NW NOGGIN: Neuroscience outreach group (growing in networks)

Society for Neuroscience OR/SW WA Chapter Meeting
2024-03-08 - 2024-03-09 | McMenamin’s Edgefield, 2126 S.W. Halsey St., Troutdale, OR, 97060, United States
WHAT: Society for Neuroscience OR/SW WA Chapter Annual Meeting

WHERE: McMenamins Edgefield, 2126 SW Halsey Street, Troutdale, OR
WHEN: Friday, March 8 – Saturday, March 9, 2024

From their website: “The Society for Neuroscience is the world’s largest organization of scientists and physicians devoted to understanding the brain and nervous system.”
This year’s Chapter theme: Neuroinflammation and the Aging Brain

SFN OR WA SCHEDULE
SFN OR WA 2024 PROGRAM

LEARN MORE: Molecular Mechanisms of Neuroinflammation in Aging and Alzheimer’s Disease Progression
LEARN MORE: Systemic inflammation as a predictor of brain aging

NW Noggin volunteers include neuroscience undergraduates, graduate students, postdocs and artists, and both individually and collectively we present and attend local chapter meetings and international conferences for the Society for Neuroscience (SfN).
LEARN MORE: NOGGIN & SfN

NW NOGGIN ABSTRACT
Las neuronas son bacanes: interdisciplinary neuroscience in Valparaíso Chile
GRIESAR, W.S.124, LEAKE, J.123
1Department of Psychology, Portland State University; 2NW Noggin (nwnoggin.org); 3Department of University Studies, Portland State University; 4Department of Behavioral Neuroscience, Oregon Health & Science University

POSTER_Noggin_SfN_Chapter_2024
Nonprofit nwnoggin.org organizes collaboration around interdisciplinary neuroscience, going places to explore brains, hear stories, make art and see where research discoveries can contribute. Portland State University in Portland, OR offers a minor in interdisciplinary neuroscience, where Noggin co-founders Dr. Bill Griesar and Jeff Leake both teach. In 2023, we reached out to artists and STEM colleagues at the Universidad de Valparaíso Chile. Along with the PSU Education Abroad Office and Academic Programs International we created Cerebrarte, the first international, homestay-based STEAM program exploring the rich art and neuroscience traditions of the Valparaíso region. We brought 17 students and two faculty to Chile from July 27 – August 28, 2023. Through visits to labs and the historic complex at Montemar, we explored how research on the giant axons of Humboldt squid contributed to our understanding of the electrical signaling that links our perceptual and cognitive experiences to the world. We met Dr. Ramón LaTorre and Dr. Juan Saez (members of the National Academy of Sciences), Dr. David Naranjo, Dr. Jesús Olivares, Dr. John Ewer and Dr. Kate Whitlock, and graduate students and postdocs for discussions about olfaction, voltage-gated channels, spider neurons and potential therapeutic compounds in boldo tea. We welcomed Kings College London neuroscientist Dr. Richard Wingate, Editor of brainfacts.org, the outreach arm of Society for Neuroscience, who spoke about his 2023 book, “The Story of the Brain in 10 ½ Cells,” with the ½ Cell referencing the giant axon. Valpo is home to exceptional research, and is a celebrated center of public art. Street art was legalized in 1990, and eye-catching murales are everywhere. Students examined art with thiscatcallededdie, explored regional museums, created engravings (grabados), and sewed arpilleras, woven depictions of challenging and sometimes traumatic experiences that allow emotional expression and create durable memories of events with artist Cecilia Araneda. We explored the neuroscience of perception, stress and trauma as it relates to personal experience (including aspects of culture shock), research, art and the 50th year since El Golpe, the US-backed coup that violently overthrew democratically elected President Salvador Allende in 1973. The program culminated in a visit to Ciencia al Tiro, a STEAM outreach nonprofit where we made pipe cleaner brain cells and took them to the streets to speak with residents of Playa Ancha sobre porque las neuronas son bacanes (why neurons are cool). Cerebrarte was an exciting, interdisciplinary, intercultural, international experience, and will occur again in 2025.
LEARN MORE: Las neuronas son bacánes!
NOGGIN PRESENTS SATURDAY, MARCH 9

CEREBRARTE SLIDES (ppt): NW Noggin SfN Chapter Presentation 2024
CEREBRARTE SLIDES (pdf): NW Noggin SfN Chapter Presentation 2024

OMSI BRAIN FAIR!
2024-04-06 09:00 - 16:00 (America/Los_Angeles) | Oregon Museum of Science & Industry, 1945 SE Water Ave, Portland, OR, 97214, United States
WHAT: NW Noggin Brings Brains to Brain Fair!
We did it!

WHERE: Oregon Museum of Science & Industry, 1945 SE Water Ave, Portland, OR 97214
WHEN: Saturday, April 6, 2024, 9:00am (set up) – 4:00pm
One of the nation’s largest Brain Fairs is this Saturday at OMSI!

