University of Washington
Brain Awareness Week - 2001

Brain Awareness Week (BAW) is a nationwide effort organized by the Dana Alliance for Brain Initiatives and the Society for Neuroscience to promote the public and personal benefits of brain research. The official week for BAW is March 12-18, 2001, but the whole month of March is filled with activities. Classroom visits, an Open House and library displays made BAW at the University of Washington a real success.

University of Washington BAW Open House

Map of Exhibits

On March 6, 310 students attended the University of Washington Brain Awareness Week Open House (10 am to 1 pm; Health Sciences Bldg., 3rd Floor Lobby).

On arrival to the Open House, each student received a:

  • BAW button
  • BAW bag
  • BAW/Neuroscience for Kids bookmark
  • Dana Alliance publications
To start the open house, students attended an interactive, multimedia "Brain Power" assembly produced by the Pacific Science Center/Group Health Cooperative Brain Power Team.

Some students received gifts (books, pamphlets, brain models, bicycle/ski helmets) donated by: the Cascade Bicycle Club, Fiorini Sports, Gregg’s Greenlake Cycle, and Science, Art and More.

There were several UW departments and other organizations with interactive exhibits for the students to see. Students were connected to EEG machines for recording of their brain waves (UW Biobehavioral Nursing), a transcranial Doppler machine to measure their brain blood flow (UW Dept. of Anesthesiology) and a visual/auditory response time device to measure their reaction time (UW Dept. of Rehabilitation Medicine). The UW Department of Biological Structure had a comparative neuroanatomy display and an exhibit to demonstrate how movement is made perfect. The Pacific Science Center/Group Health Cooperative Brain Power Team provided many exhibits that they bring out to schools and even had a real human brain for the students to hold. The ThinkFirst! organization, the Multiple Sclerosis Society, DO-IT program, and the Washington Association for Biomedical Research also provided exhibits.

Open House Activities

Bicycle Helmets

Bicycle Helmets


Brain Power Team

Making Pipe Cleaner Neurons

Brain Blood Flow

Comparative Neuroanatomy

Comparative Neuroanatomy

Student Comments about the Open House
  • "I was one of the lucky students who got to go to the Brain Awareness Open House and I had a blast. It was fun to review what I had learned in the beginning of the year. I loved the brain games after the assembly, and the helmets we got are really cool."

  • "I loved walking around and looking at the brain stuff like when you got to hold a human brain and touch the brain stem, your brain waves, finger maze, jeopardy quiz and all of the other activities."

  • "I hope in a few years I get to come back and learn more about the brain."

  • "I loved how we got to touch a sheep's brain and a human's brain. It was so cool."

  • "It was a lot of fun to be able to go around and do all of the activities that were set up! I learned quite a bit from the assembly also!"

  • "I really enjoyed seeing a real brain and getting a new helmet. I thought all the stations downstairs were great. I learned a whole bunch of new stuff."

Teacher Comments about the Open House
  • "My students had a great time and learned quite a bit. It was a great opener for our neuroscience unit. The booths were great as well as the Science Center presentation. These types of opportunities for students are very enriching by giving students and teachers a chance to interact with cutting edge researchers and professors."

  • "We sure did enjoy our trip to the Brain Awareness Week Open House! The kids really had a great time, and especially enjoyed the hands-on aspect, and of course, free helmets! That is exciting to me too, because helmet use is a high priority to me personally. I'm constantly getting after kids about it!"

  • "My students thoroughly enjoyed themselves. They are still talking about all the neat things they were able to try."

  • "The kids were thoroughly impressed with the variety of exhibits. The assembly covered a lot of new ground for the kids, and provides a good range of material to pursue both at the middle and high school levels."

BACK TO: Brain Awareness Week 2002
Brain Awareness Week 2001 Brain Awareness Week 2000 Table of Contents
Brain Awareness Week 1999 Brain Awareness Week 1998

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