A Queenslander has been named Australia’s neuroscientist of the future after the country’s brightest young minds competed in the finals of the Australian Brain Bee Challenge (ABCC) held at Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre today.
ABBC is an initiative of the Queensland Brain Institute (QBI) at the University of Queensland (UQ).
Oxenford Resident, Jackson Huang from Queensland Academy of Science, Mathematics and Technologybeat seven other Australian finalists* and two New Zealanders in a test of brainpower in front of a live audience during a brain-teasing anatomy exam, doctor-patient diagnosis, written test and a neuroscience quiz.
Runner up was Zelda Perri of Presentation College Windsor in Melbourne.
Presenting the award, Education Martin Dixon, said the finalists were of an extremely high calibre.
“All the finalists have demonstrated an extraordinary talent, and I hope the Australian and New Zealand Brain Bee Challenge will inspire them to pursue further study in this vitally important field,” he said.
“The community as a whole will be the winners from advances in neuroscience.”
The country’s only neuroscience competition for high school students, ABBC is a test of knowledge about important facts and concepts concerning intelligence, memory, emotions, sensations, movement, stress, aging, sleep, Alzheimer’s disease and stroke and is designed to inspire students to pursue careers in neuroscience research.
Jackson will now compete in the International Brain Bee Competition held in Vienna, Austria (though still TBC) in 2013. He will receive return international airfares, accommodation and spending money for himself and an accompanying adult to attend the prestigious international competition.
