Neuroscientists of the future will compete for title of ‘best brain’ in Canada
'The goal of the Brain Bee is to reach out to our extended communities to share what we are doing in our laboratories, and to encourage these outstanding high school students to consider a career in neuroscience, one of the great frontiers of scientific research,' says Judith Shedden, associate professor in McMaster’s Department of Psychology, Neuroscience & Behaviour and chair of the CIHR Canadian National Brain Bee Committee.
High school students from across Canada will converge on McMaster this Saturday, May 30 to compete for the right to be called the best brain in Canada.
The students — all winners of their regional competitions — will be tested on their knowledge of neuroscience and their skills at patient diagnosis and neuroanatomy. Topics will cover memory, sleep, intelligence, emotion, perception, stress, aging, brain-imaging, neurology, neurotransmitters, genetics and brain disease.
Regional Brain Bee competitions took place earlier this year in Victoria, Vancouver, Calgary, Edmonton, Saskatchewan, Winnipeg, London, Waterloo, Guelph, Hamilton, Toronto, Kingston, Ottawa, Montreal and Newfoundland and Labrador.
Judith Shedden, associate professor in McMaster’s Department of Psychology, Neuroscience & Behaviour, is chair of the CIHR Canadian National Brain Bee Committee.
“The goal of the Brain Bee is to reach out to our extended communities to share what we are doing in our laboratories, and to encourage these outstanding high school students to consider a career in neuroscience, one of the great frontiers of scientific research,” says Shedden.
The CIHR Canadian National Brain Bee is supported nationally by the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR).
“CIHR is honoured to support this exciting opportunity for Canadian youth to strengthen their passion for brain science through participation in the 8th annual CIHR Canadian National Brain Bee,” says Anthony Phillips, scientific director for CIHR’s Institute of Neurosciences, Mental Health and Addiction.
“This championship never fails to stimulate interest and excitement about brain research and always attracts some of Canada’s brightest young minds to the study of neuroscience. I’m always impressed by the knowledge these students display in the annual Brain Bee.”
Winners will receive trophies and scholarship awards of $1,500, $1,000 and $500. The first-place winner will win an internship in a neuroscience laboratory, and will represent Canada at the International Brain Bee in August, taking place in Cairns, Australia.
Saturday’s competition will begin at 8:30 a.m. in the Psychology Building, with various events running until 4 p.m. View the full event schedule.
More information can be found at brainbee.ca
