Event(s) Summary
Number of Events Organized During Brain Awareness Week:
Ten
Year:
2016
Type of Events Held:
- Exhibit
- Lecture/ Briefing
- School Program
- Symposium
- Other: Advocacy Day! - college students submitted electronic signatures to PA reps to encourage their support for funding scientific research
Target Audiences:
- Elementary school students(1-5)
- General Public
- High School students(9-12)
- Middle school students(6-8)
- Patients & Caregivers
- Professionals
- University students
Approximate Number of People Reached:
Over 5000 people
Details of Major Brain Awareness Week Events/Activities:
BAW Film and Seminar Series: Neuroscience and Poverty/Inequality – the various colleges in the Lehigh Valley hosted speakers and films connected to this theme. Our seminars focused on race and the perception of time as well as socioeconomic status and structural brain development. Films such as Elysium and The Fisher King were viewed and discussed with faculty and community members. You’ve Been Sparked! – fundraiser event where plush neurons were sent throughout a college campus to encourage faculty to provide a donation to Children International (an organization that helps children and families living in poverty to provide support for mental health disorders). Amazing Brain Program – William Penn Elementary School (our community school with families on gov’t assistance) – hands-on neuroscience activities were provided for children K-5th grade. Tutoring and support programs are also offered. Cops-n-Kids Celebration of Arts and Sciences – outdoor community event in south Bethlehem with neuroscience activities for people of all ages Luke’s Festival – an event to raise funds for Spinal Muscular Atrophy took place for families in the Lehigh Valley Brain Party – largest outreach event : neuroscience majors from the Lehigh Valley colleges joined forces to provide a series of neuroscience activities at the DaVinci Science Center. Music and the Brain – a presentation offered to families of Suzuki students studying violin, viola and cello. Advocacy Day – neuroscience majors encouraged their college communities to submit electronic signatures to PA reps to ask their support for funding scientific research All of these programs were designed to engage our local and college communities. They were all very successful
Event Planning & Publicity
Publicity Methods Used:
- Advertisements
- Emails
- Posters/Flyers
- Website
- Social Media
Other Publicity Methods:
42736.25
Which of These Publicity Methods Was The Most Successful?
Resources
Of the Dana Foundation publications/resources distributed at your event(s), if any, please indicate the three most popular. Please choose up to three. If "other," please indicate below:
- Q&A: Answering Your Questions About Brain Research
- BAW Pencils and Erasers
- The Mindboggling Workbook
What downloadable materials from the Foundation did you use for your events?
- BAW Bookmark
- BAW Certificate of Participation
- Puzzles: Grades K-2
- Puzzles: Grades 3-5
- Puzzles: Grades 6-8
- Puzzles: Grades 9-12
- Puzzles: Mindboggling Series
- Puzzles: BAW Favorites
- Mindboggling Coloring Sheets
What other downloadable materials would you like the Foundation to provide?
- Fact Sheets
- New Puzzles/Games
Other Downloadable Materials:
- Especially on information about concussions would be very helpful!
Which BAW graphic materials did you use in publicizing your events?
- BAW Flyer
- BAW Logos
- BAW Web site banner
Feedback & Keys to Success
How do you feel BAW participation benefited your organization and the local community?
Linking our seminar & film series to the “liberal arts” really expanded the audiences to include science & non-science people. Many participants (especially educators) ask us to visit their schools or after school programs. Our partnership with Phoebe Ministries (an assisted living community) has really bridged the generations. Our new partnership with William Penn Elementary school has created a sense of deep commitment on the part of our students to connect with children in need of support.
Please share any suggestions or lessons learned that may help others plan future events:
Try bridging the study of the brain and behavior to the liberal arts. Music and the Brain, the Art of Neuroscience, Brain Gender, etc have all be successful programs since we emphasize the interdisciplinary nature of neuroscience. This makes the study of science more attainable (esp. for children). Also, have the venues you partner with assist in the promotion of events (huge time saver). Engage your neuroscience majors in developing new hands-on stations each year to keep your programs innovative. Try to incorporate some form of advocacy in your outreach programming. We need an informed society to make such important decisions related to issues from ethical dilemmas in research to funding scientific discovery!
Did/do you like our Facebook page?
Yes
Was the information provided on Facebook useful?
Yes. Perhaps have weekly features from around the globe. One week promote NYC’s brain awareness outreach, another week promote that of India, another week…….so on and so forth.
