“Science is fun. Science is curiosity. We all have natural curiosity. Science is…delving in.” –Sally Ride
We LOVED taking brains to the streets in 2017, after the Trump/Pence administration threatened to cut support for the National Institutes for Health. The NIH funds essential scientific research to address a host of national priorities, including the opioid epidemic, Parkinson’s disease, Alzheimer’s, the Zika virus, diabetes, cancer, anxiety, depression, PTSD…
Synapsing for Science!
We also marched in support of the arts. We know from experience that they go hand in hand, both fueling creativity and innovation, encouraging exploration, celebrating informative mistakes, delighting kids, and engaging a more diverse range of people in genuine, evidence-based efforts to discover more about our behavior, and our brains…
“One of the saddest lessons of history is this: If we’ve been bamboozled long enough, we tend to reject any evidence of the bamboozle. We’re no longer interested in finding out the truth…” –Carl Sagan
Science works. It demands that we test our hypotheses through actual experiment – and then gather evidence, share information, replicate investigations, and critically interpret data from the real world. We care about U.S. investment in research and education because we’re interested in finding the truth. Science improves our health and understanding, provides stirring insight into who we are and how we function, and offers hope for addressing the significant challenges we face in our communities – and on planet Earth.
“Once you give a charlatan power over you, you almost never get it back.” –Carl Sagan
So we marched again in 2018, because the same Republican administration and its supporters were continuing their efforts to undermine essential, productive investment in research, education, outreach and the arts…
Gray Matter Marching
This year we were equally motivated to get out and march, and talk about fascinating new discoveries in neuroscience – and explore how science can inform more effective policies to address mental health, bias in policing, drug scheduling, homelessness, youth incarceration, K-12 education, vaccines, inequality – and a host of other challenges…
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Yet while marches were held in cities like New York, we were surprised to learn that March for Science PDX would hold an indoor “Science Fest” – and would charge admission! Initially we were told that our volunteers would also pay to enter, but that was dropped. Then some free tickets were offered, but attendees needed to state their need for support at the door…
A little free Noggin outreach at Ardenwald Elementary…30,000+ kids since 2012!
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Suddenly an exuberant, accessible celebration of the policy implications of publicly funded research was paywalled, and barriers placed in the way of attending for many in our community. We get the need for raising money (we attended the p:ear auction, and our volunteers organize Noggin Fest each fall to support outreach in public schools during SfN). But a March for Science should be open, visible and free.
So…our volunteers decided on…a little guerrilla neuroscience!
Whats the matter
Whats the matter
All I ask is why be afraid of this world
–Catie Curtis
We loaded up our Noggin Brain/Art Cart, grabbed a folding table, pipe cleaner neurons and 3D printed brains – and took to Portland streets!
One mom told us: “Thank you so much for this! My kids don’t want to give up those brains!” She added: “I can’t afford tickets for so many things. This is wonderful!”
“¿Cómo yo también podría estudiar el cerebro como ustedes?”
We had, as usual, more incredible, accomplished, community minded Noggin volunteers from Portland State University, including Sulema Rodriguez (an NIH BUILD EXITO scholar), Sai Kiersarsky, Cam Howard, Michael Deveney, Aaron Eisen, Dylan Smith, Jason Blume, Giovanny Vargas-Sanchez, Gwen Starck, Brockton Dowling and Psi Chi President Katie Werth! Angela Hendrix and Joey Seuferling from NW Noggin also joined the Mini-March for Science..!
The temps soared into the high 80’s, so we set up shop in the shade…
And fielded question after question about brains and brain research…
“That’s in my head? Where do I see things? What part of the brain makes me talk?”
Our new 3D printed wooden brain fit right into the urban forest..!
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And so did the real ones..!
We can all do this: engaging communities with neuroscience outreach and art!
We colorfully marched through Portland’s famed Saturday Market, and visited one of our favorite science-inspired artists, Sienna Morris! Sienna has collaborated (and created art) with OHSU Behavioral Neuroscience graduate Brittany Alperin on outreach presentations in the past…
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And LOOK at what leaving the classroom, lab, pricey conference or paywalled festival can do!
Noggins in the streets!
We also met Rosemary Lombard, an animal behaviorist and herpetologist who runs the independent Turtle Cognition Lab in Hillsboro, Oregon! We’d love to visit and hear more…
Shelly the turtle! Shelly is apparently an artist, and draws by “tracing with her nose…”
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So many faces, so many questions, so much interest in science and the brain!
YOU CAN DO THIS TOO 🙂
People clearly love direct engagement. And this can’t be emphasized enough: research is publicly funded. We’ve already shelled out for this information, and many basic science graduate programs use federal dollars to pay for student training.
And for year three of a still essential March for Science, access to research discoveries and their many compelling policy implications should be public, visible, inclusive and free…
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Not getting bamboozled by charlatans – but staying curious, active and engaged…
After four hot hours of awesome public outreach, we took our volunteers out for a celebration!
It turns out that the bartender at the Ascendant Beer Company studies Speech & Hearing Sciences at Portland State, so we brought out those extra brains again!
And this brought in MORE curious Portlanders…
And more great questions…
And more public neuroscience education…
So many thanks to our extraordinary, inspiring, informed, accomplished NW Noggin outreach volunteers! And if the charlatans keep bamboozlin’, we’ll be back again next year…