What
The 2014 World Championship of the International Brain Beeopens in new window (IBB), hosted this year by the American Psychological Association at its 122nd convention. The IBB championship involves several competitive events including a neuroanatomy lab with real human brains, patient diagnosis with patient actors, microscopic study of brain tissue and cells and question-and-answer sessions. Topics include intelligence, emotion, memory, sleep, vision, hearing, sensation, Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, stroke, schizophrenia, epilepsy, depression, addiction and brain research.
Who
2014 national champions from 22 countries: Eva Wang, Australia; Eric Yoshida de Paulo, Brazil; Beatrix Wang, Canada; Yameng Zhang, China; Mara Schubert, Germany; Gayathri Muthukumar, India; Anna Pan, Italy; Ayaka Seki, Japan; Cynthia Wahito Ndegwa, Kenya; Ng Tin Wai, Macau; HwaYun Song, Korea; Nabil Husaini Mohd Kamarul Abrar, Malaysia; Avinash Singh, Nepal; Thomas Chang, New Zealand; Ihediohamma Valentine U.K., Nigeria; Kinga Panasiewicz, Poland; Dragos Casu, Romania; Al-Yasser Shaaban Kassuwi, Tanzania; Onur Özdemir, Turkey; Darya Kuzmenko, Ukraine; Rahul Kondaveti, United Arab Emirates; and Sam Pinches, Wales. The U.S. champion is Adam Elliot, of Matawan, New Jersey.
When and Where
Thursday, Aug. 7-Sunday, Aug 10: The full programopens in new window (PDF, 182KB) provides times and locations each day of the convention.
9-11 a.m. EDT, Thursday, Aug. 7, contestants will be available for interviews in Room 210 at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center, 801 Mt. Vernon Place, NW, Washington, D.C.
6-7 p.m. EDT, Saturday, Aug. 9, awards presentation, Liberty Salons N-O-P at the Marriott Marquis Washington, D.C. Hotel, 901 Massachusetts Ave., NW.
Why
To inspire young men and women to continue their education and pursue careers in brain-related professions, according to Norbert Myslinksi, PhD, associate professor at the University of Maryland and IBB founding director.
Background
The International Brain Bee was founded in 1999 and has 150 chapters in 30 countries on six continents. Local coordinators conduct contests each year with winners competing in a national brain bee. The IBB is a nonprofit program of Mankind for International Neuroscience Development Inc. (MIND Inc.), based in Baltimore.
Norbert Myslinski can be contacted by emailopens in new window, or by phone at (410) 418-8982 (work) or (410) 274-4998 (cell).
The American Psychological Association, in Washington, D.C., is the largest scientific and professional organization representing psychology in the United States. APA's membership includes nearly 130,000 researchers, educators, clinicians, consultants and students. Through its divisions in 54 subfields of psychology and affiliations with 60 state, territorial and Canadian provincial associations, APA works to advance the creation, communication and application of psychological knowledge to benefit society and improve people's lives.