Brainy bees descend on Melbourne

The challenge is a national competition for year 10 students to motivate them to learn about the brain and science. Around 7000 students across Australia entered the event, including 1800 in Victoria. The first round of the competition was an on-line quiz that the students performed in their schools in March. The second round was the state finals, which were held in all national capitals on Tuesday 20 July for the students who performed best in the on-line quiz. Students participated as individuals and as parts of school teams.

“Both the students and staff of the participating schools were very enthusiastic and excited,” says Associate Professor Heather Young from the Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology who, along with colleague Dr Richard Anderson and Dr Joanne Britto from the Florey Neuroscience Institutes, organised the event and associated education program.

“Teachers from Donald High School in the Wimmera region and Lavalla College in Traralgon in Gippsland had a three-hour drive each way so their students could participate.

“We emphasised that the competition was not about winning, but having a good time while learning about the brain and what it might be like to be a scientist.

“After each round of the quiz, Dr Britto, the quizmaster, revealed the answers and there were very animated groans or squeals of delight from the students as each answer was revealed.”

The individual event was won by Adheeshee Sayakkarage from St John’s Regional College in Dandenong. The team event was won by the John Monash Science School.

In addition to the quiz, the students and their teachers went on laboratory tours in the Medical School building and the Howard Florey Institute, tours of the Anatomy and Pathology Museum and heard short presentations from PhD students and young neuroscience researchers.

“The students particularly enjoyed the museum tours and asked many questions of the tour guides, who were all PhD students from the Deptarment of Anatomy & Cell Biology,” Associate Professor Young says.

The major sponsors of the event were the Melbourne Neuroscience Institute and the Florey Neuroscience Institutes. The event was opened by Professor Trevor Kilpatrick, Head of the Melbourne Neuroscience Institute, and the prizes were presented by Prof Geoff Donnan, director of the Florey Neuroscience Institutes.