Event(s) Summary
Number of Events Organized During Brain Awareness Week:
1
Year:
2016
Type of Events Held:
- Other
- Other: Outdoor activity
Target Audiences:
- Elementary school students(1-5)
- General Public
- High School students(9-12)
- Middle school students(6-8)
- Professionals
- University students
Approximate Number of People Reached:
50 people on the day, many more online
Details of Major Brain Awareness Week Events/Activities:
An outdoor maze was designed and built as a collaborative effort between the Faculty of Medicine and the UM Development Office (JPPHB), in conjunction with Brain Awareness Week 2016. The idea behind the maze that we wanted to educate and engage the public about the workings of the brain in a fun and interactive way. We welcomed the public to the opening of the maze- officially named Labyrinth111 – and invited them to explore the maze and test their spatial memory. We explained through a series of infographics the parts of the brain involved in building these spatial maps. Once they were familiar with the maze, the participants were also encouraged to try the ‘Blindfold challenge’ which meant they had to complete the maze blindfolded. Children had fun making and colouring brain hats and printed maze puzzles of various levels of difficulty were shared with the public. The walls of the maze were made out of salvaged wood from old UM properties. The incorporation of twenty-three reclaimed doors allow for periodic reconfigurations of the layout to keep it exciting and challenging for the visitors. Currently, it is the only maze in a university in Malaysia.
Event Planning & Publicity
Publicity Methods Used:
- Emails
- Posters/Flyers
- Social Media
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:
- Staying Sharp Bookmark
Other Dana Foundation Materials Distributed:
- Unfortunately
- we did not receive any promo items this year but had some leftover from the previous years that we used.
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?
We find that our activities generate quite a lot of excitement amongst the public, especially the visits to the kindergartens (in 2015) and the maze this year. The maze continues as a permanent installation at the University of Malaya and is open to the public during the day. Future neuroscience-related activities are planned. In the immediate future, on May 10th 2016, 40 secondary school children will visit the maze as part of the National Science Quiz.
Did/do you like our Facebook page?
Yes
Was the information provided on Facebook useful?
very much so
