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A conversation with Felipe

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Pursuing a master’s degree often starts from a place of curiosity, whether it’s for career growth or a personal drive to understand the world. For Felipe Barros, that curiosity sparked during a mindfulness meditation course, leading him from a career in international trade to studying the human brain at one of the world’s top universities.

Now a student on the online Applied Neuroscience MSc programme, Felipe shared his journey with us. From his upbringing in Brazil to navigating the challenges of biological sciences, he explains how King’s College London is helping him connect neuroscience and artificial intelligence.

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Tell me about your background.

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I’m from São Paulo, Brazil, and I grew up in a home where curiosity and hard work were part of everyday life. From a young age, I was encouraged to question how people think, make decisions, and behave. My parents played a big role in that mindset — they pushed me to study, stay disciplined, and believe that there’s always more that can be done.

I was raised in a close, supportive family, with a father who is an engineer and a mother who is a lawyer, which shaped both my analytical thinking and my sense of responsibility. I later pursued a degree in International Trade and Commerce, an MBA in Business, and specialisations in technology. All of these experiences, personal and professional, naturally led me to where I am today.

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What inspired you to earn a credential?

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My interest in earning a credential was sparked when I began studying mindfulness meditation at UCLA. That experience was a turning point for me — it opened my eyes to neuroscience and how the brain works, not just from an academic perspective, but in terms of personal growth.

Understanding how attention, emotion, and awareness shape behaviour made me want to go deeper, both scientifically and personally, and pushed me to pursue formal training to better understand the mind and become a better version of myself.

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Why did you choose this programme over others?

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I chose this programme for its unique versatility, the rigorous research training offered by the Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience (IoPPN), and King’s global reputation. Together, these elements provided both academic depth and practical relevance that I couldn’t find elsewhere.
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How did you feel before starting your programme, and how do you feel now?

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Before starting the programme, I felt curious but was still searching for direction. Now I feel deeply curious in a more focused way, with a strong sense of belonging to the neuroscience world and its community.
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What challenges did you overcome during the programme?

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One of my biggest challenges was studying biological sciences, which was completely new to me. It felt like starting from scratch. Scientific literature and academic research methods were also unfamiliar at first, and adapting to the rigorous standards of a top-tier university required a steep learning curve. Over time, I learned how to think, read, and work within the scientific academic world.
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What has the process of earning a credential taught you about yourself?

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The process taught me that I’m comfortable being a beginner again. It showed me that I can adapt to unfamiliar and demanding environments, stay disciplined through uncertainty, and grow by embracing challenge rather than avoiding it. Most of all, it reinforced my curiosity and my ability to connect different fields in a meaningful way.
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How do you stay motivated while achieving your goals?

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I stay motivated by staying curious and keeping a clear sense of purpose. I break long-term goals into smaller, meaningful steps and remind myself why I started when things get difficult. Surrounding myself with people who challenge me also helps me to stay focused and moving forwards.
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How has the university shown you support?

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King's provides direct and accessible communication channels, making it easy to ask questions and maintain ongoing contact with the teaching fellows. This openness and availability made me feel supported throughout the programme.
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How will you use your credential, and what impact do you want to have on the world?

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I plan to use my credential to actively contribute to the applied neuroscience community, particularly through my involvement with the Applied Neuroscience Association. I aim to bridge neuroscience and artificial intelligence to translate scientific knowledge into real-world impact, advancing mental health, human performance, and responsible, ethically grounded innovation for society.
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Is earning a credential worth it?

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Yes, it’s absolutely worth it. Earning a credential isn’t just about the qualification itself, but about the transformation that happens along the way. It challenges how you think, builds discipline, and opens doors to new communities, ideas, and opportunities that continue to shape both your professional path and personal growth.
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What advice do you have for future students?

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Stay curious, be patient with yourself, and don’t be afraid to feel uncomfortable at times. Treat the programme as a process of growth rather than just a credential, engage with the community, ask questions, and trust that consistent effort is the key.
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Discover King’s online Applied Neuroscience MSc programme

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Felipe’s journey highlights that it is never too late to pivot into a new field, even one as complex as biological sciences. By embracing the challenge of being a beginner again, he has found a way to merge his technology background with scientific rigour, opening doors to ethical innovation in AI and mental health.

If you are inspired by Felipe's commitment to growth and want to explore the science behind human behaviour, learn more about our online Applied Neuroscience MSc.

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