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The United States National Brain Bee
March 14-15, 2008

The first annual United States National Brain Bee will be held March 14th-15th, 2008 in Baltimore Maryland. In order to compete in the US National Championship, a student must win one of the Local Brain Bees. Students may only compete in one Local Bee per year.

US National Brain Bee Schedule & Resources

Questions at the US National Brain Bee will be taken from the British Neuroscience Association's publication Neuroscience: the Science of the Brain which is available at the Association's website. The Championship involves two parts. The top students from Part I go on to Part II. The maximum total for Part I is 100 points.

Part I

• Human Neuroanatomy Practical (30%). This involves 30 stations with whole or half human brains, that have pins sticking in different parts. Students must recall their names and/or functions and write them on their answer sheets. Students can prepare by studying any basic neuroanatomy or neurophysiology textbook or atlas.
  
• Oral Question and Answer Session I (9%). Three different questions are asked of each student. They require a one word or phrase answer. Students can prepare by studying Neuroscience: the Science of the Brain (2003) published by British Neuroscience Association and the European Dana Alliance for the Brain. This publication is available on-line at www.bna.org.uk/publications. It is also available at www.ibro.org; click on brain campaign and then choose the English version.
  
• Patient Diagnosis (21%) Students will spend 5 minutes alone with each of 7 patient actors. By observing them, asking them 3 questions, and ordering 2 laboratory or clinical tests they are to diagnose the patient’s neurological disorder, choosing from one of the following 12 disorders: bipolar disorder, epilepsy, Parkinson’s disease, addiction, Alzheimer’s disease, Huntington’s disease, schizophrenia, stroke, Tourette Syndrome, neurological AIDS, chronic pain, and autism. Patients are only allowed to answer “yes”, “no” or “I don’t know” to the 3 questions. Students will select from a list of diagnostic tests and will immediately be given the results to help their diagnosis. Students can prepare by studying the basic signs, symptoms and diagnostic procedures for these disorders. A concise place to fine this is in the Medical Encyclopedia of Medline Plus which can be found at the National Library of Medicine website: www.nlm.nih.gov.
  
• Written Test (14%). All competitors are given the same fourteen multiple choice questions. Students can prepare by studying Neuroscience: the Science of the Brain (2003) published by British Neuroscience Association and the European Dana Alliance for the Brain. This publication is available on-line at www.bna.org.uk/publications. It is also available at www.ibro.org; click on brain campaign and then choose the English version.
  
• Oral Question and Answer Session II (21%). Seven different questions are asked of each student. They require a one word or phrase answer. There may be one or two rounds of visuals. Students can prepare by studying Neuroscience: the Science of the Brain (2003) published by British Neuroscience Association and the European Dana Alliance for the Brain. This publication is available on-line at www.bna.org.uk/publications. It is also available at www.ibro.org; click on brain campaign and then choose the English version.
  
• Group Competition (5%). Competitors are divided into 4 to 6 groups on Friday morning. At irregular times throughout the two days they are be given 10 fun tasks, such as neuroscience crossword puzzles, to complete. Each task lasts about 5 minutes. With each task, each competitor of the winning group will each receive 0.5 points. There is no specific reference to study for this part. Common sense and a general basic knowledge of neuroscience will be required.

Part II

• Oral Question and Answer Elimination. The top 5 students from Part I compete in Part II. In every round, each student is asked a different question. The questions require a one word or phrase answer. A competitor is eliminated when he/she accumulates three wrong answers. The last one standing is the champion. Students can prepare by studying Neuroscience: the Science of the Brain (2003) published by British Neuroscience Association and the European Dana Alliance for the Brain. This publication is available on-line at www.bna.org.uk/publications. It is also available at www.ibro.org; click on brain campaign and then choose the English version.

For a detailed schedule of the 2008 US Brain Bee activities, please click here.

Prizes

The US National Champion will receive $1,500, a paid summer internship with an esteemed neuroscientist, and a trip for two to the International Brain Bee Championship in Montreal, Canada. The second place finisher will receive $1,000, and the third place finisher will receive $500.

Travel Information

The Bee will be held in the University of Maryland Medical School, located at 685 W. Baltimore Street in Baltimore, Maryland. Driving directions to the University of Maryland, Baltimore campus can be found at the school's website, along with additional parking information.

Rooms will be held at a discounted rate at the Holiday Inn - Inner Harbor which is located 6 blocks east of the competition. The address is 301 W. Lombard Street in Baltimore, Maryland. To reserve a hotel room in the group rate, please call 1-800-Holiday by March 1st.

If you are flying into the Baltimore/Washington International Airport, the Holiday Inn is easily accessible. Take I-295 north for 8 miles to the Pratt Street exit. Turn right on Pratt Street, proceed for two blocks, then turn left onto Howard Street. Proceed for one block, then turn left on Lombard Street. The hotel driveway will be immediately on your left.

From 1-95 (points north or south), take exit 53 for 395N and follow signs for downtown. Cross over Pratt Street and make your next left onto Lombard Street. The hotel driveway will be immediately on your left.

Registration Information

This year, 44 Local Brain Bees will be held in the United States alone

Since the International Brain Bee program growing so rapidly, it is important that we stay organized and up to date. In the past, simple e-mail was an effective means of communication, but with more than seventy Local Brain Bees occurring worldwide this year, the IBB coordinators recognized the need to have a more formal system.

Each Local Brain Bee coordinator will be asked to fill out the annual Local Brain Bee Report Form at the conclusion of his or her competition. Although the form is not very lengthy, it will help us plan for the subsequent National and International Bees each year. Coordinators should also fill out the US National Brain Bee Registration Form if the Local Bee winner plans to attend our national competition. The information on this form and the $75 registration fee will help us more accurately plan the US National Competition and ensure that there are enough resources for all of our competitors.

Both of these forms can be sent to us via e-mail, or printed and mailed to:

Dr. Norbert Myslinski 
Department of Biomedical Sciences, 8th floor
650 W. Baltimore Street
Baltimore, MD  21201  USA

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