Come join Noggin for an awesome day of FREE public learning!
OMSI usually charges exorbitant admission costs ($14 for a 3 year old; $19 for adults!), but the Brain Fair is FREE! There will be some sandwiches provided for our volunteers by the OHSU Brain Institute, but Noggin will fill in the gaps this year, and bring pizza, water, snacks and coffee :).
PLUS there’s free admission to OMSI for all outreach participants (though again a taxpayer funded, “accessible” science museum should not be routinely charging $14 – $19 to get in 🙄)
WE ARE FULL FOR THIS EVENT!
COMMITTED PARTICIPANTS
1. Bill Griesar, NW Noggin/PSU/OHSU
2. Jeff Leake, NW Noggin/PSU
3. Jennie Terranova, PSU
4. Denesa Lockwood, OHSU
5. Selah Monsef, OHSU (2 – 4pm)
6. Rocio Garcia, PSU
7. Isabella Starr, PSU
8. Abigail O’Neil, OHSU
9. Quin Brunner, PSU
10. Wolfgang Powell, PSU
11. Natalie Robison, PSU
12. Kate Lovetang, PSU
13. Raymond Brewer, PSU
14. Lauren Campbell, PSU
15. Mo DindarAzimi, PSU
16. Angrich Brophy, PSU
17. Luis Carillo, PSU
18. Diego Sanchez, PSU
19. Alex Heinrich, PSU
20. Alyssa Showalter, PSU
21. Yoko Kinoshita, PSU
22. Will Mora, PSU
23. Pearl Ton, PSU
24. Cat Swallow, PSU
25. Shae Zeimantz, PSU
26. Ben Johnston, PSU
27. Kadi Rae Smith, PSU
28. Melissa Garcia, PSU
29. Marc Chenard, PSU
Brain Awareness for ALL

The Brains at Brain Fair

Bringing BRAINS to Brain Fair 🙂

Putting the brains in Brain Fair!

Pipe Cleaners, Gel Prints, Electrodes & Brains!

Noggin @ Sunnyside!
2024-04-18 12:00 - 15:00 (America/Los_Angeles) | Sunnyside Environmental School, 3421 SE Salmon St, Portland, OR, 97214, United States
WHAT: NW Noggin @ Sunnyside Environmental School
We did it!!
Without my amygdala, would I get scared?

WHERE: Sunnyside Environmental School, 3421 SE Salmon St, Portland, OR 97214
WHEN: Thursday, April 18, noon – 3:00pm
Contacts: Asa Gervich & Jeremy Thomas, 4th Grade Teachers, Sunnyside School

We are thrilled to return LIVE to Jeremy and Asa’s lively classrooms this spring! We’ll make TWO visits, on Thursday (4/18) and Tuesday (4/23) to make art and explore brains, and consider the neuroscience of LISTENING!

How do our brains process auditory information compared to visual? Is our ability to truly listen put at risk by digital distraction and information overload?
JOIN US! Please contact griesar@pdx.edu and jleake@pdx.edu for to get involved 🙂
COMMITTED PARTICIPANTS FULL
1. Bill Griesar, PSU/OHSU/NW Noggin
2. Jeff Leake, PSU/NW Noggin
3. Angrich Brophy, PSU
4. Diego Sanchez, PSU
5. Alyssa Showalter, PSU
6. Cris Keirsey, PSU
7. Pearl Ton, PSU
8. Cat Swallow, PSU
9. Shae Zeimantz, PSU
10. Elizabeth DeGraw, PSU
11. Ben Johnston, PSU
12. Rocio Garcia, PSU
13. Melissa Garcia, PSU
14. Kadi Rae Smith, PSU
15. Hannah Hauser, PSU
16. Xander Hawkins, PSU
17. Iris Campos Servin, PSU
18. Daren Kostov, PSU
See what we’ve done before!
Learning through mistakes!

How to visit public schools

Thank You Northwest Noggin!

Neurons in Minecraft & More!

A crayon in Homer’s brain

What about the glia?

Noggin @ Sunnyside!
2024-04-23 09:30 - 12:15 (America/Los_Angeles) | Sunnyside Environmental School, 3421 SE Salmon St, Portland, OR, 97214, United States
WHAT: NW Noggin @ Sunnyside Environmental School
We did it!
Without my amygdala, would I get scared?

WHERE: Sunnyside Environmental School, 3421 SE Salmon St, Portland, OR 97214
WHEN: Tuesday, April 23, 9:30am – 12:15pm
Contacts: Asa Gervich & Jeremy Thomas, 4th Grade Teachers, Sunnyside School

We are thrilled to return LIVE to Jeremy and Asa’s lively classrooms this spring! We’ll make TWO visits, on Thursday (4/18) and Tuesday (4/23) to make art and explore brains, and consider the neuroscience of LISTENING!

