Australian Brain Bee Challenge opens first round of competition

4 Mar 2014

To celebrate Brain Awareness Week, the Australian Brain Bee Challenge opens the first round of its nation-wide competition this week.

The Brain Bee Challenge, initiated by The University of Queensland's Queensland Brain Institute (QBI) in 2006, is designed to inspire students to pursue careers in neuroscience research and is the only neuroscience competition in the country for high school students.

The Brain Bee Challenge tests students' knowledge of facts they have learnt from the free downloadable book Neuroscience, science of the brain about topics such as intelligence, memory, emotions, sensations, movement, stress, ageing, sleep, Alzheimer's disease, stroke and other neurological disorders.

QBI researcher Professor Linda Richards said that during Round 1 of the competition, students would sit a 60-minute multiple-choice online quiz at their school, on a day and time to suit class timetables between March 3-March 21, 2014, coinciding with Brain Awareness Week (10 March - 16 March).

“Students who score well in the Round 1 quiz will be selected to progress to the Round 2 State Finals held at a university in each capital city, for a fun-filled day of team and individual challenges and activities,” Professor Richards said.

“The individual winners of each State Final progress to the ABBC National Finals, and the National Final Champion has the opportunity to compete in the International Brain Bee competition,” she said.

Students can win great prizes for their schools and themselves. Prizes include travel and accommodation for winning students and their guardian to attend the Round 3 National Final and the International Brain Bee competition overseas.

“Teachers may enter an individual student, a small group or even their entire Year 10 class for this great experience,” Professor Richards said.

For more information, please visit www.abbc.edu.au

Media: Mikaeli Costello, Director Advancement and Communications, Queensland Brain Institute, +61 401 580 685 or mikaeli.costello@uq.edu.au

Australian Brain Bee Challenge

The Australian Brain Bee Challenge (ABBC) is recognised by the International Brain Bee competition held in the United States and winners of the ABBC may have the opportunity to participate in the international competition.

The ABBC is calling for entries for students wishing to become the 2014 Australian Brain Bee Champion.

Registration is free and teachers may nominate one student through to their entire Year 10 class.

Designed to inspire students to pursue careers in neuroscience research, ABBC is the only neuroscience competition in the country for high school students. It was initiated by the Queensland Brain Institute in 2006 and is a collaboration with the Australian Neuroscience Society.

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