NEOMED Brain Bee aims to spark interest in neuroscience among Ohio students
NEOMED students are working to bring the excitement of neuroscience beyond the classroom through the NEOMED Brain Bee, an initiative designed to introduce high school students across Ohio to the brain, neurological health and careers in neuroscience and medicine.
The Brain Bee is a neuroscience competition for high school students that challenges participants to learn about topics including neuroanatomy, brain function, neurological disorders and neuroscience research. At NEOMED, student organizers are building toward a local Brain Bee competition planned for January 2027 while creating opportunities for students to explore neuroscience well before competition day.
Bringing neuroscience into the community
Community outreach is a major focus of the NEOMED Brain Bee.
The organization recently partnered with NEOMED's Neurology Interest Group and Neurosurgery Interest Group at the Edinburg Bike Rodeo, where NEOMED students introduced elementary school children and their families to brain health and injury prevention.
Students demonstrated the importance of wearing a bicycle helmet, discussed how helmets help protect the brain during falls and collisions, and introduced children to basic brain anatomy and neuroscience concepts through interactive activities.
The event reflects one of the Brain Bee's broader goals: making neuroscience approachable and engaging for students at different stages of their education.
Bringing Ohio high schools to NEOMED
This fall, the Brain Bee will expand that outreach through a series of approximately four educational events at NEOMED designed specifically for high school students.
For each event, organizers plan to invite students from approximately four high schools to campus. NEOMED medical students will lead the programming, introducing participants to the brain and nervous system through interactive, age-appropriate lessons and activities covering neuroscience, neuroanatomy, neurological disease and related clinical concepts.
Rather than serving only as preparation for a single competition, the events are intended to give students an opportunity to visit a health sciences university, interact directly with medical students and explore subjects they may not routinely encounter in their high school coursework.
The events will also introduce participating schools and students to the Brain Bee competition and provide a pathway for students interested in continuing to learn and ultimately competing in January.
Recruiting schools across Ohio
Brain Bee organizers are actively reaching out to high schools, school districts and STEM educators across Ohio to build participation in both the educational events and the competition.
By inviting multiple schools to each event, organizers hope students will not only learn from NEOMED students but also meet peers from other schools who share an interest in science and medicine.
The outreach model is designed to steadily build a community of students interested in neuroscience throughout the academic year. Students who attend an event can continue preparing through Brain Bee educational resources and future programming before deciding whether to participate in the competition.
Ultimately, organizers hope the program can create lasting connections between NEOMED and high schools across the state while exposing students to potential careers in neuroscience, neurology, neurosurgery, research and other health professions.
Interested students should fill out this form
Building toward the 2027 Brain Bee
The educational events will culminate in the NEOMED Brain Bee competition, planned for January 2027.
The competition will challenge students to apply what they have learned about the nervous system across areas such as neuroanatomy, brain function, neurological disorders and clinical neuroscience.
For organizers, however, the goal extends beyond identifying a competition winner.
Through school partnerships, interactive education and mentorship from NEOMED students, the Brain Bee aims to make neuroscience accessible to more young people and encourage students to continue exploring the field long after the competition ends.
Meet the Brain Bee board
The student-led Brain Bee at NEOMED is organized by:
- Nafees Sathik — Co-President
- Allen Tangeman — Co-President
- Mehak Behal — Vice President of Curriculum
- Chloe Webb — Vice President of Operations
- Will Noftz — Vice President of Education
- Sameer Parashar — Vice President of Finance
- Alex Tarter – Vice President of Finance
- Marisa DeSciscio – Vice President of Outreach
- Mohammad Al Kawadri — Vice President of Outreach
- Avinab De — Vice President of Outreach
- Dermot Fox — Secretary
- Ansh Pandya — Events Planning Co-Director
- Rohith Revan — Events Planning Co-Director
- Arnav Singh — Marketing Director
- Yasmine Wazni — Fundraising Chair
- Adi Shivakumar — Sponsorship Chair
- Dhishan Kashyap — Volunteer Co-Ordinating Chair
- Riley Becker – Volunteer Co-Ordinating Chair
Get involved
High schools, educators and students interested in participating in an upcoming outreach event or learning more about the January 2027 Brain Bee can visit brainbeeneomed.org.
Additional information about upcoming events, competition registration and opportunities to support the program will be announced throughout the academic year.