Event(s) Summary
Number of Events Organized During Brain Awareness Week:
3
Year:
2019
Type of Events Held:
- Exhibit
- Lecture/ Briefing
- School Program
Target Audiences:
- Elementary school students(1-5)
- General Public
Approximate Number of People Reached:
750
Details of Major Brain Awareness Week Events/Activities:
School outreach: Neuroscience graduate student volunteers at UC Davis visited 2 elementary schools in the Sacramento area, where they taught 2nd graders about the brain. We had activities that helped students learn about helmet safety, brain anatomy, perception, and neural communication. In total, our visits involved 25 graduate student volunteers and reached 238 students, including one bilingual classroom and one classroom for the deaf and hearing impaired. Beers and Brains: The community outreach event “Beers and Brains” was hosted at a local brewery with the objective of disseminating and engaging the Davis residents with neuroscience research. The booths and talks were designed to be approachable by all members of the community. The event was supported by 15 volunteers, of which 6 gave talks and 9 worked the various exhibition booths. Turnout for the event was astounding, with over 200 attendees of diverse demographics. NeuroFest: NeuroFest is a free public event hosted by neuroscience faculty and students at UC Davis and targeting the general public. This year’s theme was “Mind in the Making: Executive Brain Functions in Health, Aging, and Disease”. Talks included “The many faces of dementia and why they matter” by Brittany Dugger, PhD, “How the brain makes decisions and its importance for human health” by Tim Hanks, PhD, “Attention and working memory in health and disease” by Steve Luck, PhD, and “This is your brain on drugs” by Jennifer Whistler, PhD. The public was encouraged to ask questions. Popular hands-on learning activities were available for all ages, such as neurons under a scope, touching brains, controlling a cursor with brain electrical waves. More than 300 people attended this popular event.
Event Planning & Publicity
Publicity Methods Used:
- Advertisements
- Calendar Listings (newspapers, radio, television)
- Emails
- Press Release/Media Advisory
- Website
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:
- BAW Pencils
- Brain-shaped Erasers
- Staying Sharp: Successful Aging and the Brain
Other Dana Foundation Materials Distributed:
- buttons
- origami brains
What downloadable materials from the Foundation did you use for your events?
- BAW Certificate of Participation
- Puzzles: Grades K-2
- Brain Briefs Fact Sheets
What other downloadable materials would you like the Foundation to provide?
- New Fact Sheets
- New Puzzles/Games
Which BAW graphic materials did you use in publicizing your events?
- BAW Logos
Feedback & Keys to Success
How do you feel BAW participation benefited your organization and the local community?
The reputation and educational materials of the Dana Foundation are irreplaceable. Placing our outreach activities in the context of the world-wide framework provided by BAW motivated our volunteers and inspired our guests. Immediate outcomes involve placement of high school students in research labs and follow up visits of attendees to the Center for Neuroscience.
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