How do our brains process auditory information compared to visual? Is our ability to truly listen put at risk by digital distraction and information overload?
JOIN US! Please contact griesar@pdx.edu and jleake@pdx.edu for to get involved 🙂
COMMITTED PARTICIPANTS FULL
1. Bill Griesar, PSU/OHSU/NW Noggin
2. Jeff Leake, PSU/NW Noggin
3. Angrich Brophy, PSU
4. Diego Sanchez, PSU
5. Alyssa Showalter, PSU
6. Cris Keirsey, PSU
7. Pearl Ton, PSU
8. Shae Zeimantz, PSU
9. Elizabeth DeGraw, PSU
10. Ben Johnston, PSU
11. Alexandria Bills, PSU
12. Rocio Garcia, PSU
13. Melissa Garcia, PSU
14. Nicole Scribner, PSU
15. Iris Campos Servin, PSU
16. Xander Hawkins, PSU
17. Cat Swallow, PSU
18. AB Alseehan, PSU
See what we’ve done before!
Learning through mistakes!

How to visit public schools

Thank You Northwest Noggin!

Neurons in Minecraft & More!

A crayon in Homer’s brain

What about the glia?

Storytelling Brains in Astoria!
2024-05-01 - 2024-05-03 | OR
WHAT: Noggin collaboration with Astoria & Jewell Public Schools, TRIO Clatsop and Kids Make Theater!

We did it!
Brain Cells Dance

WHERE: Various locations in and around Astoria Oregon, including the Liberty Theater, Jewell School and Astoria Public Schools
WHEN: Wednesday, May 1 – Friday, May 3 (return to Portland Friday, May 3)
HOUSING AND MEALS PROVIDED BY TRIO OREGON

MAKE BRAIN CELLS!
FREE WORKSHOP!!
Draw them! Print them! Twist them out of pipe cleaners! Make them out of anything!
Our brains are home to distinctive neighborhoods, each with fascinating local residents who constantly talk, reach out and connect with each other to make us who we are.
These are your BRAIN CELLS, and there are so many different kinds!

IMAGES: The Story of the Brain in 10 1/2 Cells, by Dr. Richard Wingate

Brain cells come in multiple shapes and sizes, with unique personalities and skills. Some of them are very excitable, and can bend others to their will, while some are better at slowing things down. Some brain cells can listen, some of them see, and others help you feel, remember, make decisions, notice things, get hungry, sleep or tell stories.

We’ll introduce these incredible brain actors and explore them – including what they look like, and what they do – and discover the neighborhoods (parts of our brains and nervous systems) where they live. We’ll examine real brain specimens, and discover how our own brain cells grow and develop and change across our lives!

And we’ll ask: what brain cell do YOU want to be?
Which cell speaks to you, and why? Are you pretty excitable? Some brain cells can’t stop talking. A little shy? Some cells help us slow down and relax. Do you feel things deeply? Are you always hungry? Sleepy? Goofy? Anxious? Do you like to tell stories?
Who would YOU be as a brain cell?

JOIN US THIS SPRING, hold noggins, make art, discover brain cells and create your very own, with its own shape, its own functions and its own neighborhood in your brain!
THIS SPRING: BRAIN CELL STORIES WITH NORTHWEST NOGGIN AND KIDS MAKE THEATRE!
WEDNESDAY, MAY 1
Travel to Astoria
STAY: The Y Astoria, 514 12th Street, Astoria, OR, 97103
4:30 – 6:30pm: Storytelling Brain Workshop (6 – 9 year olds) w/Kids Make Theatre @ the Liberty Theater FULL
DINNER: Fort George Brewery, 1483 Duane St, Astoria, OR 97103

THURSDAY, MAY 2
STAY: The Y Astoria, 514 12th Street, Astoria, OR, 97103
8:30am – 12:30pm: Astoria High School, 1001 W Marine Dr #5829, Astoria, OR 97103
LUNCH: Peter Pan Market, 712 Niagara Ave, Astoria, OR 97103
4:30 – 6:30pm: Storytelling Brain Workshop (9 – 18 year olds) w/Kids Make Theatre @ the Liberty Theater
DINNER: Fort George Brewery, 1483 Duane St, Astoria, OR 97103

FRIDAY, MAY 3
9:45am – 1:00pm, Jewell School, 83874 OR-103, Seaside, OR 97138
(note mailing address Seaside but it’s on Highway 103 quite a bit inland 🙂
LUNCH: Jewell School
Return to Portland

THANK YOU!!!!!!
Housing and meals provided by Fort George Brewery, Peter Pan Market, Jewell School & TRIO Clatsop!
COMMITTED VOLUNTEERS (FULL)
1. Bill Griesar, NW Noggin/PSU/OHSU
2. Jeff Leake, NW Noggin/PSU
3. Kadi Rae Smith, PSU Neuroscience Club
4. Julian Rodriguez, PSU
5. Martin Lemke, PSU
6. Natalie Robison, PSU
7. Pearl Ton, PSU
8. Xander Hawkins, PSU
9. Isabella Fleishman, PSU (Jewell School)
See what we’ve done on Oregon’s North Coast before!
Pre-K, Fish and Logger Lobes!

