Location:
2215 Wesbrook Mall, Vancouver
Date:
April 6th, 2024
We would like to invite all BC high school students to participate in the 16th annual Vancouver Brain Bee! The Vancouver Brain Bee is a Spelling Bee-styled Neuroscience competition for high school students (grades 9-12) that tests knowledge of the brain and nervous system. This year, the Brain Bee will be held on Saturday, April 6th at the Djavad Mowafaghian Centre for Brain Health (2215 Wesbrook Mall, University of British Columbia).
Currently, Brain Bees takes place in 30 countries all over the world and the competitions are organized in three tiers: local, national and international. The Vancouver Brain Bee is one of many local Canadian Brain Bees and the winner of this competition will go on to compete in the National competition on April 20th, 2024. The final round of the National showdown will in-person at the 2023 Canadian Association for Neurosciences annual meeting conference between May 19-22nd, 2024, hosted here in Vancouver. The winner of the National Brain Bee will then go on to represent Canada in the International Brain Bee.
Join us for this in-person event that brings together brain enthusiasts from all over to test their knowledge and skills in a friendly and competitive environment. Challenge yourself, meet like-minded individuals, and discover the fascinating world of neuroscience. Don’t miss out on this exciting opportunity to expand your knowledge and have a brain-tastic time!
A huge thank you to our sponsors for this event!
What to expect on the day – Itinerary
The winner will advance to the national competition where they will compete for an opportunity to go on to the finals hosted at the Canadian Association for Neuroscience (CAN) Science Conference this year! Refer to the Brain Bee main page for more information.
Brain Bee participants can expect a day filled with exposure to neuroscience reserch labratories, interactive demonstrations, and connecting to other students with similar academic interests.
This event is a great entry and opportunity to engage with university level studies, professors, and internationally renowned research facilities. Plus food will be provided!
- 10:15am: Registration
- 10:50am: Opening remarks and Presentation from PI – Dr. Shernaz Bamji
- 11:30pm: Exam period
- 12:30pm: Lunch provided (Pizza and Sushi) and Neural Networking Activities
- 2:00pm: Research labratory tours
- 3:30pm: Results announced (Top 5)
- 3:45pm: Top 5 competitors have an oral exam face off
- 4:15 pm: Presentation of Certificates
Study content
Questions will be based on content from “Brain Facts” and “Neuroscience: Science of the Brain” textbooks. The exam consists of multiple choice questions, short answer, diagram labelling, and more! It will test a variety of fields within neuroscience, from the cellular mechanisms to whole brain functionality. The vastness of neuroscience is what makes it such a fascinating mystery, so be prepared to be challenged!
This being said, don’t fret! There is plenty of useful content to help you learn about the brain; from helpful textbooks, to an incredible youtube video series if you’re more of a visual learner.
Brain Facts (2018 edition)
Additional study tools
More of the award-winning neuroanatomy educational video series by UBC’s own Dr. Claudia Krebs can be found here!