Brain, Bots & Big Ideas: The Science of Creativity
Creativity is often seen as the spark of genius - but what does it actually mean in the brain? In this interactive workshop, you will explore the “Cornerstones of Creativity” framework with Dr Melody Mei Yan Chan, postdoctoral research fellow from QBI's Robinson Group.
Join us to uncover how memory and executive function work together to generate new ideas. Through hands-on activities such as reimagining everyday objects, daily problem-solving, and rapid drawing challenges, experience first-hand how scientists measure and understand creativity. Along the way, compare your ideas with ChatGPT’s outputs, asking the provocative question: can Artificial Intelligence (AI) really be creative, or does true creativity remain a uniquely human superpower?
By the end of the session, you will have produced your own original solutions to complex mini-challenges and gained insight into how neuroscience research seeks to answer one of the biggest questions of our time: how are new ideas born?
Morning tea is provided during this two-hour workshop.
Who should attend
Community members, UQ staff and researchers, students, and anyone curious about the science of creativity.
Location
Level 7 Auditorium, Queensland Brain Institute (79), St Lucia campus.
About Research and Innovation Week 2026
View more details about the Research and Innovation Week here
About UQ Research and Innovation Week
Research and Innovation Week celebrates the incredible research, researchers and partnerships within UQ and throughout our diverse community. Research and Innovation Week aims to raise awareness of UQ researchers across key stakeholders, including staff, current and prospective students, graduates, industry, government, media and the wider community.