Signal from Noise on the Oregon Coast

Viking, Shark, Fishermen & Bandit Brains!

Clatsop Community Cortex

North Coast Noggins: Art, Alevins & Brains!

Accumbens in Astoria

Noggin @ Hosford
2024-05-09 09:00 - 12:30 (America/Los_Angeles) | Hosford Middle School, 2303 SE 28th Pl, Portland, OR, 97214, United States
WHAT: Noggin at Hosford Middle School (Portland Public Schools)
We did it!!

WHERE: Hosford Middle School, 2303 SE 28th Pl, Portland, OR 97214
WHEN: Thursday, May 9, 9:00am – 12:30; meet at the school office
CONTACTS: Jane VanDam, Science teacher; Kevin Marquardt, Science teacher

Noggin volunteers from Portland State University, OHSU and other area campuses will meet with students in Kevin Marquardt and Jane VanDam’s 6th grade classrooms at Hosford, introducing them to neuroscience research and art projects related to understanding the brain.

Come join us! Please contact Bill Griesar (griesar@pdx.edu) and Jeff Leake (jleake@pdx.com) to get involved.
COMMITTED PARTICIPANTS
1. Bill Griesar, NW Noggin/PSU/OHSU
2. Jeff Leake, NW Noggin/PSU
3. Diego Sanchez, PSU
4. Shae Zeimantz, PSU
5. Elizabeth DeGraw, PSU
6. Ben Johnston, PSU
7. Rocio Garcia, PSU
8. Melissa Garcia, PSU
9. Hannah Hauser, PSU
10. Xander Hawkins, PSU
11. Iris Campos Servin, PSU
12. Brin Rey, PSU
13. Khelen Walsh, PSU/Rosenbaum scholar
14. Isabel Fleischman, PSU
15. Andy Ng, PSU
See what we’ve done at Hosford before!
KGW did a story!
Getting kids excited about neuroscience

Hosford, Hippocampi & Hope

Brains examining brains

Honest selves @ Hosford

Brains, Art & Inquiry @ Hosford

High energy Hosford: Tumors, music & drugs!

OHSU Brain Institute: Congressman Earl Blumenauer
2024-05-13 19:00 - 20:30 (America/Los_Angeles) | Knight Cancer Research Building, 2720 S Moody Avenue, Portland, OR, 97201, United States
WHAT: Celebrating a Neuroscience Legacy: A Conversation with Earl Blumenauer
WHERE: Knight Cancer Research Building, 2720 S Moody Avenue, Portland OR 97201
WHEN: Monday, May 13, 7:00 – 8:30pm

Congressman Earl Blumenauer (D-OR 3rd District) has been a stalwart advocate for neuroscience research for decades. In 2010, he established the Congressional Neuroscience Caucus to enhance policies that support research and dissemination of discoveries. In 2013, the Congressman was a key advocate in establishing the BRAIN Initiative, a partnership between Federal and non-Federal entities to accelerate the development of neurotechnologies.

In this talk, Representative Blumenauer will be joined by Bonnie Nagel, Ph.D., Senior Associate Vice President for Research at OHSU, to reflect on his legacy, the successes of his policy advocacy, and what to expect in the future of federal funding. This event will also be a celebration of his tenure as we bid him best wishes in his retirement. Opening remarks will be made by John Ngai, Ph.D., Director, NIH BRAIN Initiative.
WATCH EVENT: A Conversation with Earl Blumenauer

The Science of Creativity with Caldera Arts!
2024-05-16 17:00 - 20:00 (America/Los_Angeles) | The Haven Coworking, 1001 SW Disk Dr Ste 250, Bend, OR, 97702, United States
WHAT: Discussing the Science of Creativity, and the Creativity of Science
We did it!!

WHERE: The Haven Coworking, 1001 SW Disk Dr Ste 250, Bend, OR 97702
WHEN: Thursday, May 16, 5:00 – 8:00pm
FREE! Limited seats! Register HERE!

ADDITIONAL EVENTS ON AND MAY 18 (SISTERS) AND MAY 30 (PORTLAND)
Join Caldera Arts in May for an exclusive preview of our fall season of community events, including the launch of The Drawing Room: conversations exploring the impact of creative practice in our lives, and in our communities.
With The Drawing Room, Caldera will present an annual series of intimate gatherings designed to bring together community for small-scale, high-impact evenings, exploring the power of creativity. Together we will explore the unlimited potential of building vibrant and inclusive communities by harnessing the creative process.
We’ll discuss the impact of creative thinking, through the lens of change-makers, artists, and innovators who use the tools of a creative practice to shape their lives, and their communities.

