UCI BrainCamp 2024 Registration Now Open
Registration for the Summer 2024 UCI Brain Camp is now open. This 2-week full-day program is open to 6th-12th grade students and offers an opportunity for immersion in neuroscience. The program will feature engaging, hands-on workshops, laboratory activities and experiments and will introduce students to the fundamentals of neuroscience, research methods, experimental design, data analysis, team science and scientific communication.
Campers at UCI Brain Camp will have the unique opportunity to interact with world-renowned faculty and Ph.D. students. They will delve into the fundamentals of neuroscience while also gaining valuable insights into pursuing careers in science fields, honing their scientific communication skills, mastering data analysis techniques, fostering critical thinking abilities, and more! UCI Brain Camp aims to equip students for college and beyond!
We will explore a wide range of topics including:
- Brain anatomy
- Learning and memory
- Neuropathology
- Electrophysiology
- Optogenetics
- Experimental design
- Neuroethics
- Sensation and perception
- Brain-machine interfaces
- Neuropharmacology
- Brain Imaging
- Chemogenetics
- Data analysis
- Scientific Communication
Meet the UCI Brain Camp Team
Manuella Oliveira Yassa, Ph.D.
DIRECTOR
Dr. Manuella Oliveira Yassa earned her Bachelor's Degree in Neuroscience from The Johns Hopkins University and her Master's and Doctoral Degrees in Social Ecology with a focus on science education at UC Irvine. Prior to joining UCI as Director of Outreach and Education, Manuella taught middle school science in Baltimore City where she fell in love with neuroscience education. Manuella founded UCI Brain Camp in 2019 as the only neuroscience summer camp in Orange County and one of only a handful in the world. In addition to her roles at UCI, Manuella serves on the Education Advisory Committee for the Irvine Unified School District and co-director of the USA Brain Bee.
Morgan Coburn, Ph.D.
ASSISTANT DIRECTOR OF CURRICULUM DEVELOPMENT AND INSTRUCTIONAL DESIGN
Dr. Morgan Coburn earned her Bachelor's degree in Neuroscience and Behavior at Mount Holyoke College. She then returned to Southern California to complete her Master's and Doctorate degrees in Biological Sciences at UCI. Her doctoral research focused on human microglial dynamics in Alzheimer's Disease. Morgan then completed a postdoctoral fellowship at the University of Virginia before returning to the CNLM as our Outreach and Education Fellow and Assistant Director of UCI Brain Camp. In her role, she works to advance the Outreach and Education mission of the CNLM to create accessible, equitable, and high-quality learning experiences in partnership with communities.
Raymond Villareal, Ed.S, M.Ed.
ASSISTANT DIRECTOR OF STUDENT AFFAIRS
Raymond Villareal earned his Bachelor's degree in Psychology and Social Behavior at UC Irvine followed by his Master's in Education at William & Mary. He then served as a psychometrist and school psychologist for low-income students and incarcerated adults throughout Texas and Virginia. Raymond is currently a PhD student in the Department of Neurobiology and Behavior where his research explores the effects of trauma on executive functioning and learning. Through advocacy and research, Raymond aims to improve access and educational outcomes for underrepresented minorities and low-income students.
For questions, please contact:
Manuella Oliveira Yassa
UCI Brain Camp Director
Director of Outreach and Education
UCI Center for the Neurobiology of Learning and Memory
manuella.yassa@uci.edu
(949) 824-5193
