About the Brain Bee
The St. Louis Area Brain Bee (SLABB) is an annual event for high school students that are interested in the brain and neuroscience. Demonstrations, panels, and material come from Brain Facts, a book produced by the Society for Neuroscience. We pay for our winner to compete in the US National Brain Bee competition.
When and Where
Saturday March 8, 2025, 12:00-4:00 p.m.
Register to receive updates. Parking and drop off information.
12:30 Sign-in, Room 215, Rebstock Hall, Washington Univ, Danforth Campus.
12:45 Welcome and orientation
1:00 Written quiz
1:45 Neuroscience demonstration
2:15 Neuroscience panel
2:45 Oral competition
3:30 Awards ceremony
Faculty Coordinator: Dr. Erik Herzog
Student Coordinators: Shriya Koneru, Rohan Rao, and Alice Xu
Judges: Drs. Hysell Oviedo, Larry Snyder, and Timothy Holy
Why Participate?
Participants enjoy hands-on activities, learn more about neuroscience, meet area high school and college students and connect with faculty. There are prizes for the school with the largest team and the top 10 finishers. The winner also gets a paid summer research internship and a trip to the National Brain Bee.
Expectations of SLABB Participants. SLABB aims to be a fun, educational, and fair competition that promotes the discoveries and ethics of brain science and scientists. Competitors abide by the rules and ethics of SLABB. All work will be individual with no answers from other sources.
Who can Participate?
Any high school/home student from grades 9-12 is eligible to compete in the SLABB. We encourage family, friends, teachers and classmates to join for the activities planned at the competition.
How to Prepare?
We host fun and informative “Brain Blast Sessions” at the St. Louis Science Center Taylor Center on Feb. 15, 22 and March 1 from 10-11am. Students learn from the Brain Facts book.
Study Aids that have been helpful for previous Brain Bee participants.
Sample Study Schedule
| Week | Chapters in the Brain Facts Book |
|---|---|
| Week 1 | Read, study and/or make flashcards for the Introduction and Chapter 1. Look at some sample problems in the Study Aids to get a sense for the types of questions that are asked. |
| 2 | Chapters 2 and 3 |
| 3 | Chapters 4 and 5 |
| 4 | Chapters 6, 7, and 8 |
| 5 | Chapters 9 and 10 |
| 6 | Chapters 11, 12, and 13 |
| 7 | Chapters 14 and 15 |
| 8 | Chapters 16, 17, and 18 |
| 9 | Go over any chapters that you are still unsure about. Ask a parent or friend to quiz you or use flashcards. |
| 10 | Eat and sleep well the night before the Brain Bee. You can do some light review and practice problems. Look through the Glossary if you want to do some extra studying. You got this! |