Join us in May for a preview of this dynamic new series.
We’re bringing together a renowned neuroscientist, a celebrated visual artist, and Oregon’s Poet Laureate for a robust exploration of the impact of creative practice on the human brain, and how it shapes our world. We’ll round out the experience with live music performance—bringing the explosive power of creative improv through jazz.
Join us on May 16 in Bend, or May 30 in Portland as we stir together these creative minds in an exclusive gathering of Caldera supporters.

Caldera Alumni Guest Hosts:
Eloe Gill-Williams, filmmaker
Discussing the Science of Creativity, and the Creativity of Science:
Bill Griesar, PhD Neuroscientist and co-founder NW Noggin
Jeff Leake, visual artist and co-founder NW Noggin
Anis Mojgan, Poet Laureate of Oregon
Exploring Creativity Through The Written Word:
Anis Mojgan, Poet Laureate of Oregon will introduce us to his creative practice. (May 16 and May 30 only!)
Live Musical Performance:
Acclaimed saxophonist Christopher Brown
Bonus Event! On May 18th in Sisters, we’ll host a more intimate version of the Fall Preview—capped at 25 guests—featuring executive director, Kimberly Howard Wade, in conversation with Bill Griesar and Jeff Leake. Hosted by Alumni guest, music producer, The Wav., with musical guest Christopher Brown.

Noggin @ MacLaren Youth Corrections
2024-05-17 14:30 - 17:00 (America/Los_Angeles) | MacLaren Youth Correctional Facility, 2630 N Pacific Hwy, Woodburn, 97071, United States
WHAT: Noggin visit to MacClaren Youth Correctional Facility
We did it!!

WHERE: MacClaren Youth Correctional Facility, 2630 N Pacific Highway, Woodburn, OR 97071; go first to the Gatehouse to check in.
WHEN: FRIDAY, MAY 17, 2024, 2:30 – 5:00pm; PLEASE ARRIVE EARLY ~ 2:00-2:15pm
We drove from Caldera Arts near Sisters, OR – there & back!

Contact: Vanessa Bucio Chavez, Project Coordinator, HOPE Partnership
This is the first of two visits to MacLaren this spring: Friday May 17 and Friday, May 24.

“Because the brain is undergoing such rapid, fundamental changes at this stage of life, adolescents have a heightened capacity to learn and to [grow] out of risky behavior. Given an environment and supports appropriate to their developmental stage, most young offenders have the potential to become law-abiding adults.”
— The MacArthur Foundation Research Network on Law and Neuroscience
We are excited to return to MacLaren, and meet with more young people curious about the brain, and the policy implications of ongoing neuroscience research on adolescent development, bias, trauma, drugs, and mental health in terms of education, healthcare, criminal justice and the law.
2:30pm: Tom Nelson Conference Room, Maclaren Youth Correctional Facility
Granite: 3:00- 3:45pm
Boulder: 4:00 – 5:00pm
The HOPE Partnership is providing pens, markers and paper for drawing, and we’ll bring along pipe cleaners, nitrile gloves, extra noggins and plenty of grads, post-docs and undergrads who study the brain.
We’re also getting a tour of PROJECT POOCH!

Learn more about NW Noggin at MacLaren at these links:
Listening at MacLaren

Myelinating @ MacLaren!

All is in motion, is growing, is you

LEARN MORE: Youth get visual, hands-on experience with the brain
Corrections, Bias & Brains

COMMITTED PARTICIPANTS
1. Bill Griesar, NW Noggin/PSU/OHSU
2. Jeff Leake, NW Noggin/PSU
3. Natalie P Robison, PSU
4. Angrich Brophy, PSU
5. Becky Callos, PSU
6. Alexandria Bills, PSU
7. Elizabeth DeGraw, PSU
8. Xander Hawkins, PSU
9. Pearl Ton, PSU
10. Kadi Rae Smith, PSU
11. Cece Austin, PSU
12. Isabel Fleischman, PSU
13. Hannah Hauser, PSU

The Science of Creativity with Caldera Arts!
2024-05-18 17:00 - 20:00 (America/Los_Angeles) | Pole Creek Ranch, 15425 McKenzie Hwy, Sisters, OR, 97759, United States
WHAT: Discussing the Science of Creativity, and the Creativity of Science
We did it!

WHERE: Pole Creek Ranch, 15425 McKenzie Hwy, Sisters, OR 97759
WHEN: Saturday, May 18, 5:00 – 8:00pm
FREE! Limited seats! Register HERE!

