On September 12, 2019, SHSID proudly hosted Dr. Myslinski, who delivered a lecture organized with the help of IYNA China. Dr. Myslinski is the founder of the International Brain Bee Competition as well as the International Youth Neuroscience Association. He has received countless awards, such as Science Educator of the Year from the Society of Neuroscience. Serving as a member of the Pain and Neural Science Department in the University of Maryland, he teaches numerous classes and is a respected figure in the field.

Beginning his speech by talking about imagination, he asked students and teachers to imagine things such as sounds that they have never heard. His humor, passion, and deep understanding of neuroscience grabbed everyone’s attention. The lecture included fundamentals of neuroscience, such as neuroplasticity and neurodegenerative diseases, helping students learn at the same time while knowing frontier research. In addition to talking about the importance of neuroscience, he encouraged the young SHSIDers to actively participate in pioneering neuroscience and to “go where no man or woman has gone before”. Lastly, he reminded the audience of his purpose in founding Brain Bee: building better brains for fighting brain disorders. He also mentioned that besides medical improvements, we could protect our brains by using them wisely. We shouldn’t let our mind get static and should keep learning about ourselves and our environment. After the lecture, he displayed the trophy that will be awarded to the International Brain Bee champion this year. He also awarded a souvenir to an enthusiastic student who answered his question the fastest: how many pairs of cranial nerves does a human have?

The lecture was entertaining but profound at the same time. Students left the lecture having developed a greater interest in neuroscience. In addition, the lecture encouraged audience to think about the meaning and future of neuroscience, as well as what young people in this field can do. In conclusion, the lecture was a success and SHSIDers were honored to have the respected professor on campus.

（Written by Elaine Liu , Chengbo Zhou Pictures by Chengbo Zhou, Hui Liao）