Michela Cristaldi obtained her bachelor's degree in biology from the University of Parma in 2011, with a thesis on the ecology and behaviour of tawny owls (Strix aluco). In 2014, she completed a master's degree in behavioural biology at the University of Florence, where her thesis focused on phobias in dogs. She will join the Cognitive Psychology Unit at Leiden University under the supervision of Dr. Iliana Samara and Prof.dr. Mariska Kret. Her research will examine how cues about social connection and knowledge shape the way people learn from others under uncertainty. Michela currently teaches at a state middle school in Italy and is a mother of two. Teaching has shown her the importance of continuing to learn, while parenthood has taught her that she can often achieve more than she expects.