ADDITIONAL EVENTS ON MAY 16 (BEND) AND MAY 30 (PORTLAND)
Join Caldera Arts in May for an exclusive preview of our fall season of community events, including the launch of The Drawing Room: conversations exploring the impact of creative practice in our lives, and in our communities.
With The Drawing Room, Caldera will present an annual series of intimate gatherings designed to bring together community for small-scale, high-impact evenings, exploring the power of creativity. Together we will explore the unlimited potential of building vibrant and inclusive communities by harnessing the creative process.
We’ll discuss the impact of creative thinking, through the lens of change-makers, artists, and innovators who use the tools of a creative practice to shape their lives, and their communities.
Join us in May for a preview of this dynamic new series.
We’re bringing together a renowned neuroscientist, a celebrated visual artist, and Oregon’s Poet Laureate for a robust exploration of the impact of creative practice on the human brain, and how it shapes our world. We’ll round out the experience with live music performance—bringing the explosive power of creative improv through jazz.
Join us on May 16 in Bend, or May 30 in Portland as we stir together these creative minds in an exclusive gathering of Caldera supporters.

Caldera Alumni Guest Hosts:
The Wav.
Discussing the Science of Creativity, and the Creativity of Science:
Bill Griesar, PhD Neuroscientist and co-founder NW Noggin
Jeff Leake, Visual Artist and co-founder NW Noggin
Christopher Brown, Musician, composer, bandleader, and educator
Exploring Creativity Through The Written Word:
Anis Mojgan, Poet Laureate of Oregon will introduce us to his creative practice (May 30!)
Live Musical Performance:
Acclaimed saxophonist Christopher Brown
Bonus Event! On May 18th in Sisters, we’ll host a more intimate version of the Fall Preview—capped at 25 guests—featuring executive director, Kimberly Howard Wade, in conversation with Bill Griesar and Jeff Leake. Hosted by Alumni guest, music producer, The Wav., with musical guest Christopher Brown.

Noggin @ MacLaren Youth Corrections
2024-05-24 13:30 - 17:00 (America/Los_Angeles) | MacLaren Youth Correctional Facility, 2630 N Pacific Hwy, Woodburn, 97071, United States
WHAT: Noggin visit to MacClaren Youth Correctional Facility
We did it!

WHERE: MacClaren Youth Correctional Facility, 2630 N Pacific Highway, Woodburn, OR 97071; go first to the Gatehouse to check in.
WHEN: FRIDAY, MAY 24, 2024, 1:30 – 5:00pm; ***ARRIVE AT 1:30pm!!
This is the second of two visits to MacLaren this spring: Friday May 17 and Friday, May 24.
Contact: Vanessa Bucio Chavez, Project Coordinator, HOPE Partnership

“Because the brain is undergoing such rapid, fundamental changes at this stage of life, adolescents have a heightened capacity to learn and to [grow] out of risky behavior. Given an environment and supports appropriate to their developmental stage, most young offenders have the potential to become law-abiding adults.”
— The MacArthur Foundation Research Network on Law and Neuroscience
We are excited to return to MacLaren, and meet with more young people curious about the brain, and the policy implications of ongoing neuroscience research on adolescent development, bias, trauma, drugs, and mental health in terms of education, healthcare, criminal justice and the law.
The HOPE Partnership is providing pens, markers and paper for drawing, and we’ll bring along pipe cleaners, nitrile gloves, extra noggins and plenty of grads, post-docs and undergrads who study the brain.

We’re also getting a tour of PROJECT POOCH!

Learn more about NW Noggin at MacLaren at these links:
Listening at MacLaren

Myelinating @ MacLaren!

All is in motion, is growing, is you

LEARN MORE: Youth get visual, hands-on experience with the brain
Corrections, Bias & Brains

COMMITTED PARTICIPANTS
1. Bill Griesar, NW Noggin/PSU/OHSU
2. Jeff Leake, NW Noggin/PSU
3. Natalie P Robison, PSU
4. Angrich Brophy, PSU
5. Becky Callos, PSU
6. Cat Swallow, PSU
7. Elizabeth DeGraw, PSU
8. Emilee Brnusak, PSU
9. Kadi Rae Smith, PSU
10. Cece Austin, PSU
11. Isabel Fleischman, PSU
12. Xander Hawkins, PSU
13. Pearl Ton, PSU
14. Hannah Hauser, PSU

The Science of Creativity with Caldera Arts!
2024-05-30 17:00 - 20:00 (America/Los_Angeles) | Jeju Restaurant, 626 SE Main St, Portland, OR, 97214, United States
WHAT: Discussing the Science of Creativity, and the Creativity of Science
We did it!

WHERE: Jeju Restaurant, 626 SE Main St, Portland, OR 97214
WHEN: Thursday, May 30, 5:00 – 8:00pm
FREE! Limited seats! Register HERE!

