Feb 23, 2012 | 02:55
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Jan 17, 2012
High school students to rack their brains in neuroscience competition
High school students from across Southern California will be stretching their synapses and scouring their cerebellums at the Los Angeles Brain Bee, to be held Jan. 21 in the UCLA Neuroscience Research Building. The Brain Research Institute at UCLA is a co-sponsor of the event, along with Los Angeles City College and the Zilkha Neurogenetic Institute at the University of Southern California.
The Brain Bee fosters interest in brain research and is open to all high school students. The winner of the local event takes home $300 and can compete in the National Brain Bee held in Maryland.
"Students are exposed to neuroscience on a variety of levels with discussion panels, a human brain specimen practicum, laboratory tours and fascinating guest lecturers," said L.A. City College Psychology professor Amy Sweetman, the driving force behind the Los Angeles Brain Bee for the past several years. Last year’s event attracted 30 students from high schools all across the region.
The keynote lecture, "Inside the Mind of a Serial Killer," will be presented by Eric Hickey, a forensic psychology expert who has published many books in the field of serial killers, paraphilias and psychopaths.
Though the BRI has been a long-time sponsor of the Los Angeles Brain Bee, this year marks the first time the institute will be hosting the event. Participants will enjoy panel discussions, organized by Interaxon, the undergraduate student-run neuroscience education outreach group, as well as tours of UCLA neuroscience laboratories coordinated by Project Brainstorm, the graduate student outreach group.
"We are very proud and excited to be increasing our commitment to the Brain Bee competition this year," said Chris Evans, director of the Brain Research Institute. Evans will serve as a judge along with BRI Associate Director of Outreach Joe Watson. "The BRI is always eager to support outreach and public education about neuroscience. On a personal level, I’ve always enjoyed the event — the caliber and enthusiasm of the students that participate in the Brain Bee is impressive,"
Also on the judge’s panel is Thanh-Liem Tran, who won last year’s Los Angeles Brain Bee and then went on to win both the National and International Brain Bees.
"This journey has been nothing short of amazing, and, besides the obvious rewards, has served to confirm that I want to make this my life's work," Tran said. "But the biggest reward of all has been my induction into the community of neuroscientists. It will be easy for me to follow in their footsteps and start to give back."
