The average adult brain weighs three pounds. That’s the equivalent of one laptop, 10 avocados, or a standard two-slice toaster. Filled with billions of neurons that send and receive signals, the brain is a complex organ that controls everything from motor skills to memory and emotions. That’s why it's important to understand how it works and how we can keep the brain healthy.
When Kristin Scaplen, Ph.D., isn’t teaching or working in Bryant’s research lab, the assistant professor of Neuroscience is busy serving as vice president and co-chair of Brain Waves Rhode Island — a nonprofit that aims to educate children and adults about brain science and inspire the next generation of neuroscientists.
From March 12 through March 18, the organization will celebrate International Brain Week with visits to local schools and free fairs that are open to the public. The Pawtucket and Providence-based fairs will feature more than 50 tables with interactive games and activities to help individuals learn about the brain. Attendees can meet scientists and clinicians, pick up information about available community resources, and talk to admissions representatives from Rhode Island universities — including Bryant — about pursuing a career in science.
“The brain is our most precious commodity; it holds our memories, shapes how we learn, guides our thoughts and behaviors, regulates our emotions, and controls our body. It’s also shaped by our experiences, which makes each one of us truly unique, so it’s important that we know how to take care of our brain,” says Scaplen. “It’s also important to better understand brain illnesses, so we can understand how best to treat them. All of this starts with curiosity — curiosity for our brain and our behavior and this curiosity is precisely what we hope to instill at our fairs and in the classroom.”
Celebrate International Brain Week with these upcoming events:
The Pawtucket Brain Fair will be held from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on March 9 at the Hope Artiste Village (1005 Main St., Pawtucket, Rhode Island).
The Brown Brain Fair will be held from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on March 16 at Brown University Engineering Research Center (345 Brook St., Providence, Rhode Island).
