Brain Awareness Week at the Champalimaud Centre for the Unknown
This Saturday 17th of March will witness the closing of the portuguese participation in this year's International Brain Awareness Week (BAW). To honour this occasion, the Champalimaud Neuroscience Programme will present activities throughout that afternoon and evening.
From 3pm-6pm, we'll host an informal and interactive lecture about the brain, followed by the public's participation in several stands and booths covering a myriad of neuroscientific topics, themes and curiosities. These activities are designed for the entire family and all ages and will be carried out almost exclusively in Portuguese.
At 9pm, the Ar group will host another of their popular events entitled "How the Brain Got Its Wrinkles, and Other Stories". Like previous Ar events, it will be in English.
Brain Awareness What?
The International BAW happens once a year, in March, and has, as its main purpose, to get neurosciences closer to the general public. The BAW creates a space where different activities are made available to the public, from school visits by neuroscientists to open labs. The only limits are the scientists own imagination, and the goal is to show why the brain is such a complex and fascinating system.
The title for this year's BAW is: Brain and Health.
Brain Awareness When?
From the 12th to the 18th of March.
Brain Awareness Where?
Several institutions ranging from research institutes, universities, hospitals, patients associations and schools in 82 countries.
Brain Awareness Week in Portugal
In Portugal, the Portuguese Neuroscience Society in collaboration with Ciência Viva organize the BAW.
Other BAW initiatives in Portugal:
- Opening Session at the School of Health Sciences of University of Minho (Braga)
- Neuroscientists visit schools
- Open Lab days at Champalimaud Foundation, University of Algarve, University of Coimbra, University of Lisbon, University of Minho and University of Porto
- Seminars, Debates, Exhibitions...
- The Brain and Degenerative Diseases (Coimbra)
- The Brain in Colours (Coimbra)
- How to investigate the brain and treat the pain? (Porto)
- Brain and the Pain (Porto)
- The Brain and Health (Viana do Castelo)
- Healthy Brain and Physical Activity (Viana do Castelo)
For more detailed information and other activities check the Portuguese website for the Brain Awareness Week!
Pedro Ferreira is a biologist from Lisbon. After working on viral genetics and
immunity at Instituto Gulbenkian Ciência, he decided to study the epigenetic mechanisms
of memory for his PhD project at the Champalimaud Neuroscience Programme.
Catarina Ramos is a biologist from Aveiro. After an internship at Novartis in San Diego, she went to Milan
to study Hutington's disease as a GABBA PhD student. In 2008, she moved to the IMM to study how neurons
get their identity during development. Last year Catarina enrolled at the Master in Science Communication.
