Brain Awareness Week 2018
Brain Awareness Week (BAW), the global campaign that supports public understanding and appreciation of neuroscience research, is always an important feature of the Oxford Neuroscience calendar. This year was no exception researchers from across our community took part in an exciting and vibrant programme of events. On 10th March Michael Kohl and Simon Butt’s research groups from the Department of Physiology, Anatomy and Genetics, took part in Super Science Saturday at the Museum of Natural History. On the 12th March researchers from the WIN featured in Left Brain/Right Brain at the Ashmolean. This event, part of the Brain Discovery Festival, aimed to challenge ideas about gender and brain differences. The following day saw a screening of ‘My love Affair with the Brain’ a film which charts the life and work of Miriam diamond. This was followed by a discussion group with women scientists.
Events continued on the 15th March when the MRC BNDU hosted a secondary schools day. In the evening, Chris Kennard gave a public talk ‘Art Illusions and the Visual Brain’ at the Museum of the History of Science. Meanwhile, Clare Mackay and Masud Husain were highlighting ‘New Developments in Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s research’ at the John Radcliffe Hospital.
On Friday the 16th March St Hilda’s college hosted ‘The Oxford Brain Challenge’ introducing secondary school students to neuroanatomy, neurohistology, neurophysiology, neuropsychology and neuropathology.
The programme wound up on Saturday the 17th March with the ARUK Dementia Awareness Open Day based at the John Radcliffe Hospital. Meanwhile Chrystalina Antoniades and eminent French neuroscientist Zoï Kapoula explored ‘The Neurophysiology of Aesthetics’ at the Ashmolean
Oxford Sparks, an online platform that highlights the scientific research carried out at the University through exciting videos, animations and podcasts aimed at a public audience, also offered an amazing array of digital activity to celebrate the Festival. Five Facebook Lives with researchers from the Nuffield Department of Clinical Neurosciences and the Department of Psychiatry offered insights into the brain, and culminated in a live experiment at the Wellcome Centre for Integrative Neuroimaging.