Matilde Sciortino

Please tell us about your research project.

I will be spending the Hilary and Trinity terms of 2026 at the Maison Française. During this time, I plan to attend seminars in the Department of Philosophy at the University of Oxford and to work on two projects that I began last year at my home university: one examining structural differences in the reception of various artistic media, and another exploring our use of artefacts to externalise certain thought processes.

Could you please tell us a bit more about your scholarship/exchange programme?

I am a student in the International Selection Lettres at the École Normale Supérieure in Paris and am currently pursuing a master’s in Cognitive Sciences. The International Selection is a funded three-year program in which, in addition to completing a master’s degree, students have a 'free' year to gain research experience and prepare for a PhD. I am very glad to be spending half of this year at the Maison Française in Oxford!

First impressions of Oxford/the University?

The welcome at the Maison Française has been warm and kind, and I am excited about the intellectual life I will be able to experience here and at the University of Oxford. I particularly appreciate the tea breaks during the day offered by the MFO library and the many university college gardens — even in winter, they are lovely.