Event(s) Summary
Number of Events Organized During Brain Awareness Week:
1
Year:
2018
Type of Events Held:
- School Program
- Workshop
Target Audiences:
- High School students(9-12)
- University students
- Other: Parents of high school students
Approximate Number of People Reached:
800
Details of Major Brain Awareness Week Events/Activities:
“Braaains!” – biology instructors led the participants to activity that included brains of cow. The participants surgically modified normal cow brain into zombie brain. In this activity, the participants were to assume being “mad scientist” creating a monster. While the participants were working on surgical alterations, the instructors made comments on the areas of the brain and their functions. Neuromyths: Busted! – A psychology instructor addressed some of the most commonly held myths about the brain, such as 10% myth, Learning Style Myth, and Right/Left Brain Myth, addressing the origin of the myths, research findings that contradict the myths, and the latest research on the brain’s functions.
Event Planning & Publicity
Publicity Methods Used:
- Emails
- Other
Other Publicity Methods:
Direct contact with the area high schools and the school district administrations.
Which of These Publicity Methods Was The Most Successful?
Feedback & Keys to Success
How do you feel BAW participation benefited your organization and the local community?
This event is organized every year to increase awareness of STEM fields. We are in an economically-depressed – the unemployment rate is higher than Mecklengurg county. We hope our effort will lead to more community residents studying STEM fields. The immediate benefits the community gained from this event were reflected in the emails I have received since the event (4/13/2018). Some of them express interest in coming to our college and participating in my lab where research is conducted.
Please share any suggestions or lessons learned that may help others plan future events:
This was the first year we included brain/neuroscience specific topics in SciVisit, as a test run for the next year’s BAW. We hope to provide brain related presentation/workshop/activity during BAW, then SciVisit. We realized that we need to enhance brain awareness among our college students.
Did/do you like our Facebook page?
Yes
Was the information provided on Facebook useful?
Yes. Without the facebook, I wouldn’t have known the BAW date or any other services DF institute promoted.
