experience in both laboratory and field settings, working with different animal models including wasps, bumblebees, and free-ranging dogs. My experience includes behavioural observation, cognitive testing, experimental design, field data collection, video-based behavioural coding, and biomolecular techniques.

Beyond research, I worked as an academic tutor at the University of Florence (2021–2025), supporting undergraduate students, and as a science communicator and project manager for Save the Planet APS, developing educational activities for kids on environmental topics.

  • XV AISASP Student Meeting, Milan, Italy (2025) — Participant.
  • 9th European Student Conference on Behaviour and Cognition, Lisbon, Portugal (2023) — Oral presentation: “The hybrid delay task reveals individual variability in bumblebees' self-control”. Awarded participation grant by Sociedade Portuguesa de Etologia.
  • 19th AISASP National Conference, Milan, Italy (2023) — Oral presentation: “The hybrid delay task reveals individual variability in bumblebees' self-control”. Awarded participation grant by AISASP.
  • 31st International Conference on Yeast Genetics and Molecular Biology, Florence, Italy (2023) — Participant.
  • CogEvo – Workshop on Cognition and Evolution, Rovereto, Italy (2023) — Poster presentation: “The hybrid delay task reveals individual variability in bumblebees' self-control”. Awarded Best Poster Award.