UNAM-LA

UNAM Los Angeles organized the second Los Angeles Brain Awareness Days, in collaboration with Mi Casa es Puebla, Casa Mexiquense and the Consulate General of Mexico in Los Angeles. The events were aimed at elementary school students and the general public. Students learned about neuroscience through games and activities aimed at fostering their interest in this field, as well as teaching them how to take care of their minds and bodies. Three groups from the Rowan Elementary school attended on March 15 and 49 students from Seven Arrows participated on March 14 and 16. The event included lectures by leading neuroscientists, as well as seven didactic exhibit stations that used games and craft-making to teach students about brain functions and physiology. The lectures were: Do you remember me by Dr. Manuel López de Anda; Speechless: how the brain allows us to speak by Dr. Rafael Romero; My career in neurosciences by Dr. Araceli Espinosa; Huntington: a disease written in genes by Dr. Ana Maria Estrada; and Autism: causes, myths and hope by Dr. Maria Lázaro. The didactic exhibits were brain model, the wonderful sense of smell, make you own neuron, brain calls, blurred vision, the emotional brain, and bumps and grooves. Based on our experience in last year’s BAW, we improved our logistics and refined the content of the didactic exhibits and lectures. We believe that this proved to be successful and experienced great results. Students had fun and learned about the topic at hand.