Welcome to the 2023 USA Brain Bee Championship
The 2023 USA Brain Bee Championship was held at
The University of California, Irvine April 21-23, 2023
The USA Brain Bee was founded in 1998 by Dr. Norbert Myslinski at the University of Maryland and is co-directed by Dr. Norbert Myslinski and Manuella Oliveira Yassa. Each year, high schoolers around the world compete in local Brain Bee competitions. Winners of local USA Brain Bee competitions are invited to advance to compete in the USA National Brain Bee Championship. This year, the USA Brain Bee Championship will be hosted at the University of California, Irvine's Center for the Neurobiology of Learning and Memory April 20-23, 2023.
Prizes of $1,500, $1000 and $500 will be awarded to the first, second and third place winners of the USA Brain Bee Championship. The first place winner will be invited to participate in the International Brain Bee Championship.
Featuring Two Keynote Lectures
2023 Championship Logistics
Registration for the 2023 USA Brain Bee Championship will open by February 24. All participants and their chaperones must register. The registration fee of $200 for the participant and $200 for the chaperone shall be paid by credit card on the registration page.
Competitors must be accompanied by a chaperone. Please plan to arrive Thursday April 20. The championship will conclude by 12pm Sunday April 23.
Thursday April 20 - Competitors Arrive
Friday April 21 - Competition Day 1
Saturday April 22 - Competition Day 2
Sunday April 23 - Final and Award Ceremony (event will conclude by 12pm to allow competitors to travel home)
Competition Sections Include:
- Written Test - Students will be asked to complete a multiple-choice exam with questions based on BrainFacts and Neuroscience: the Science of the Brain (PDFs of both books are available for free)
- Human Neuroanatomy - Students will be asked to rotate between stations and identify names/functions of brain structures from human brains.
- Neurohistology - Students will be asked to rotate between stations and identify photos or histological sections. A bank of possible answers will be provided.
- MRI - Students will be asked to rotate between stations and identify structures on MRI images.
- Patient Diagnosis - Students rotate between stations where they will be provided with case studies describing patients who each have a neurological or psychological disorder. Students will be allowed to order three tests per station. Students will then use the description and the results of the test to select the appropriate diagnosis from the list of disorders below. The National Library of Medicine website (www.nlm.nih.org) includes a Medical Encyclopedia of Medline-Plus, which can be used as a study guide.
- Huntington's Disease
- Parkinson's Disease
- Alzheimer's Disease
- Bipolar Disorder
- Schizophrenia
- Autism
- Epilepsy
- Stroke
- Multiple Sclerosis
- Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis
- Narcolepsy
- Korsakoff's Syndrome
- Phobia
- Major Depression
- Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder
- Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder
- Alcohol Addiction
- Tourette's Syndrome
- Obstructive Sleep Apnea
- Cerebral Palsy
- Oral Question/Answer - Students are asked questions one at a time in front of a panel of judges. Students record their answers on an answer sheet and state their answers orally to the judges. These questions will be fill-in-the-blank or free response. Responses will be 1-5 words.
*the sections described above are subject to change.
All competitors will be engaged in additional activities including two keynote lectures that will not count for the competition but are aimed to enrich the student's understanding of neuroscience, possible careers in neuroscience, and the paths to such careers. Students will also have opportunities to make new friends, connect with UCI neuroscience students and faculty and enjoy Southern California.
Travel Information
There are several airports in close proximity to Irvine. The closest airport is the Orange County/John Wayne airport (SNA) which is located 3.5 miles from UCI. Other options are the Long Beach Airport (LGB) and the Los Angeles Airport (LAX). All of these options are within driving distance although driving times will vary according to traffic. Transportation from any of these airports can be pre-arranged by Super Shuttle. Ride services such as Uber and Lyft provide additional convenient options. Car rental is another option which may offer more freedom to explore Southern California during your visit.
Lodging Information
2023 USA Brain Bee participants are encouraged to stay at the Ayres Hotel at 325 Bristol Street in Costa Mesa, CA. The Ayres is conveniently located 2.5 miles from the UC Irvine campus. A group rate of $129/night will be available for all USA Brain Bee participants, chaperones and families. Please click here or use code USA Brain Bee to reserve. Transportation will be provided between the Ayres Hotel and the UC Irvine Campus each day.
Ayres Hotel
325 Bristol Street
Costa Mesa, CA 92626
(714) 549-0300
About Neuroscience at UCI
The University of California, Irvine is home to the first neuroscience department in the world. USA Championship competitors will have the opportunity to engage with UCI neuroscience faculty as well as undergraduate and doctoral students. We can't wait to meet you!
We are home to the Irvine Brain Bee!
UCI is home to the Irvine Brain Bee! The program is directed by Manuella Oliveira Yassa and organized by a committee led by neuroscience PhD students and CNLM Ambassadors Rachael Hokenson and Winny Ning. The goal of the Irvine Brain Bee is to inspire high school students in Orange County to learn about the brain and provide opportunities for engagement with university students and professors. Read about past Irvine Brain Bee competitions below.
3rd Annual Irvine Brain Bee goes VIRTUAL!
May 14, 2021
2020 Irvine Brain Bee Inspires Teens to Pursue Brain Science Careers
February 21, 2020
Irvine Brain Bee
The Irvine Brain Bee is a local competition for high school students hosted by the Center for the Neurobiology of Learning and Memory at the University of California, Irvine.
The winner of the Irvine Brain Bee will be awarded a trip for two to the National Brain Bee to compete with high schoolers from around the country.*
USA Brain Bee
The USA Brain Bee was founded in 1998 by Dr. Norbert Myslinski at the University of Maryland. Date and location for the 2020 US Brain Bee has not yet been announced. Awards of $1,500, $1000 and $500 will be given to the first, second and third place winners of the USA Brain Bee. The first place winner will be invited to participate in the International Brain Bee Championship.
Click here to learn more about the USA Brain Bee.
International Brain Bee
The International Brain Bee Competition is sponsored by the American Psychological Association (APA), the Dana Foundation, the Federation of European Neuroscience Societies (FENS), the International Brain Research Organization (IBRO) and the Society for Neuroscience (SfN).
The dates for the 2020 World Championship have not yet been announced. The 2019 World Championship was held in Daegu, Korea in September 2019 in conjunction with the 10th IBRO World Congress of Neuroscience. Read more about the International Brain Bee competition by clicking here.