View all news

Speakezee celebrates Brain Awareness Week in schools

Speakezee-main

Professor Bruce Hood, founder of Speakezee

13 March 2017

Thousands of students from across the country will learn more about the human brain in a series of events led by University of Bristol academic Professor Bruce Hood. The talks mark Brain Awareness Week, which runs from 13 to 19 March.

Every March Brain Awareness Week sees a worldwide celebration of the brain for people of all ages.

Professor Bruce Hood, Chair of Developmental Psychology and founder of engagement platform Speakezee, has coordinated a series of talks to mark the week and to shed common ‘neuromyths’ – including the idea that children have different learning styles.

25 schools and 2,000 students are set to take part, and will hear from a range of neuroscientists. The events aim to raise awareness of neuroscience, and provide a mechanism for independent and state schools to work with universities.

The campaign is also accompanied by a letter to The Guardian condemning the prevalence of neuromyths signed by leading international academics including Professor Steven Pinker, Dame Uta Firth, Sir Colin Blakemore and our own Professor Paul Howard-Jones from the School of Education in Bristol.

To launch the series, Professor Hood is hosting a keystone Speakezee event, What can neuroscience tell us about our brains, at every stage of our lives?at the Royal Institution. Bristol academic Professor Jeff Bowers will also be speaking.

Professor Hood said: “I am particularly pleased that schools from the state and independent sectors are working together with the universities to share knowledge and expertise. It demonstrates the power of coordinated campaigns to benefit society in general. In this case, it was educational neuroscience but there is no reason why we could not do the same for other important issues.”

Both prior to, and following the talks, students and teachers will be surveyed to assess their approach to learning styles and their attitudes to attending university.

Further information

Speakezee is a searchable database of academic expert speakers; a not-for-profit community interest company supported by the University of Bristol and other sponsors. It aims to help speakers engage with their audience and to make it easier for organisers to find relevant experts to talk at their event, whatever the size.

Edit this page