A week before finals at Portland State and OHSU, our enthusiastic outreach volunteers gathered early at David Douglas High School to enjoy a full day of neuroscience research and art with around 200 curious students!
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Heather Roberts, a high school Social Studies teacher who also teaches Psychology at David Douglas, reached out to NW Noggin after a container holding a human brain hemisphere, which had graced the classroom for many years, suddenly sprang a leak!
She first contacted Carolina Supply, because the company’s name was on the leaky container. Carolina ships sheep brains and cow eyeballs to biology teachers around the country, and provides the “Carosafe” solution we store our own noggins in – but the company made it clear to Heather that they no longer offer human specimens of any sort 🙂
Heather then approached Paxton Gate, a fascinating purveyor of “ethically sourced” taxidermy, carrying the David Douglas brain in a jug, in a cardboard box, inside a big trash bag – which (tbh) looked vaguely suspicious (we can relate!). But unfortunately Paxton couldn’t help her either…
Heather finally contacted Bob Bicknell, the owner of Beacon Hill Biological Services (“the largest osteological preparation firm in the West”) and also SkullDuggery, in Toutle, WA who connected her with us!
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Denesa Lockwood, NW Noggin Brain Board member and Research Associate in the Hitzemann alcohol research lab at OHSU checked in with facilities staff on the Hill, who used a solvent to seal the leaks.
Adam from Portland 3D Printing visited us to scan the David Douglas brain hemisphere while the container was under repair. You can print your own copy of this mysterious partial cerebrum by going to the following link…
PRINT THE DAVID DOUGLAS BRAIN: Get the file!
LEARN MORE: How to 3D Print a Brain
From Heather Roberts, after our visit to David Douglas…
“Thank you so much for your visit to our Psychology I, II and AP classes at David Douglas!”
“We appreciate that you spent the ENTIRE day with us – in classes starting at 7:40am – presenting to hundreds of students! Your passion for the brain and the depth of your knowledge really touched us all.“
“Our students loved making model neurons out of pipe cleaners, examining real brains and experimenting with Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation.”
LEARN MORE: Make Your Own Pipe Cleaner Neuron (& MORE)!
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“Throughout your visit, our students were able to see the possibilities for studying psychology – especially in the area of neuroscience – beyond high school.“
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“Many of our students express a desire to continue on in psychology and Northwest Noggin showed them that there are many avenues for following their passions. They heard from undergrads, grad students, researchers and professors. We believe this to have been an invaluable experience for them. Inspiration and education all in one!“
“Thank you, Northwest Noggin!“