ADDITIONAL EVENTS (COMPLETED!) ON MAY 16 (BEND) AND MAY 18 (SISTERS)

Join Caldera Arts in May for an exclusive preview of our fall season of community events, including the launch of The Drawing Room: conversations exploring the impact of creative practice in our lives, and in our communities.
With The Drawing Room, Caldera will present an annual series of intimate gatherings designed to bring together community for small-scale, high-impact evenings, exploring the power of creativity. Together we will explore the unlimited potential of building vibrant and inclusive communities by harnessing the creative process.
We’ll discuss the impact of creative thinking, through the lens of change-makers, artists, and innovators who use the tools of a creative practice to shape their lives, and their communities.
Join us in May for a preview of this dynamic new series.
We’re bringing together a renowned neuroscientist, a celebrated visual artist, and Oregon’s Poet Laureate for a robust exploration of the impact of creative practice on the human brain, and how it shapes our world. We’ll round out the experience with live music performance—bringing the explosive power of creative improv through jazz.
Join us on May 16 in Bend, or May 30 in Portland as we stir together these creative minds in an exclusive gathering of Caldera supporters.

Caldera Alumni Guest Hosts:
Eloe Gill-Williams, filmmaker
Discussing the Science of Creativity, and the Creativity of Science:
Bill Griesar, PhD Neuroscientist and co-founder NW Noggin
Jeff Leake, visual artist and co-founder NW Noggin
Anis Mojgan, Poet Laureate of Oregon
Exploring Creativity Through The Written Word:
Anis Mojgan, Poet Laureate of Oregon will introduce us to his creative practice. (May 16 and May 30 only!)
Live Musical Performance:
Acclaimed saxophonist Christopher Brown
Bonus Event! On May 18th in Sisters, we’ll host a more intimate version of the Fall Preview—capped at 25 guests—featuring executive director, Kimberly Howard Wade, in conversation with Bill Griesar and Jeff Leake. Hosted by Alumni guest, music producer, The Wav., with musical guest Christopher Brown.

Noggin @ David Douglas High!
2024-05-31 09:00 - 14:30 (America/Los_Angeles) | David Douglas High School, 1001 SE 135th Ave, Portland, OR, 97233, United States
WHAT: Visit to Psychology classrooms at David Douglas High School
We did it!!!

“Thank you all for coming to DDHS last week! The students loved it and we appreciate you all so much! I have attached photos of a card they made for you. Thank you again!!” — Tracy Lind, David Douglas

WHERE: David Douglas High School, South Building Board Room, 1500 SE 130th, Portland, OR 97233; Please park in the lot off 130th; enter the doors that face 130th. The secretary will buzz people in and direct them to the board room.
WHEN: THURSDAY, MAY 31, 2024, 9:00am – 2:30pm
Contact: Tracy Lind & Heather Murdock, Social Studies/Psychology Teachers, David Douglas High School

We are excited – even depolarized! – to return to classrooms at David Douglas to discuss neuroscience research, examine brains and make art!
COME JOIN US!
Please contact griesar@pdx.edu and jleake@pdx.edu to learn more.
COMMITTED VOLUNTEERS
1. Bill Griesar, NW Noggin/PSU/OHSU
2. Jeff Leake, NW Noggin/PSU
3. Angrich Brophy, PSU
4. Luis Carillo, PSU
5. Diego Sanchez, PSU
6. Shae Zeimantz, PSU
7. Ben Johnston, PSU
8. Rocio Garcia, PSU
8. Melissa Garcia, PSU
10. Iris Campos Servin, PSU
11. Pearl Ton, PSU
12. Isabel Fleischman, PSU
13. Becky Callos, PSU
14. Mo DindarAzimi, PSU
See what we’ve done before @ David Douglas!
Thank you for letting us touch your brains

Inspiration & Education!

Everything but guns

NOGGINFEST 2024!!!!
2024-06-07 - 2024-06-08 | The Fixin’ To, 8218 N. Lombard, Portland, OR, 97203, United States
WHAT: NOGGINFEST!!
We did it!!!

WHERE: The Fixin’ To, 8218 N. Lombard, Portland, Oregon 97203
WHEN: Friday AND Saturday (June 7 and 8), 2024

Make art! Enjoy music! Discover cutting edge research! Ask questions! Hold BRAINS! This is the largest student-run, accessible, all ages, public celebration of music, art, “brain awareness” and interdisciplinary neuroscience in the Pacific Northwest!
And it’s FREE!!
Jeff Leake “Eclipse” 14×11 inches, Drypoint etching on paper

CHECK OUT THE ART AUCTION!!
DAY ONE!!!

DAY TWO!!!

LEARN MORE: NOGGINFEST!

Noggin Presents: NIH Brain Initiative Conference!
2024-06-18 11:15 - 12:15 (America/New_York) | Bethesda North Marriott Hotel & Conference Center, 5701 Marinelli Road, Rockville, MD, 20852-2785, United States
WHAT: Northwest Noggin presents a workshop on “Fostering inspiration and engagement through outreach, noggins and art” at the 10th Annual NIH BRAIN Initiative Conference!

