Students Compete in 2016 DC Brain Bee
High school students from the Washington, DC metro area tested their knowledge about the brain and nervous system during the DC Brain Bee on February 3. The competition aims to motivate high school students to learn about the brain and inspire them to pursue careers in neuroscience.
Benjamin Walker began the competition by presenting a preserved human brain to the competitors and audience. “This organ," he said. "All the questions we will talk about today are based on this organ.” The captivated viewers stared wide-eyed at the three pound, adult male brain in Walker’s hands as they prepared to take the stage.
Shomik Ghose, a junior at Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology in Alexandria, Va., bested 16 other students to become the 5th DC Brain Bee winner. He will go on to compete in the U.S. National Brain Bee on March 18-20 in Baltimore. Shomik’s classmate Akshay Balaji took second place in this year’s competition, followed by Jacob Gerrish from Georgetown Prep in third place.
The Society for Neuroscience hosts the DC Brain Bee and is a sponsor of the U.S. and International Brain Bees, founded by Norbert Myslinski of the University of Maryland. SfN also arranges a scientific laboratory internship for the U.S. and international winners.
For more information about the DC Brain Bee, contact baw@sfn.org.
