Artwork by Levi Beling, Charlottesville High School
The University of Virginia’s Neuroscience Graduate Program and Department of Neuroscience have transformed their annual Brain Awareness Week into a groundbreaking year-round outreach initiative. Building on their longstanding passion for neuroscience education, the program expanded its reach and impact throughout the 2023-24 academic year. This expansion was largely driven by the dedication of the Brain Awareness executive committee volunteers: Addison Webster, Nicholas Conley, Jenny Fu, and Sarah Hunter-Chang, all NGP students, along with Thaddeus Weigel, a post-doctoral researcher in the Neuroscience department. Their diverse backgrounds, with many associated with labs outside the Neuroscience department, brought a wide variety of perspectives to the outreach efforts. These volunteers have been instrumental in shaping and implementing the expanded program, demonstrating the collaborative spirit that defines UVA’s neuroscience community.
The year kicked off with the innovative “Magnify” project, conceived by Sarah Hunter-Chang, an NGP student researcher, and Jennifer Kett, a Studio art teacher at Charlottesville High School. Their collaborative vision brought together the worlds of neuroscience and art. This unique initiative began with UVA neuroscience researchers visiting Charlottesville High School art classes, where they presented their research work. Following these classroom visits, the art students came to the UVA campus, where they got a chance to visit real-world research labs and interact with researchers, gaining firsthand exposure to cutting-edge scientific data and techniques.
The classroom visits and subsequent lab experiences inspired the students to create their own artwork based on the biology and biomedical concepts they had learned. These experiences allowed the students to translate their newfound scientific knowledge and inspiration into their own artistic creations. The culmination of this project was a showcase of the students’ art at The Bridge Progressive Arts Institute. This exhibition demonstrated how the fusion of art and science can lead to unique and thought-provoking artistic expressions and conversations, bridging the gap between these two seemingly disparate fields.
March 11, 2024 marked the official start of this year’s Brain Awareness Week, a global campaign to foster public enthusiasm and support for brain science. However, in keeping with our established tradition, UVA researchers once again extended their efforts beyond just a week, dedicating the end of the school season to inspire more minds and create a lasting impact. As in previous years, starting from this date, UVA researchers began visiting K-12 classrooms across multiple counties, bringing hands-on neuroscience experiences to students. These engaging sessions, refined over years of outreach, included brain anatomy demonstrations and live recordings of electrical activity from nerves and muscles. This sustained, month-long approach has allowed us to reach more students, develop deeper connections with schools, and create a more comprehensive educational experience year after year.
Ian F. Kimbrough, PhD, assistant professor in the Department of Neuroscience, emphasized the initiative’s broader impact stating, “By extending our outreach beyond a single week, we’ve been able to inspire more young minds and foster a deeper understanding of brain science in our community. This extended approach allows us to reach more students and create sustained engagement with neuroscience.”
Additionally, the program increased its presence at local science festivals throughout the year, and, most recently, introduced a two-day “Brain Camp” module for the STEMpreneur program. This intensive camp featured lectures by graduate student outreach leaders, hands-on activities, and tours of state-of-the-art research labs.
Harry Sontheimer, PhD, chair of the Department of Neuroscience, noted, “The enthusiasm of our graduate students and researchers has been instrumental in the success of this expanded initiative. Their dedication to sharing their knowledge and passion for neuroscience is truly inspiring.”
The UVA Neuroscience community is already planning for an even more ambitious outreach program in the 2024-25 academic year. With the continued support of passionate volunteers and growing community partnerships, the future of brain awareness education at UVA looks brighter than ever.
Filed Under: Community, Diversity, Equity & Inclusion