EBRL at Brain Blast 2024

It goes without saying, but EBRL had a blast at Brain Blast this year! Every year the Vanderbilt Brain institute organizes a free event at the Nashville Public Library for children and parents to learn about brains and the science behind studying them! This year we taught people about the reading brain, neuroimaging, giving out bookmarks, the importance of reading, and even what real brains look like! We had a wonderful time meeting you all and we can’t wait to see you again next year!

Brain Blast happens every year in March so we hope to see you next time!

If you’d like to learn more about the Vanderbilt Brain Institute and Brain Blast, click here!

Enjoy some photos from this year’s brain blast:

EBRL at Brain Blast 2022

EBRL had a fun time meeting you at Brain Blast 2022!

Brain Blast is a free educational event for kids held every year by the Vanderbilt Brain Institute. Every year children K-8th grade get to meet and learn from real brain scientists about the brain and we always enjoy meeting everyone and teaching them about our lab and what we do at EBRL. This year Mr. Commodore himself came for a visit and even practiced laying still for an MRI! If you’d like to come to next year’s Brain Blast and participate in this free event, please check back with our site regularly and with the Vanderbilt Brain Institute’s calendar. Brain Blast occurs every year in March.

 

 

BrainStorm Neuroscience Pitch Competition, EBRL Asks: What Creates Resiliency in Children in Poverty? (Oct.15)

(The following has been a reduced version of an article first posted here.)

Join members of the Education Brain and Research Laboratory and the Mind Science Foundation for a night of science driven by brilliant young researchers! Three teams will pitch their brain research projects as they compete for their shot at a $60,000 pot. Illusionist Mark Mitton will be watching over the proceedings as well as lending his own particular magic to the event as audience members cast their votes and decide who takes home the top prize of $30,000!

The second annual BrainStorm Neuroscience Pitch Competition is Oct. 15 at the Pearl Stable and begins with a member reception at 5:30 p.m. before the 6:30 p.m. program. This event is open to the public with purchase of a ticket and is free for Mind Science Foundation members.

The purpose of the Foundation’s research funding program is to improve health and well-being in humankind through scientific advances in the study of consciousness. This year, finalists’ work can: provide a deeper understanding of the brain’s role in providing resilience in children raised in poverty, use virtual reality as a treatment for anxiety disorders, and “hack” brain systems using mindfulness meditation to strengthen personal traits of self-control and autonomy.

What is the contribution of EBRL you might ask? Well, the research team of Laurie Cutting, Stephanie Del Tufo, and Tin Nguyen from EBRL seek to find an answer to the question: What creates resiliency in children raised in poverty?

Children from poverty have less access to health care and nutrition, as well as limited academic support. These experiences often result in poor classroom performance, and in the most extreme cases, academic failure. Yet despite living in poverty, some children manage to thrive and excel in school. These children are thought to have resilience, and for the purposes of this study, by demonstrating positive academic outcomes despite living in poverty. Graduate student Tin Nguyen’s pitch seeks to provide a deeper understanding of the relationships between resilience, brain structure, and enriching home reading environments in children subject to adversity or poverty. Understanding what makes children resilient can be a first step towards mitigating the negative impacts of childhood poverty.

Join EBRL at VKC Science Day on Tues., Sept. 17, 2019

Fans of science and psychology can join members of the Education and Brain Research Lab at Vanderbilt Kennedy Center’s Science Day. The annual promotion and gathering of scientific minds gives those within the Kennedy Center a chance to exchange ideas and interact with each other’s research. Events will include a keynote address, two poster sessions, as well as lunch and a closing wine and cheese reception.

 

Find out more details here and register to attend (closes Thurs. Sept. 12) at the VKC website:

https://vkc.mc.vanderbilt.edu/vkc/scienceday/

Brain Blast 2019: The Aftermath

Brain Blast 2019 was an outstanding success for EBRL!

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The team was there, bright and early before all of the patrons, setting up our stations, a fun journey through the reading brain. We brought our handy-dandy “portable MRI” so the kids could all see what it was like to be a part of one of our research studies, and played they scanner noises so people could know what an MRI sounded like. Then, they got to color their way through each part of the reading network, and play a fun game for each part! At the very end, they got to even make their own reading network. The day was filled with fun and learning about the brain and the visitors never stopped!

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Not to worry if you missed the event this year, there’s always the next! We will definitely be there!