stylized brain and network graphic

Brain and Neuroscience

A collection of public engagement and professional development resources about the brain, neuroscience, and neuro-ethics. Also included are resources for annual events including Brain Awareness Week, World Brain Day, Mental Wellness Month, and more public engagement events.

Changing Brains Downloadable Kit

cards showing human attributes and robot jobs

What Makes Us Human

Explore what it means to be human and how humanlike machines might become.

Attendees at January 2024 Arizona State University Winter School using Changing Brains activities

Neuro Futures Card Game

Prioritize cards with new neurotechnologies according to your own values and the values of others.

A bracket containing different neurotechnology cards

Neuro Futures Championship Game

Pit new neurotechnologies head-to-head using a sports-style bracket.

Changing Brains Training Video with facilitator demonstrating What Makes Us Human activity

Changing Brains training videos

Training videos are intended to help museum staff and volunteers feel comfortable while engaging public audiences with the Changing Brains activities.

Changing Brains logos

A set of logos and promotional materials for Changing Brains including logos, colors, and graphics in multiple formats.

Online Workshop Recording: Changing Brains - New Tools for Brain Awareness Week & Beyond

Online workshop recording; developers from the Changing Brains project provided background info and shared new public engagement resources around brain and neuroscience.

Professional Development Resources

Diagrams created to showcase people values during conversations

Conversation Lab: Brain Enhancement

Small group conversation guide to spark reflections on the future of brain enhancements and their potential impacts on society.

example slide listing a scenario from the presentation

Stand Up Sit Down Icebreaker

Professional development training tool to prepare scientific audiences to talk about public engagement around now & near-future brain research and technologies.

technology card for online brain donor registration

Step into the Shoes of Stakeholders training guide and materials

Professional development training tool to prepare scientific audiences to talk about public engagement around now & near-future brain research and technologies.

Projects and White Papers

Das & Porcello 2019 A Global Landscape of Neuroscience Public Engagement efforts Cover

A Global Landscape of Neuroscience Public Engagement Efforts and the Potential Nexus of Neuroethics

Publication focused on the intersection between neuroscience public engagement and ethics using a from a series of interviews with neuroscientists, neuroethicists, patient advocates, and educators around the world.

Das et al 2018 Public Engagement with Neuroscience and SocietyConference Report and Vision for a National Informal Neuroscience Education Cover Page

Public Engagement with Neuroscience and Society: Conference Report and Vision for a National Informal Neuroscience Education Initiative

Conference report on the collective vision of informal science professionals, scientists, and social scientists, towards growing public engagement efforts in concert with the rapid advancement of neuroscience research.

Changing Brains

Changing Brains is an evolving project of the NISE Network to empower public and professional audiences to experience, talk about, and reflect on personal, community, and societal connections to advancing brain research and related technologies.

Forums

Image of a brain taken by a MRI

Cognitive Enhancement Teen Role Play Forum

In this forum, learners grapple with the implications of two different future technologies that would enhance one's cognitive ability.

More Brain and Neuroscience Public Engagement Materials

Dana Foundation: https://dana.org/brain-awareness-week/
Society for Neuroscience: https://www.sfn.org/outreach/brain-awareness-campaign
HowToSmile.org brain activities

Annual Events

Full calendar of brain-related awareness events from the American Brain Coalition
Mental Wellness Month (January)
- Mental Health America: https://www.mhanational.org/mental-health-month
- National Alliance of Mental Health: https://www.nami.org
Brain Awareness Week (mid-March)
- Dana Foundation: https://dana.org/brain-awareness-week/
- Society for Neuroscience: https://www.sfn.org/outreach/brain-awareness-campaign
National Sleep Awareness Week (mid-March)
- National Sleep Foundation: https://www.thensf.org/sleep-awareness-week/
MS Awareness Week (mid-March)
- National Multiple Sclerosis Society https://www.nationalmssociety.org/Get-Involved/Raise-Awareness
Autism AwarenessMonth(April)
- Autism Speaks: https://www.autismspeaks.org
Parkinson’s Awareness Month (April)
- Parkinson's Foundation: http://www.pdf.org
Mental Health Awareness Month (May)
- National Alliance of Mental Health: https://www.nami.org
ALS Awareness Month (May)
- I AM ALS: https://iamals.org
World Brain Day (July 22)
- World Federation of Neurology Brain day
National Alzheimer’s Awareness Month (November)
- Alzheimer’s Association: http://www.alz.org
National Epilepsy Awareness Month (November)

Sensing Activities

A facilitator holds a bottle while a learner wafts a scent to her nose

Senses

Hands on activities related to the senses - vision, hearing, smell, taste, and touch. The sensing organs associated with each sense send information to the brain to help us understand and perceive the world around us.

Partner Highlights

stylized brain and network graphic

Partner Highlight: Connecting the Neuro Futures Card Game with Science Fiction at the Museum of Science, Boston

Christina Leavell, Arizona State University

Partner Highlight offering a list of sci-fi connections to the Neuro Futures Card Game that was created by Susan Heilman from the Museum of Science, Boston.

Finding STEM Experts

Finding and Collaborating with STEM Experts: see the "Neuroscience" section of the Working with STEM Experts: A Guide for Educators in Museums and Other Informal Learning Settings