Psychologist. Amateur Archeologist. Fulbrighter.

A Psychology Professor Spent Time Teaching, Researching and Hunting for Lost History in Spain

By Texas Christian University

November 17^th, 2021

Because TCU Professor of Psychology Mauricio Papini, Ph.D., has always had an affinity for Spain, he's traveled there often. “It’s hard for me to remember which memories are associated with which trip!” he laughed.

So when he heard about an opening for a visiting professorship at the University of Jaén in southern Spain with the Fulbright Program, he applied immediately. “The application process was fairly extensive, but I was fortunate enough to have friends who had received the Fulbright in the past [including Professor Emeritus Donald Frischmann, Ph.D.],” he recalled.

Differences Between American & Spanish Students

In February 2015, Papini began a five-month-long visiting professorship teaching graduate-level seminars at the University of Jaén. He immediately noticed some differences between Spanish and American students.

A native Spanish speaker and frequent traveler to Spain, Papini comfortably navigates the campus of the Universidad de Jaén.

“Spanish students can tolerate hours of teaching, which is unusual in the United States,” Papini laughed. “[Here], if you teach for an hour and twenty minutes on Tuesdays and Thursdays, students often start to lose focus.”

He also noticed that Spanish students tended to be more outspoken and participatory than their American counterparts. However, on the other hand, he acknowledged that American students tend to be more passionate and committed. "If they're passionate about the subject, they're willing to work nights, weekends and holidays. In Spain, that's not necessarily the case."

The Mechanics of Frustration

Papini’s primary research area in the field of psychology how the brain processes emotions—particularly frustration. He works with rodents because their brains are similar to those of humans.

“We focus on the basal ganglia, which is a complex brain circuit,” he said. The basal ganglia (or “BG” for short) are particularly engaged when an animal undergoes some sort of emotional activation.

In the lab, Papini conducts experiments with a series of standardized tasks to understand the neurological basis behind the emotion of frustration. “The tasks usually involve giving rats something good—or something they really like—such as a sugar solution,” he said.

He gives the rats a reward—usually a concentrated sugar solution—for many days so that the rodents grow to expect the sweet treat. Then, Papini dilutes the solution. The animals reject it. “The rejection is accompanied by an emotional stress response [frustration], and this is what I am trying to understand: What makes the rat reject it under the expectation of receiving something better?”

Papini noted that this experimental setup is a good model for a number of types of research, including anxiety and addiction.

In future stages of the experiment, Papini will work alongside specialized neurosurgeons to test specific brain sites to monitor rats' reactions and gain a better understanding of their underlying brain circuitry. “There is nothing, as far as I can tell, more complicated than the brain of a mammal,” he said.

In Spain, Papini worked with colleagues from the University of Jaén and University of Grenada. Their research is featured in the journal "Neuroscience Letters."

Building International Partnerships

Outside of teaching, Papini said that Fulbright allowed for a lot of free time, much of which he spent meeting other academics and traveling to institutions throughout Spain to nurture future collaborations. “When you can combine another group’s interest with your own, it’s a win-win situation,” he said.

“I did very little actual laboratory work,” he recalled. “Instead, I spent a lot of time planning and discussing potential future experiments with my international colleagues. This was the pre-Zoom era, so if I wanted to discuss something with someone, I’d just take a train and go there.”

Papini continues to maintain many of the relationships he cultivated. “I still collaborate with some of the people I met during my Fulbright year and am actively involved with at least three different groups throughout Spain,” he said.

Papini's colleagues, Carmen Torres from the University of Jaén (left) and Ignacio Morón from the University of Granada (right) prepare lab instruments for neurosurgery.

Archeologic Aspirations

During his Fulbright year, Papini also made time to enjoy cultural experiences, including some that incorporated his strong interest in ancient history.

During his spare time, Papini satiates his historical curiosity with visits to museums like the the Museo Del Prado in Bareclona.

An ancient Roman road runs through Jaén’s Despeñaperros Natural Park, which features a gorge carved out by a river.

“On the weekends, I hunted for ancient Roman bridges and roads,” he recalled.

“I would track down and visit all these little locations with Roman remains—2,000-year-old remains of bridges or roads—but not the ones you see in the books for tourists,” he said.

With the help of Google Maps, Papini ventured off the beaten path to find the small sites lost to history. “I remember getting into a field of olive trees and walking down into a little stream, like I was an archeologist, and finding an old bridge that had just a single arch intact,” he recalled. “It was a fascinating experience!”

Papini explores the Spanish countryside, seeking out remnants of old bridges like this one, which he found over a stream and in a field of olive trees.

A “forgotten” portion of a Roman bridge hidden by vegetation was once part of the Via Augusta, a long road that connected Rome with today’s Cadiz.

Papini is also interested in how historic buildings can be repurposed, noting that he had a chance to see many examples of historic architecture incorporated into the modern European cityscape. “In Barcelona, there are remains of an aqueduct that are embedded into an apartment building; you can see the arches in the wall. About a hundred yards away there are remains of the actual aqueduct still standing.”

In Barcelona, the remains of an ancient architecture often blend into modern buildings. This aqueduct, which remains embedded into an old city wall, sits adjacent to new structures and roads.

The Impacts of Fulbright

Reflecting on his Fulbright experience, Papini is enthusiastic about encouraging others to apply. “If there is some gain to be made from collaborating on an international stage,” he said, “Fulbright is absolutely the best program there is, in every way you look at it.”

“It’s a very prestigious program,” he said, recalling a recent interaction with a stranger in the elevator of his downtown Fort Worth apartment building. “I was wearing my Fulbright España hat, and this man looked at me and said, ‘You’ve been a Fulbright scholar?’ When I told him ‘yes,’ he said he was impressed because he had never been close to a Fulbrighter before. He made me feel like I was a Nobel Prize winner!”

Papini also recalls TCU and the College of Science and Engineering’s full support of his award. “All the issues were resolved so that I could go, and that tells me how important this program is, not only for the recipient, but also for the institution.”