Science Day Success

The turnout from neuroscience undergraduates, postgraduates, research technicians and postdoctoral fellows on Science Day was fantastic! The exhibits from SoNG showcased a wide range of our research from the clinical neurosciences through to neurobiology and neuroengineering. More than 25 SoNG members took part on the day, talking to a record 2878 visitors! And more were involved behind the scenes with the design, preparation and making of the exhibits.

For the first time this year we also had participation from the Winchester School of Art with Sophie Lewis and her imaginative display incorporating a themed garment on the topic of epilepsy. Colleagues from Clinical Neurosciences, Julia Sinclair, Khalil Ajel and Kath Lloyd, also contributed with posters designed by medical students challenging public misconceptions and stigma surrounding mental health disorders such as depression, obsessive compulsive disorder and alcoholism. There was genuine interest from the visitors for this and it is an important aspect of our outreach which we intend to build on in the coming year in the form of an ongoing project ‘Changing Minds' in collaboration with Solent Mind. Keep an eye on the SoNG website for announcements.

The ‘crew' from School of Biological Sciences put on the ‘Electric Minds' display and hundreds of young visitors learned about the brain while prodding raspberry jelly and making play-doh models. In the feedback ‘Electric Minds' was mentioned specifically as being very interesting and informative and one very enthusiastic young visitor commented "This was the best day of my life!".

Thanks to all the early career researchers who helped including: Katya Malfa, Sergio Refuge da Mota, Steve Booth, Christina Murray, Adam Hart, Alex Johnston, Hussain Al-Malki, Salome Murinello, Olivia Larsson, Helga Groll, Ursula Puentener, Umar Sajjad, Sarah Mooney, Kirstin Williamson, Catherine Cowan, Megan Sealey, Joanne Bailey, Bina Nausheen, Chris Franks, James Dillon, Richard Mould, Elodie Siney, Caitriona Murray, Ben Mulcahy, Stephen Chiweshe, Lloyd Mushambadzi.