WHAT: Virtual Noggin + NeuroChem Lab visit with students in the Gaza Strip

We did it!!!

THANK YOU STUDENTS AND ABDULRAHMAN for sharing your thoughtful (and fragrant!) presentations with such enthusiasm, curiosity, kindness and joy. Look forward to seeing your glia next month & cheers!

WHERE: British International School, 9835+VGG, Aldahdooh Street, Tel Al Hawa, Gaza Strip VIA ZOOM (link available to participating volunteers)

WHEN: Tuesday, November 11 from 8:00 – 9:30am Pacific (6:00 – 7:30pm in Gaza). This is the first of two planned visits. The second visit will be Friday, December 5, 8:00 – 9:30am.

We are VERY excited to return to the British International School in Gaza (BIS Gaza) this fall, and once again explore questions and make art with young people similarly fascinated by the brain! Abdulrahman Abou Dahesh (عبدالرّحمن أبو داهش), a Fulbright Scholar and neuroscience masters graduate from the University of Texas at Dallas, founded a project known as NeuroChem Lab, which has provided popular neuroscience programs for elementary and middle school students at BIS Gaza.

In spring students created their own found object neurons, which you can enjoy at this post!

Noggins in Gaza

LEARN MORE: Found Object Brain Cells

This fall we’re considering a found object project focusing on GLIA!

LEARN MORE: FOUND OBJECT GLIA PROJECT

LEARN MORE: What about the glia?

We met extraordinary BIS students through Zoom last spring, during an accelerating genocide perpetrated by the Israeli government with weaponry financed by the United States. The BIS school building was destroyed by Israeli bombs, and several children lost their lives. Israeli attacks on the people of Gaza continue, so while some students may join us again from the strip, several more now live in refugee camps in Egypt.

We are thrilled to celebrate curiosity and a shared love of learning across time zones and cultures, and fervently hope that everyone stays safe.

Destruction – Gaza, by Motaz Naim, at the Gaza Biennale 2025

LEARN MORE: Definitions of Genocide and Related Crimes

LEARN MORE: Israel has committed genocide in the Gaza Strip, UN Commission finds

LEARN MORE: Leading genocide scholars organization says Israel is committing genocide in Gaza

LEARN MORE: Israel is committing genocide against Palestinians in Gaza

LEARN MORE: US has ‘undeniable complicity’ in Gaza war killings, say former US officials

Interested in joining outreach this fall? Please contact jleake@pdx.edu and griesar@pdx.edu to learn more.

COMMITTED PARTICIPANTS
1. Bill Griesar, PSU/OHSU/NW Noggin
2. Jeff Leake, PSU/NW Noggin
3. Jennifer Logan, PSU
4. Becky Callos, PSU
5. Kadi Rae Smith. PSU
6. Cece Austin, PSU
7. Salma Nassar, PSU
8. Maryfer Ortiz, PSU
9. Natalie P Robison, University of Washington
10. Austin Schubert, OHSU
11. E Mondragon-Torres, PSU
12. Megan Peterson, PSU
13. Hana Haley, PSU
14. Nyah Hawley, PSU

Synapsing with Gaza through neuroscience, stories and art

We’ll ALSO introduce our collaborative outreach in Gaza at the Society for Neuroscience conference this fall. We were excited to present along with our accomplished co-author Abdulrahman; however, current U.S. federal officials have barred anyone with a Palestinian passport from traveling to the United States. SfN also censored our abstract. If you happen to be at the conference in San Diego this November, please stop by to learn more.

LEARN MORE: Noggin @ Schools & SfN in San Diego!