What are the ingredients we need to maximize our brains’ potential?
This year, our 2018 Brain Awareness Season lecture series explores the critical influence nourishing the brain has on our daily abilities, from academic performance to good decision-making. Join us as top researchers in neuroscience discuss the brain’s complex biology and the profound impact choosing the right – and wrong – fuels has on behavior.
Trade Food for Thought to Power 86 Million Neurons
Monday, May 7, 2018
7–8:30 p.m.
If an elephant has such a large brain, why aren’t they smarter than primates? What biologic discovery led some primates to an evolutionary crossroads of cognitive capability? You may be surprised by the answer.
Suzana Herculano-Houzel, Ph.D. is a Brazilian-born neuroscientist and associate professor at Vanderbilt University, where she studies what different brains are made of, what changes (or doesn’t change) with different brain sizes, how much energy they cost, and what difference does all that make – especially in the context of how human brains compare to others.
The “Secret Sauce” to Honing the Mind
Monday, May 14, 2018
7–8:30 p.m.
Executive function skills – self-control, perseverance, creativity – are more predictive of success than IQ. What supports and what hinders these skills? The surprisingly nutritious brain benefits of play and movement.
Adele Diamond, Ph.D. is the Canada Research Chair Professor of Developmental Cognitive Neuroscience at the University of British Columbia in Vancouver. She is a member of the Royal Society of Canada and was recently recognized as one of the 15 most influential neuroscientists alive today.
Anxiety and Learning Problems: Could it be the Fats You Eat?
Monday, May 21, 2018
7–8:30 p.m.
As essential nutrient our brains need for developing and maintaining our mental muscle and moods has been systematically removed from the modern diet – for convenience and “health food.” Without it, we can’t think, focus or control ourselves as well. Find out how brain food matters in youth and in age.
Bita Moghaddam, Ph.D. is the Chair of the Department of Behavioral Neuroscience at OHSU.
The Season also includes the always popular Brain Fair and Teacher Workshop. Don’t miss these free opportunities to learn about the brain.
OHSU Brain Institute Brain Fair
Saturday, March 10, 2018
10 a.m.–5 p.m.
The OHSU Brain Fair is an annual event at the Oregon Museum of Science & Industry (OMSI).
This year’s Brain Fair includes interactive exhibits, real human and animal brains, prizes and dozens of OHSU Brain Institute neuroscientists explaining and demonstrating their groundbreaking research in a way that will be fascinating for all ages.
No museum admission is required to attend.
Brain Awareness Teacher Workshop
Saturday, April 21, 2018
8 a.m. –1 p.m.
Sponsored in partnership with OHSU’s Office of Science Education Opportunities, The Moore Institute for Nutrition and Wellness and the OHSU Brain Institute, the annual Teacher Workshop is a unique opportunity designed to give teachers an insight into what role neuroscience plays in the classroom.
Speakers include Brian J. O’Roak, Ph.D. and Elinor Sullivan, Ph.D.
