For schools located within reasonable driving distance of Iowa City, we offer classroom/school visits to encourage participation and engagement in the Iowa Brain Bee. For schools that are a greater distance away, we are offering virtual visits. Neuroscience graduate students can visit to talk about the Brain Bee and various neuroscience topics. These presentations are developed and delivered by volunteer PhD students at the University of Iowa. Each presentation lasts approximately 30 minutes, and we recommend scheduling an additional 10-15 minutes at the end for questions. Outreach visits are tailored to grade level and size of the group, and can be modified to fit current course curriculum (e.g. biology, psychology, or advanced topics).

​

A typical classroom visit includes:

Introduction to visitors, their research, and the Brain Bee

Mirror tracing activity: in this fun and interactive activity, students learn about types of memory, and which brain areas are important for different aspects of memory.

Comparative neuroanatomy: students view brain specimens from different animals and learn about the similarities and differences in the brains, and how that translates to similarities and differences in animal behavior.

Q&A session

​

Benefits of school visits include:

Introducing students to neuroscience in a fun and engaging way

Learning more about the Brain Bee competition and day events

Giving student the opportunity to meet with neuroscientists and ask about science careers

 

Please see the list below for the possible options to choose from. The Neuroscience Presentations are available in-person or virtually. A University of Iowa PhD student volunteer would provide the presentation about the requested topic. Please note that depending on the availability of the volunteers, certain presentations may not be available if specific dates are requested. 

 

To inquire about availability and request a visit, please contact the Neuroscience Graduate Program at grad-neuroscience@uiowa.edu.

​