Galway Neuroscience Centre “My Amazing Brain” Exhibition, The University of Galway, Ireland

The Galway Neuroscience Centre were delighted to organise and host the “My Amazing Brain” Exhibition in The Orbsen Building at the University of Galway on Tuesday 14th and Wednesday 15th March, 2023. Coordinated by Dr Michelle Roche and Dr Sinead King, the exhibit saw over 300 Transition year students (15-16yr old) from seven schools all around Galway learn about how the brain and nervous system work. The exhibit consisted of interactive displays where students learnt about the brain in a very practical, hands-on way. This year, the exhibition included two new and exciting interactive activities. The first, coordinated by Dr Ciara Egan, enabled students to visualise and examine their own brain waves using EEG. The second new activity was the work of the Designing Futures students, coordinated by Dr Sinead King. At this stand, students learnt all about the effects that chronic stress and interacted with a photobiomodulation (infrared light) device, which really got the students thinking hats on!

In addition to the interactive exhibits, the students had the opportunity to speak and interact with Neuroscientists of all levels where they could ask about the brain and current research within the Galway Neuroscience Centre. A series of large information posters were also on display covering a variety of conditions and illnesses including Stress, Parkinson’s disease, Pain, Autism Spectrum Disorder, Anxiety, Depression, Schizophrenia, Alzheimer’s disease, Stroke and Spinal cord injury. In order to facilitate further student engagement, students participated in a competition focused on answering a number of questions related to the exhibit.

Speaking about the event, Dr Michelle Roche, Director of the Galway Neuroscience Centre, said: “We were delighted to have been able to host a new and revised “My Amazing Brain” Exhibition at the University of Galway as part of Brain Awareness Week. Thanks to the collective effort of the GNC members, the event this year was an extremely successful with overwhelming positive feedback from students and teachers. One of the key goals of the Galway Neuroscience Centre is to inspire the next generation of brain researchers and this exciting interactive hands-on outreach activity has been key in achieving this aim”