Over the last 7 months, the graduate Neuroscience Outreach Club at the ҹɫÊÓƵ, launched two community events: Northern Nevada Brain Bee & The Sage Stage, all thanks to the generous microgrant provided by Research!America, a non-profit medical and health research advocacy alliance. Both initiatives reflect the club’s commitment to advancing science education and public engagement through interdisciplinary collaboration and meaningful community mentorship.
Held in early April, the 2025 Northern Nevada Brain Bee marked the first in-person competition since before the COVID-19 pandemic. The Brain Bee is a regional neuroscience competition for high school students, part of an international initiative to inspire future generations of neuroscientists. Seven participants, five of whom were from rural communities, competed in a full-day series of neuroscience challenges, testing their knowledge of brain structure, function, and disorders. The day also featured a guest speaker, Tania Akter, 2024-2025 Graduate Student Association President, who spoke about her dual role in student government and academia, emphasizing that strong communication skills are essential for budding scientists to share their work and make meaningful impact at the intersection of science and policy.
“This was amazing,” wrote one student in the post-event survey. Another added, “I just wanted to learn about medicine.” When asked why they joined the competition, their responses ranged from curiosity sparked by a friend who participated previously, to inspiration from their family members in healthcare. The winner of the regional competition went on to represent Nevada in the held in May at the Rutgers University Robert Wood Johnson Medical School in New Jersey.
With the club’s efforts to recruit participants from rural communities paying off, the organizers are now planning to build on these connections and form a Brain Bee Team, made up of past volunteers and mentors, to expand the future of mentorship and coaching for the 2026 Northern Nevada Brain Bee next spring.
Just a few months later in July, the club brought together science graduate students and members for a unique Three-Minute Thesis (3MT)-style competition, called The Sage Stage. Seven graduate students presented their research in just three minutes to OLLI judges and members, aiming to make science accessible and engaging to non-specialists. Monica Miller, Ph.D., J.D., delivered an incredible keynote at the event, captivating the audience with her insights on the intersection of science, law and society, and powerfully highlighting how scientific research directly influences policy decisions.
The event provided a rare opportunity for an integrated dialogue among scientists and lifelong learners. Participating students found their experience worthwhile. They cited public speaking and science communication as the most valuable skills gained, and challenges included staying within the tight time limit and simplifying technical content for a general audience. This event served as practice to equip these graduate students to participate in the official 3MT competition organized by the University’s Graduate School, typically taking place in April.
What ties both events together is a clear vision of the club: to make policy, neuroscience, and science more broadly, approachable and empowering, through creation of unique opportunities for direct community engagement. By hosting the Northern Nevada Brain Bee and the Sage Stage, the club not only fostered learning among high school and graduate researchers, but also created inclusive spaces where science and policy thrived across generations and lived experiences. With support from the University’s engaged community, OLLI, and generous funding from Research!America Civic Engagement Microgrant Program, these events have not only become possible, but are poised to grow in reach and impact for years to come.
