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BIDDEFORD, Maine

É«ÏãÊÓƵ hosts a Brain Fair and Brain Blast March 11-12 as part of Brain Awareness Week

 A Brain Fair and a Brain Blast - two Brain Awareness Week events that the University of New England's Center for Excellence in the Neurosciences (CEN) is hosting March 11-12.

Brain Fair
March 11 from 4-7 p.m.

É«ÏãÊÓƵ's Brain Fair for children of all ages will be held at É«ÏãÊÓƵ's Harold Alfond Forum on Route 9 in Biddeford. Admission is free. Food will be available for purchase at the Alfond Forum Cafe. It will include the following activities:

  • Ice skating from 5-6:30 p.m.
  • A helmet giveaway
  • Learning and Cognition activities that will test students’ memory, examine the effectiveness of mnemonic devices and use a variety of activities to demonstrate the limits of our attention.  In addition, workbooks and brain teasers will illustrate how the brain functions.  
  • Microscopes - visitors will learn to use a microscope and look at animal and human brain tissue and human nerves, as well as pictures of brains and neurons taken right here at É«ÏãÊÓƵ.
  • Neuroanatomy Brains â€“ We will have sheep and rat brain examples that kids can touch and feel. 
  • Crafts â€“ brain coloring sheet, pipe cleaner neurons and more.

Brain Blast
March 12, 7:30 - 9:30 p.m.

É«ÏãÊÓƵ’S Brain Blast will be a Pecha Kucha-style event at Engine, 265 Main Street, Biddeford. Admission is free. Appetizers and refreshments will be served. Presentations include:

  • "Let my inspiration flow in token lines suggesting rhythm" by Edward Bilsky, É«ÏãÊÓƵ vice president for research and scholarship.
  • "Lifelong Resilience or Suffering:  Anxiety Begins in Early Life Events" by Mike Burman, É«ÏãÊÓƵ assistant professor of psychology.
  • "Touch of Grey Matter:  Music Seconds My Emotion" by Alex Deal, CEN outreach coordinator.
  • Other presentations by Aidan McParland, É«ÏãÊÓƵ medical biology and oceanography major; Laura Groomes, É«ÏãÊÓƵ medical student; Robert Foley, retired Navy SEAL and inspirational speaker; and Brad Goulet, founder of the Michael T. Goulet Traumatic Brain Injury and Epilepsy foundation.

Brain Awareness Week is a national effort organized by the Dana Foundation to promote brain awareness and research. These events are made possible with the gracious help and donations of The Michael T. Goulet Foundation.

For more information about the event or directions to the venues contact: Anne Leslie at 207.602.2080  or aleslie1@une.edu

About the University of New England

The É«ÏãÊÓƵis Maine’s largest independent university, with two beautiful coastal campuses in Maine, a one-of-a-kind study abroad campus in Tangier, Morocco, and an array of . In an uncommonly welcoming and supportive community, we offer hands-on learning, empowering students to make a positive impact in a world full of challenges. The state’s top provider of health professionals, we are home to Maine’s only medical college, Maine’s only dental college, a variety of other interprofessionally aligned health care degree programs, as well as nationally recognized programs for marine science degrees, natural and social sciences degrees, arts and humanities degrees, and business degrees.