On 11 March, Brain Awareness Week will kick off its 24th year of connecting brain science enthusiasts in Europe and around the world with public audiences to build curiosity and understanding about the brain.
Founded in 1996 by the Dana Alliance for Brain Initiatives, a Dana Foundation-funded membership organization of neuroscientists who support and participate in public outreach, the annual campaign has grown in its diversity of events and participants. In 2018, 896 registered events took place in 43 countries, with 336 in Europe, and conversations on social media have skyrocketed in the last few years, using the hashtags #brainweek and #brainawarenessweek.
Partners include universities, advocacy groups, hospitals, K-12 schools, government agencies, professional groups, and service organizations. During Brain Awareness Week, they organize a variety of activities to capture public interest, including lectures, panels, broadcast interviews, labs tours for kids, art exhibits, concerts, and more.
“Because Brain Awareness Week is broadly focused, our partners have the ability to tailor their events to the needs or interests of their local communities, to make for a really impactful experience for both the organizers and the attendees,” said Kathleen Roina, director of education and outreach at the Dana Foundation. “And these events don’t necessarily need to be large-scale; classroom visits and lab tours have proven to be very popular activities, for example.”
By becoming a Brain Awareness Week partner, organizations can advance their mission within the broader context of a global education initiative and gain access to free resources from the Dana Foundation, such as publications, puzzles, and event ideas and planning tips, as well as networking opportunities with other participating organizations. We hope you’ll join us 11-17 March! To register, visit dana.org/baw.
