Student-led neuroscience outreach project aimed at a diverse range of high school pupils

School: Edinburgh Medical School

Team Members:  Dorothy Tse, Jane Haley, Anna Norton

Abstract

The aim of this project is to broaden experience and learning of a group of College of medicine and veterinary medicine school students (undergraduates and postgraduates) through organising an Edinburgh Brain Bee competition. Brain bee is an organisation that runs neuroscience competitions for secondary school pupils. We aim to select from all Edinburgh schools and are hoping to recruit from disadvantaged backgrounds, which aligns with the University’s Widening Participation higher education strategic priority whilst also strengthening the University’s bonds with local school communities. The proposed programme will be a compliment to the University’s existing widening participation projects such as ‘Science insights’ and ‘Access to professions’.

The first step is to recruit 15-20 students to participate in this student-led Edinburgh Brain Bee competition. As the project overseer and having organised Brain Bee competition before, I will provide information for students required to organise the competition. However, students will take the lead in all tasks, including contacting different secondary schools in Edinburgh and giving materials for pupils to study for the competition. Through organising this competition for high school pupils, university students will have to use scientific knowledge to set and assess the competition. In addition, university students will have lots of opportunities to interact with wide range of diverse backgrounds of high school pupils and share their enthusiasm of university life. This will provide pupil a positive view of University and its students. All these activities will require excellent communication and organisational skills and will increase students’ experience and employability.

Final project report

Download final propect report (PDF)

Other project outcomes

Edinburgh Brain Bee 2020