NEUROSCIENCE FOR KIDS NEWSLETTER
Volume 19, Issue 12 (December, 2015)

____________________________________________________________
Welcome to the Neuroscience for Kids Newsletter.

In this issue:

1. What's New at Neuroscience for Kids
2. Neuroscience for Kids Site of the Month
3. Neuroscience for Kids Poetry Contest
4. Generation Nano: Small Science, Superheroes Competition
5 2016 University of Washington Brain Awareness Week Open House
6. CSNE Summer Programs
7. Brainy Gifts
8. Media Alert
9. Treasure Trove of Brain Trivia
10. Support Neuroscience for Kids
11. How to Stop Your Subscription

____________________________________________________________

1. WHAT'S NEW AT NEUROSCIENCE FOR KIDS

Neuroscience for Kids had several new additions in November including:

A. November Neuroscience for Kids Newsletter was archived
http://faculty.washington.edu/chudler/news1911.html
__________________________________________________________

2. NEUROSCIENCE FOR KIDS "SITE OF THE MONTH"

The Neuroscience for Kids "Site of the Month" for December is the "The Brain with David Eagleman" at:

http://www.pbs.org/the-brain-with-david-eagleman/home/

Although David Eagleman's PBS series about the brain aired on TV last month, the shows are still available online. Click on "Episodes" along the top navigation bar to watch full episodes of four of the six programs: a) "Who will we Be?" b) "Why Do I Need You?" c) "How Do I Decide?" d) "Who Is in Control?". Clips of the other two programs, "What is Reality?" and "What Makes Me?" are also available. After you watch each episode, take a short quiz to test your knowledge about what you learned. An interactive add-on feature is also available to explore concepts in more depth.
__________________________________________________________

3. NEUROSCIENCE FOR KIDS POETRY CONTEST

The 2016 NEUROSCIENCE FOR KIDS POETRY WRITING CONTEST is now open to students in kindergarten through high school, college students, teachers and parents. Use your imagination to create a poem, limerick or haiku about the brain and you might win a prize. The complete set of rules and the official entry form for the contest are available at:

http://faculty.washington.edu/chudler/contest16.html

Entries must be received by the February 1, 2016 deadline.
__________________________________________________________

4. GENERATION NANA: SMALL SCIENCE, SUPERHEROES COMPETITION

High school students are invited to compete in the National Science Foundation "Generation Nano: Small Science, Superheroes" competition. Students must create gear for a superhero using modern nanotechnology research. Entries require a short essay and a short video or comic to showcase the nanotechnology-enabled gear. For rules and guidelines, see:

http://www.nsf.gov/news/special_reports/gennano/
__________________________________________________________

5. 2016 UNIVERSITY OF WASHINGTON BRAIN AWARENESS WEEK OPEN HOUSE

Brain Awareness Week (BAW) is a yearly event to promote the public and personal benefits of brain research. As part of international BAW at the University of Washington, you are invited to an Open House on Thursday, March 17, 2015.

The Brain Awareness Week Open House will include an interactive group assembly about the brain and hands-on exhibits that highlight different aspects of brain research. The Open House is scheduled for Thursday, March 17, 2015, in the University of Washington Husky Union Building (Seattle, WA). Because of the high interest in the Open House and limited space available, we must restrict the number of people who can attend. Additional information (parking instructions, etc.) will be sent to the classes that are selected to attend.

For more information about UW BAW Open House, contact Dr. Eric H. Chudler (e-mail: chudler@u.washington.edu) or visit the UW BAW web page at:

http://faculty.washington.edu/chudler/baw.html

If you would like to attend the Open House, please complete the online application located at:

Those teachers and classes selected to attend the Open House will be notified no later than February 1, 2015. Register early - space fills up quickly!

https://catalyst.uw.edu/webq/survey/chudler/285409
____________________________________________________________

6. CSNE SUMMER PROGRAMS

The Center for Sensorimotor Neural Engineering (CSNE) is a National Science Foundation Engineering Research Center with the mission "to develop innovative ways to connect a deep mathematical understanding of how biological systems acquire and process information with the design of effective devices that interact seamlessly with human beings."

As part of the CSNE education program, where I am the Executive Director, high school students, high school teachers, and undergraduate students have the opportunity to join research laboratories during the summer of 2016 on the Seattle campus of the University of Washington. For more information, including requirements and application materials, please visit:

http://www.csne-erc.org/education
____________________________________________________________

7. BRAINY GIFTS

It is not too late to get a brainy holiday gift for a friend, teacher, or relative. For brainy T-shirts, mugs, calendars, cards, ties and other items, head over to NEURO4KIDS.COM:

http://www.neuro4kids.com
__________________________________________________________

8. MEDIA ALERT

A. "New hope for the treatment and prevention of Alzheimer's" by Alice Park (TIME magazine, November 23, 2015).

B. "Crowdsourced Seizure Prediction" by Gordy Slack (DISCOVER magazine, December, 2015).

C. "Eye-Controlled Machines" by Rachel Nuwer, "Soft, Injectable Electronic Probes for the Brain" by Seth Fletcher, "Machines that Teach themselves" by Gary Stix (SCIENTIFIC AMERICAN magazine, December, 2015).

D. "Mother & Child" by Rebecca Saxe and "Memory Keepers" by Irvin Serrano (SMITHSONIAN magazine, December, 2015).

E. "The Science of Delicious" by David Owen (NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC, December, 2015).
__________________________________________________________

9. THE TREASURE TROVE OF BRAIN TRIVIA

A. A 5,000 pound, 25 foot tall sculpture of a neuron will be installed in Kendall Square, Cambridge, MA. The public art piece, titled "Nerve Center," was created by sculptor Chris Williams.

B. Memory Lane is a street in the city of Boulder Creek, California.

C. Physiognomy is the ancient Greek practice of determining someone's personality from characteristics of their face.

D. Actor Leonard Nimoy playing the character Mr. Spock in the Star Trek episode titled "Spock's Brain" said, "The knowledge to reconnect a brain does not exist yet in the galaxy."

E. Tryptophan, the amino acid used to make the neurotransmitter serotonin, is found in eggs, meat, skim milk, bananas, yogurt, milk, and cheese.
_________________________________________________________

10. SUPPORT NEUROSCIENCE FOR KIDS

To ensure that Neuroscience for Kids stays available, we need your help. All contributions to Neuroscience for Kids are tax deductible (subject to IRS regulations). If you would like to donate to Neuroscience for Kids, please visit:

Help Neuroscience for Kids
_________________________________________________________

11. HOW TO STOP RECEIVING THIS NEWSLETTER

To remove yourself from this mailing list and stop your subscription to the Neuroscience for Kids Newsletter, send e-mail to Dr. Eric H. Chudler at: chudler@u.washington.edu
_________________________________________________________

Your comments and suggestions about this newsletter and the "Neuroscience for Kids" web site are always welcome. If there are any special topics that you would like to see on the web site, just let me know.

Eric

Eric H. Chudler, Ph.D.
(e-mail: chudler@u.washington.edu)
(URL: http://faculty.washington.edu/chudler/neurok.html)