Past Programs and Appearances

Fall 2024 Brain Station for GIST and BATS
This fall, outreach team volunteers led by Neuroscience Master’s students Jack Granger, Irene Yu, and Simir Gill hosted a Brain station on Tulane’s uptown campus for middle school girls and boys.

November 2024 ‘Train the Trainers’ in Teaching Neuroscience at the New Orleans STEM Library
In collaboration with the New Orleans STEM Library (https://stemlibrarylab.org), India Pursell and Irene Yu led a teaching neuroscience training session for local teachers

October 2024 – Collaboration with the Tulane Department of Neurology/LCMC at the Walk to End Alzheimer’s
The Tulane Brain Institute collaborated with the Tulane Department of Neurology and LCMC practitioners at The Shrine to support patients living with dementia, connect with families and caregivers, and provide information on the latest research and treatments.

September 2024 – The Neuroscience of Sport at the Mississippi Sports Hall of Fame
Along with the Jackson Roller Derby, Dr. Liz Engler-Chiurazzi and her daughter Isabella shared their love of skating and science by teaching kids and families about the athlete’s brain at the Mississippi Sports Hall of Fame.

September 2024 – Brain Table at the Bricolage Academy Math and Science Night
Neuroscience graduate student India Pursell wowed K-8th graders at Bricolage Academy in a sheep brain dissection as part of their annual Math and Science Night.

Spring 2024 GIST and BATS Collaboration
It was another great semester partnering with the Tulane Center for K-12 STEM Education to host a neuroscience station for middle school girls and boys. Students got to meet with real neuroscientists and cool college role models all while enjoying a lovely spring day on Tulane’s beautiful uptown campus.

February 2024– Greater New Orleans Science and Engineering Fair Brain Institute Award
Another great year celebrating brain-related science fair projects! It was clear that all the projects were conducted by dedicated students who worked very hard to test their hypotheses. Congratulations to all the winners, especially James C. (Junior Division) and Chloe N. (Senior Division), who each earned the coveted Tulane Brain Institute Award for best project related to neuroscience.

March 2024 – Books and Brains at the New Orleans Book Fest
For our signature outreach event for the year, the Brain Institute hosted neuroscientist and children’s book author, Dr. Leanne Boucher Gill (Nova Southeastern University; https://psychology.nova.edu/faculty/profile/boucher.html). While visiting New Orleans, Dr .Boucher Gill gave a seminar presentation on her research, donated books to the free library at our community partner, Baldwin Books, did an author signing with our community partner, Melba’s PoBoys, hosted  a book reading at the Book Fest Family Day, and sat on a panel discussion about diversifying the scientific workforce (https://bookfest.tulane.edu/authors/leanne-boucher-gill-0).

May 2024 – Bricolage Academy 5th Grade Class Visit
Outreach team members taught the entire 5th grade science class all about how neurons communicate with each other and control what we think, feel, and do.

Fall 2023– GIST and BATS Collaboration
Greater New Orleans area middle schoolers got to visit the Tulane campus and learn about all sorts of STEM fields, including our favorite, neuroscience! It is also great to get to teach some of the kids’ teachers about how to host the same neuroscience activities we do in their respective classrooms. We just love these ripple effects bringing neuroscience to even more people in the community!

October 2023 – Walk to End Alzheimer’s Table with the Tulane Department of Neurology
The Tulane Brain Institute teamed up with the Department of Neurology at the annual Walk to End Alzheimer’s at Faubourg Brewery to talk neuroscience and treatment options with patients and their families.

October 2023 – Getting Brainy at the New Orleans STEM Fest
A team of Tulane and LSU researchers and trainees got to be honorary Saints as they hosted tables at the New Orleans STEM Fest, which took place at the Superdome complex. Team members talked to thousands of community members about how cool the brain is.

October 2023- Unbanned Book Festival at Baldwin Coffee Shop and Bookstore
The humid southern fall weather didn’t keep us from giving away hundreds of neuroscience books to New Orleans school children coming to Baldwin Books for the Unbanned Book Festival. We are committed to amplifying the voices of diverse authors so we make sure the majority of books we give away are written by neuroscience professionals who have identities underrepresented in STEM.

September 2023 – Celebrating the Ogden Museum of Southern Art
Brain Institute Outreach Team members joined in the birthday celebration of the Ogden Museum of Southern Art, teaching about the intersection between art and neuroscience and how the brain perceives what we see and experience.

September 2023 - Brain Awareness Bricolage Academy Math and Science Night
Along with a dozen other STEM organizations, Dr. Engler-Chiurazzi and Dr. Sweeten visited a local school to represent the Tulane Brain Institute and show off our cool brains!

September 2023 Roller Brain – the Science Behind the Sport of Roller Derby
In collaboration with the Mississippi Children’s Museum, Dr. Liz and her daughter partnered with the Jackson Roller Derby to host a science of skating station as part of the Mississippi Museum Week.

Spring 2023– GIST and BATS Collaboration
The Outreach Team hosted Greater New Orleans area middle schoolers in the one-of-a-kind Tulane Neuroscience Teaching Lab to showcase the wonders of the brain and how cool going to college can be. It is also great to get to teach some of the kids’ teachers about how to host the same neuroscience activities we do in their respective classrooms. We just love these ripple effects bringing neuroscience to even more people in the community!

