Fifteenth Annual Central Arkansas Brain Bee, February 15, 2017
(for previous years, click here)

The Arkansas Chapter of the Society for Neuroscience and the Arkansas Biosciences Institute sponsored the 2016 Arkansas Brain Bee held Wednesday, February 15, 2017 in the Darragh Center Auditorium at the Main Library of the Central Arkansas Library System in Little Rock.  The Brain Bee is a live question and answer competition testing the neuroscience knowledge of middle school and high school students (ages 13-18).  This year, a record 20 students competed from 8 schools:

Arkansas School for Math Sciences and Arts: Kenny Duran, A’yanah Jefferson, Spencer Hazeslip Central High School (Little Rock): Alexander Han, Sarah Shirley, Heidi Tandiono De Queen High School: Sierra Noey, Ailinn Ocampo El Dorado High School: Sharay Castanon, Ethan Hammons, Andrew Longinotti Episcopal Collegiate: Stephen Angtuaco, Nicole Occidental, Andrew Mathews Glen Rose High School: Krysteene Douglas, John Paul Helberg, Nathan Lusinger Har-Ber High School: Sojas Wagle Parkview Arts/Science Magnet High School: Joselyn Perez, Daniella Rodriguez

Mr. Sojas Wagle (left) from Har-Berg High School won first place in the competition. Runners up were (from left to right) Andrew Longinotti (El Dorado), Nicole Occidental (Episcopal), Spencer Hazeslip (ASMSA), Sarah Shirley (Little Rock Central), and Daniella Rodriguez (Parkview). Also pictured is Arkansas Brain Bee organizer Dr. Andrew James.

For the second year in a row, the Arkansas Brain Bee Champion has won the USA Brain Bee Championship! Mr. Sojas Wagle of Har-Ber High School won first place in Nationals and will represent the USA in the International Brain Bee Championship, to be held in DC later this year. Press release link:
http://www.arkansasonline.com/news/2017/mar/25/springdale-sophomore-brain-bee-s-u-s-wi-1/ 

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Brain Awareness Day, April 15, 2017, at the Discovery Museum
(for previous years, click here)

Please mark your calendar! The Arkansas Chapter of the Society for Neuroscience will be hosting Brain Awareness Day at the Museum of Discovery on Saturday, April 15, 2017.

Please let Dr. Antino Allen (AAllen@uams.edu) know as soon as possible if you plan to host a booth or participate in Brain Awareness Day.
 

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Brain Awareness Day, April 23, 2016, at the Darragh Center in the Little Rock Main Library
(for previous years, click here)

The Arkansas Chapter of the Society for Neuroscience will celebrate Brain Awareness Day on Saturday, April 23, 2016. We are trying a few things different this year. First, since Brain Awareness Week falls on Spring Break (which typically reduces participation from undergraduate institutions), we are hosting the event later in the year. Second, the event will be hosted at the Darragh Center in the Little Rock Main Library so that the event is completely free to the public! We will repurpose the rental fees that we usually pay to the Museum of Discovery to advertising our event.

We have reserved the Darragh Center from 10am – 2pm. It is a large space that can easily accommodate presentations from about 20 groups. Dr. Andrew James (GAJames@uams.edu) is taking lead on organizing this event. Please let him know if representatives of your lab, department, or institution will present, as well as a tentative topic.

If you plan on presenting at Brain Awareness Day on April 23rd, please let Dr. James know as soon as possible.

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Brain Awareness Day, March 21, 2015, Discovery Museum
(for previous years, click here)

On Saturday, March 21, 2015, the ACSfN sponsored Brain Awareness Day at the Museum of Discovery in downtown Little Rock from 9 am to 4 pm. This year’s event was overall a success, with more than 1000 children and adult visitors participating in the several interactive exhibits that focused upon various aspects of the central nervous system. The following ACSfN members were involved in organizing and presenting the exhibits and interacting with the attendees: Dr. John Bowyer (NCTR), Dr. Susan Lantz (NCTR), Dr. Matthew Fogle (NCTR), Dr. Andrew James (UAMS), Dr. Lisa Brents (UAMS), Dr. Jeffrey Padberg (UCA), Rachel Hendrix (UAMS), Dr. Laura Stanley (UAMS), Dr. John Chelonis (NCTR), Dr. Merle Paule (NCTR), Dr. Charles Fogle (NCTR), Dr. Rick Murray (Hendrix), Dr. Mahmoud Kiaei (UAMS), Rosemary Cornett (UAMS) and many graduate students and lab coordinators from the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences and the University of Central Arkansas. These included: Jonathan Young, Sonet Smitherman, Tonisha Kearney-Ramos, Rachel Hendrix, Paul Parcon, Brennon Luster, Helen Hayes, and JC Douglas (University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences); Jordan Fletcher, Brad Moffitt, Josh Nichols, John Patterson, Brooke Skinner, Hailey Arens, Meghan Kenyon, Regan Harris, and Allyson Newton (University of Central Arkansas).

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Arkansas High School State Science Fair

(for previous years, click here)

The 2015 Arkansas Science and Engineering Fair was held on April 3, 2015 at the Farris Center on the UCA campus.

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Updated 5/30/2016