Every once in a while people may question themselves, how does my brain work? The brain is the most extraordinary organ in the human body. It controls everything in the body from top to bottom, and there has been many studies about the brain for centuries to understand how it works. According to scientists and doctors, it is impossible to find all the answers about the brain, and scientists are still searching for answers to this day. Through Brain Bee I learned so much about this interesting and complex organ, and I would encourage students to participate in this amazing competition.
Brian Bee is a worldwide competition for high school students that inspires students to pursue a career in brain science or neurology. This competition is free and available to any interested high school student. The competition is a great opportunity to explore an interest in brain science as high school students prepare for college. The study materials are on the website (Brain Bee Study). The book is roughly about 160 pages and other materials are visual aids and videos about important brain structures. Studying these materials might be rigorous and time-consuming, but it is worthwhile to learn and experience.
I participated in the 2020 Brain Bee competition and enjoyed the learning experience. The competition is held at universities all around the states. The competition consists of two rounds or sections: a rigorous multiple-choice and written test (lab practicum), and a final Q&A round. The first round is followed by a lunch with college students who are studying neuroscience and faculties, such as professors. This time is a great time to ask questions about the subject and their experiences. While the first round tests are being graded, students explore various things related to neuroscience. For example, students can touch or dissect sheep’s brains (or different animal’s brains), touch and feel real human brains, and use electrical signals from their bodies to control robots. The top ten students from the first round participate in the final round. The format of the final round is similar to a spelling bee, where the competitors are asked questions and the students have to answer it correctly. The top three students are awarded a trophy, and the first-place competitor advances to the next competition, the US Brain Bee.
In conclusion, throughout this competition, I learned so many things that I wanted to learn by asking questions to the faculties, experiencing different activities, and participating in this competition. This competition was very worthwhile as I want to pursue a career in neurobiology, and if someone is interested and intrigued by the brain as I am, I would recommend the Brain Bee.