February 2023– Greater New Orleans Science and Engineering Fair Tulane Brain Institute Award
Congrats Khang N. (Junior Division) and Vaishnavi K. (Senior Division) on your excellent brain-related projects at the GNOSEF! To help them stay curious, each student won a $100 award to support their scholarly pursuits.

February 2023– Y’all Stars Southern Skate Showdown Brain Station
To promote brain safety education to athletes nation-wide, Dr. Liz hosted a table at the first annual Y’all Stars roller derby tournament. There were brains and bruises a plenty!

March 2023 – Books and Brains at the New Orleans Book Fest
This year’s Children’s Day at the New Orleans Book Fest was amazing. We got to do so many fun brainy crafts with so many folks in the community. And we even had a very special guest visit our table, Mayor LaToya Cantrell!

March 2023 – Brainy Book Worms at the New Orleans Public Library 
In a collaboration between the Tulane Brain Institute, Louisiana State University and the Greater New Orleans Society for Neuroscience Chapter, outreach coordinators Dr. Xiaolin Tian and Dr. Liz Engler-Chiurazzi organized a day for brainy book worms at the Children’s Resource Center.

March 2023 – Mississippi Children’s Museum
Dr. Liz taught about neuroanatomy and made play doh brains with dozens of visiting families at the Jackson, Mississippi Children’s Museum STEAM week on Science Day.

March 2023 - Books & Brains at the New Orleans Public Library

Brain Awareness Week introduces children to the world of neuroscience

Professors, medical students and researchers at Tulane University and the LSU Health Sciences Center, who are members of the Greater New Orleans Society for Neuroscience, present 'Your Sensational Brain,' a program of hands-on experiments and displays to introduce children to basic concepts in neuroscience, during Brain Awareness Week at the Children's Resource Library on Saturday, March 18, 2023, in New Orleans. The event was part of a global campaign by the Dana Foundation to foster public enthusiasm and support for brain science.

April 2023 – Louisiana Children’s Museum
At the Louisiana Children’s Museum, India Pursell and Dr. Brook Sweeten did pipe cleaner neurons crafts with families and donated neuroscience books to the museum library.

Fall 2022– GIST and BATS Collaboration
Tulane Brain Institute outreach team members and master’s students lead a brain station with real human brains and spinal cords from our generous donors.

October 2022 – Tulane Brain Institute Supports the Walk to End Alzheimer’s
Neuroscience students, faculty and staff came together to raise funds for the Alzheimer’s Association, walk to support dementia patients and their families, and teach about the brain and the pioneering work being done at Tulane to address neurodegeneration. What a great day at the park!

September 2022 - Brain Awareness Bricolage Academy Math and Science Night
Dr. Engler-Chiurazzi and honorary neuroscientist Isabella teamed up to teach about the parts of neurons and how they work together to make us think and feel!

Spring 2022– GIST and BATS Collaboration
Outreach committee members teamed up with the Tulane K-12 Center for STEM Education to host a brain station for middle school boys and girls from the New Orleans community. It was wonderful to get to partner with Dr. Sanchez and this wonderful Tulane program again!

March 2022 – Books and Brains at the New Orleans Book Fest
For our first post-pandemic in-person engagement events, members of the Brain Institute Outreach team hosted a huge table of brains, books, and more at the New Orleans Book Fest Children’s day. It felt so good to chat face-to-face with so many enthusiastic community members

April 2021 – Remote Neuroscience with Homer Plessy 2nd grade class
We won’t let social distancing stop us from teaching about the brain! Drs. Becca Solch-Ottaiano and Liz Engler-Chiurazzi taught Homer Plessy 2nd graders about the importance of healthy nutrition for a healthy brain over zoom.

Spring 2021 – Books and Brains Launch and Distribution of Free Brain Books
With the support of the American Association for the Advancement of Science, the Dana Foundation, the New Orleans Public Library, and the Tulane Brain Institute, the Outreach Committee has officially launched the Books&Brains-NOLA initiative. We are excited to get started handing out free books about the brain, neuroscience, and being a scientist written by our accomplished colleagues.

February 2021 - Neuroscience Award Given at the Greater New Orleans Science and Engineering Fair
Greater New Orleans Science and Engineering Fair

Tulane Brain Institute Award for the Outstanding Project in the Field of Neuroscience
The Tulane Brain Institute sponsored special awards for Outstanding Project in the Field of Neuroscience for middle school and high school entries at the 2021 Greater New Orleans Science and Engineering Fair. Congratulations to Najae and Landon for a job well done!

November 10, 2018 ALZ Walk
Baby Cakes Field    
Start time: 9:00 am

Tulane Brain Institute will be sponsoring the Walk to End Alzheimer's on Saturday, November 10.

October 21, 2018 YMAA Hosts Dr. Penny Roberts
Newcomb Hall B09
Start time: 7:00 pm

Tulane Youth Movement Against Alzheimer's will host Dr. Penny Roberts to discus music therapy and its relationship to aging patients and those with ALZ.

October 6, 2018 NAMI Walk
Audubon Park
Start time: 10:00

Tulane Undergraduate Neuroscience Association will be joining NAMI at Tulane for NAMIWalks on Saturday, October 6.

March 24, 2018 Walk MS (Multiple Sclerosis)
Audubon Park
Start Time: 9:00 am

September 30, 2017 NAMI (National Alliance on Mental Illness) Walk
Audubon Park

November 11th, 2017 Walk to end Alzheimer's

Stroke Survivor Program - "Painting with a Twist"
700 Dublin Street, New Orleans LA