Austria's Impact

SCIENTIFIC IMPACT: The Josephinum (pictured below) allowed me to explore concepts such as cytoarchitectonics, modern phrenology, and to understand how Nazi Germany played a part in medicine in the 20th century. Neurodivergency was a large part of their exhibitions, and one room was dedicated to the many children who nonconsensually donated their lives to understanding the neuropathology of mental illnesses. The Anatomical Pathological Museum showed us our first of many sets of patient samples. While some of the diseased showcases were wax/clay models, there were rooms closed off to the general public that had shelves worth of jarred specimens (these are not pictured for privacy purposes). While I found the anatomical aspect of our trip to be enlightening, we were also able to view neurology-specific concepts as well. For example, we were able to visit a collection of Franz Josef Gall's skulls, the father of phrenology. 

​

CULTURAL IMPACT: Austria was my favorite portion of the study abroad trip, specifically because of the artistic influences brought over from Florence and the musical genius present in its culture. The architecture was jaw-dropping, and I was stunned by the work that went into each place. I found it interesting that when in Vienna, many tour guides mentioned that the concept of death was not taboo and is embraced in the culture. It was seen not only in their scientific environments but also in their social culture. Discussing death is starting to become less socially accepted, but people tend to be pleasant and open-minded despite it all.