In honor of Brain Awareness Week (March 10–16, 2025), LabXchange is delighted to share this guest post written by Dana Foundation Communications and Administrative Coordinator Margaret Matous. Learn about the history of this annual event and discover how you can help demystify brain science!
Over the past thirty years, Brain Awareness Week has inspired people of all ages to learn more about their brains and how neuroscience research is relevant to their daily lives. Through engaging outreach programs—such as brain fairs, art contests, panel discussions, social media campaigns, and more—the annual campaign has played a large role in breaking the glass between neuroscience research and the communities it aims to benefit.
The initiative began in the 1990s during the "Decade of the Brain," a period designated by President George H. W. Bush that called for national attention on brain research at a time when public attention and funding for neuroscience research were lacking. In 1992, a group of neuroscientists joined Dana Foundation chairman David Mahoney at Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory in New York to discuss how to address this issue. It was there that Mahoney realized the problem wasn't with brain research itself, but with how it was communicated to the public.
“People don’t buy science solely,” the New York Times quoted Mahoney, “They buy the results of, and the hope of, science.” In the years that followed, Mahoney was struck with the idea of focusing the public’s attention on neuroscience through a dedicated weeklong campaign.
Four years later, in 1996, the first Brain Awareness Week events were held across the United States, with a total of 160 organizations participating. The next year, the campaign took off in Europe, and by the following year, Brain Awareness Week was being observed worldwide.
Today, organizations across Asia-Pacific, Africa, Europe, Latin America, and North America host Brain Awareness Week activities. The tremendous success of the campaign is made possible not only by the Dana Foundation, but by neuroscience organizations like the Federation of European Neuroscience Societies (FENS), the International Brain Research Organization (IBRO), and the Society for Neuroscience, as well as the countless organizers, including LabXchange, who are passionate about sharing brain science with their communities.
For three decades, Brain Awareness Week has provided a way for scientists, organizations, educators, and brain enthusiasts to create events that address the diverse needs of their communities. For example, this year at the School for the Blind in Akropong, Ghana, activities will not only foster an interest in brain science among students but also educate teachers on mental health challenges that their students may face.
When asked about the importance of Brain Awareness Week, Shawna Bonilla, Education Fellow at the Dana Foundation and former high school teacher, highlighted how the campaign provides students with an opportunity to learn about neuroscience and see its real-world applications.
Brain Awareness Week empowers students “to see themselves as scientists…understanding that they have a space in the science world and that it is really meant for everyone,” she said, “Being able to communicate that effectively has been a tenet of Brain Awareness Week.”
The initiative also extends beyond the classroom, emphasizing that brain science is accessible to all people. In partnership with the Dana Foundation, FENS and IBRO support a variety of events for all ages. For instance, neuroscience talks and a public science fair with hands-on activities centered around the nervous system will engage people in Uruguay. At the Institute for Neuroscience UMH-CSIC in Alicante, Spain, students and the general public will explore brain anatomy with augmented reality (AR) and artificial intelligence (AI) technology and learn about recent advances in neuroscience.
If you're organizing a Brain Awareness Week event now or in the future and want some additional support, FENS, IBRO, LabXchange, and the Dana Foundation have a variety of resources available. Whether you are looking for educational materials, advice on how to organize your event, neuroscience and society resources, or for outreach tools like a social media toolkit, these organizations are here to help your event succeed. Additionally, by filtering for neuroscience in the LabXchange library, you can find hundreds of free resources.
Brain Awareness Week will take place this year from March 10–16. Be sure to look out for activities and events in your area and online. Follow Brain Awareness Week on Instagram and Facebook for campaign updates, participation tips, educational resources, and more.
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