International Brain Bee

This grant supports the International Brain Bee (IBB) to pilot a two-event format for their annual program – a virtual World Championship competition followed by a new, in-person event for champions called IBB NextGen.

The IBB was established in 1998 to motivate high school students to learn about the brain and inspire them to pursue neuroscience-related careers. Since its founding, the IBB has grown into a global education initiative with nearly 50 participating countries. The IBB promotes student engagement with neuroscience through a three-tiered competition that culminates in the World Championship, reaching more than 25,000 students annually. In 2024, the IBB is piloting a new two-event format to amplify its important educational role and firmly position the program as a catalyst for career and workforce development in neuroscience. The goal is to help develop a diverse new generation and global network of budding neuroscientists.

The inaugural NextGen event will award the top five competitors from the 2023 World Championship with an educational and cultural experience at the 2024 FENS Forum in Vienna, Austria. One-on-one mentoring sessions with scientists and other professionals will foster and guide participants’ future academic pursuits and career pathways, and group discussions and activities will introduce different disciplines and explore connections between neuroscience and society.

The World Championship will be held virtually in conjunction with the 2024 Society for Neuroscience Annual Meeting. The World Championship will provide an expanded social and educational program that is engaging, interactive, and encourages open dialogue and collaboration among participants. Events will include a neuroethics dialectic, a career panel featuring a diversity of neuroscience careers, a new neuroscience and society session, team-building activities, and plenary lectures.

This grant supports the Dana Education objective to engage K-12 students in learning about neuroscience and its relevance to society through structured education opportunities (formal and non-formal) that capture their interest and inspire continued study.