Neuroscience society helps raise awareness, get students involved
Members of the Central Neuroscience Society pose for a picture during a meeting on Nov. 23 in Brooks Hall.
Central Neuroscience Society is a registered student organization that promotes awareness about neuroscience research and events.
Executive board members said they had to work past issues of inexperience of the new board member last year, but said CNS is now expanding with more than 20 active members and an increasing number of high school students involved in its activities from the 36 participants they had last year.
“The society focuses on giving neuroscience students, especially freshmen, a supportive orientation and involve people who are interested to learn and apply neuroscience in their lives,” said club president Kelsey Idyle.
The Macomb senior said the group focuses on raising awareness of neurodegenerative diseases, like Parkinson’s disease, Alzheimer’s and Huntington’s by supporting events such as a “Brain Awareness Conference,” where alumni and researchers share results of their studies and explain different career paths that come from having a neuroscience major.
“Brain Bee” is another awareness initiative that involves high school students in a quiz-for-knowledge competition using neuroscience facts. Winners have the chance to participate in national and international Brain Bee competitions.
“That’s a good opportunity to make high school students more interested in the major,” Idyle said.
Lab tours are planned through a mutual cooperation between high school science professors and the association.
Vice president and Clare junior Kayla Yob said high school students visit the lab and learn how to analyze different kinds of tissues.
Rockford sophomore and fundraising chair Mary Hassebrock said the association constantly seeks contributors who are willing to donate their items to be sold in a silent auction, where funds are raised through anonymous bids.
“That’s our biggest fundraising event. It’s simple and it’s fun,” she said.
In addition to promoting awareness for neurodegenerative diseases, CNS serves as a support group of neuroscience students.
“This association is a group of friends who support and help each other throughout our careers,” Idyle said.
Minneapolis senior Noel Jones-Camp said being a part of the association helped her develop leadership and communication skills, which she said are as important as research abilities.
CNS works both for awareness programs and the improvement of its members, Idyle said.
“We try to develop a solid network of people for our future careers by creating strong bonds with professors and even among ourselves,” she said.
