2007-2008

News Release

REF NO.: 103

SUBJECT: Provincial Brain Storm to take place this weekend

DATE: February 11, 2008

The 2008 Newfoundland and Labrador Brain Storm competition for high school students will take place in the main auditorium of the Faculty of Medicine on Saturday, Feb. 16 starting at 10 a.m. 
The Newfoundland Chapter of the Society for Neuroscience has hosted this event since 2000 as part of Brain Awareness Week and last year expanded to include areas of the province outside St. John’s. Dr. John McLean, Division of BioMedical Science, has organized this event since its inception with the help of graduate students and other faculty members.
“The competition is aimed at enticing young people to learn about the issues and diseases involving the brain and to learn about the various careers available in the neurosciences,” he explained. “Students prepare for the competition by reading a 60-page Brain Facts booklet. A preliminary ‘in school’ competition was held and the top 40 students from that competition have been invited to attend the St. John’s event.”
All competitors will receive prizes and the winner (and guardian) will receive a trip to the first Canadian Brain Bee to be held in May at McMaster University in Hamilton, ON.
The provincial event is sponsored this year by the Institute of Neuroscience, Mental Health, and Addiction and the Faculty of Medicine at Memorial University of Newfoundland. Dr. McLean also received a Synapse Award grant of $5,000 last year from the Canadian Institutes of Health Research to help run the competition.

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