UW Event Promotes Brain Awareness for Children and Adults

Advances in brain research and treatment of neurological disorders will be explained during a brain awareness night Thursday, March 24, from 4:30-6:30 p.m. in Room 195 of the new Michael B. Enzi STEM Facility located at Lewis and 10th streets.

Graduate students in the UW Neuroscience Program have organized the event as part of  the Brain Awareness Campaign, a worldwide initiative first promoted by the Dana Foundation.

“It involves universities, government agencies -- such as the National Institutes of Health -- and schools to explore the brain and to inspire the next generation of neuroscientists and brain researchers,” says Professor Bill Flynn, UW Neuroscience Program director. He says outreach to schools and instilling excitement of the brain sciences in both children and adults is one of the campaign’s missions.

Karagh Murphy, one of the students organizing the event, says visitors will learn about the different parts of the brain and “how we see the world around us, how we can feel a spider walking on our arm, and why we like the taste of some foods but, when you have a cold or a stuffy nose, foods just don’t taste the same. Come explore how the brain uses electrical signals to communicate and control our bodies, other bodies and machines.”

Visitors will have opportunities to interact at a number of stations that offer information on vision, touch, hear and taste/smell. Additionally, there will be a station where visitors can touch models of different animal brains and complete a puzzle box after watching videos of animals trying to solve the puzzles. Other activities will include a microscope station; a station that involves tossing bean bags while wearing prism goggles; a backyard brain kit to see electrical signals in the body; and a brain hat coloring station. Face painting, snacks and beverages will be available.