WHERE: Glen Echo, Bethesda North Marriott, 5701 Marinelli Rd, Rockville, MD 20852
WHEN: Tuesday, June 18th, 11:15am – 12:15pm

MAKE ART! ASK QUESTIONS! EXAMINE (3D-printed 🙂 BRAINS!

Come join Northwest Noggin at the 10th Annual Brain Initiative conference on Tuesday, June 18th to explore how the arts and humanities can enhance, inform and enrich neuroscience research!

Screenshot
REGISTER (free!) HERE: The 10th Annual BRAIN Initiative Conference

THANK YOU NIH BRAIN INITIATIVE FOR PROVIDING ALL THE RESOURCES FOR NW NOGGIN TO TRAVEL, STAY, PRESENT AND EAT AT THE CONFERENCE! (we also received, after weeks of repeated requests, $43 from Portland State University to ship pipe cleaners for our workshop :))

The Brain Research Through Advancing Innovative Neurotechnologies® Initiative, or The BRAIN Initiative®, is a partnership between Federal and non-Federal partners with a common goal of accelerating the development of innovative neurotechnologies. Through the application and dissemination of these scientific advancements, researchers will be able to produce a revolutionary new dynamic picture of the brain that, for the first time, shows how individual cells and complex neural circuits interact in both time and space.

LEARN MORE: The Brain Research Through Advancing Innovative Neurotechnologies® (BRAIN) Initiative

ABSTRACT
Fostering inspiration and engagement through outreach, noggins and art

Science needs investment, and engaging the public communicates discoveries and builds support for education and research. Integrating the arts in STEM (STEAM) fosters interdisciplinary engagement, and draws in more people not currently overrepresented in the academic study of neuroscience. Nonprofit NW Noggin (nwnoggin.org) organizes undergraduates and graduates to collaborate, build community networks and inspire people about neuroscience and art. We bring diverse students excited by research and their own study of the brain and behavior into public schools, correctional facilities, Congress, houseless youth centers, coffee shops and pubs to hear what people already know and what they’d like to know, and to see where our stories and discoveries from labs and classrooms intersect. We’ve talked with over 70,000 people since 2012! K-12 students and members of the public are inspired by interacting with our undergraduates and graduates, and discover new possibilities for future educational and career paths. Our outreach volunteers learn about community needs and questions, and become better at communicating science. Many of our projects and experiences involve emerging technologies, including 3D printing. In our BRAIN Conference session, we’ll have plenty of colorful 3D printed cerebrums to share, and we’ll build new cells from pipe cleaners that reflect the extraordinary diversity revealed by BRAIN Initiative supported technologies. Anyone interested in the power of art to excite, engage and invite a broader public into STEM will enjoy this experience, and come away with ideas to expand their own outreach efforts. Building excitement and awareness of discoveries, educational options and careers through arts-integrated neuroscience outreach trains new scientists to collaborate, engages more people, and increases awareness and support for community investment in both brain research and the arts.

SLIDES

SLIDES (.pptx): NW Noggin BRAIN Initiative 2024
SLIDES (.pdf): NW Noggin BRAIN Initiative 2024

Noggin @ Summer Research Academy!
2024-06-20 13:30 - 15:30 (America/Los_Angeles) | Viking Pavilion @ Portland State University, 930 SW Hall St, Portland, OR, 97201, United States
WHAT: Tabling event at the Portland State University Summer Research Academy!
We did it!!

WHERE: Viking Pavilion at Portland State University, 930 SW Hall St, Portland, OR 97201
WHEN: Thursday, June 20, 1:30 – 3:30pm (arrive ~ 1:30pm for LUNCH!)
The PSU Center for Internship, Mentoring, and Research (CIMR) Summer Research Academy is coming up soon! We need information from you in preparation of your arrival and participation in SRA. The event is 3 days of activities held in-person on the PSU campus.
Screenshot
JOIN US @ the NOGGIN TABLE THURSDAY (6/20) – THERE’S LUNCH (and brains 😅)!
COMMITTED PARTICIPANTS
1. Bill Griesar, Noggin/PSU/OHSU
2. Jeff Leake, Noggin/PSU
3. Mo DindarAzimi, PSU
4. Jennie Terranova, PSU
5.
What is the Summer Research Academy?
Summer Research Academy (SRA) is designed to engage undergraduate students interested in making a difference in their communities by pursuing research opportunities in STEM, biomedical, behavioral, clinical, health, and social sciences. Students do not have to have prior research experience to participate!
The goals of SRA are to provide undergraduate students an introduction to what research is, how it’s developed and conducted, and where to find relevant research opportunities! Participants will hear from a range of professional researchers in their respective fields, panel discussions by undergraduate and graduate students involved in research, and get to know the different undergraduate research opportunities available at PSU and other universities.
At this 3-day event, participants will:
Improve their understanding of research
Increase awareness of research opportunities
Be introduced to research career paths and meet professionals
Connect with professional development opportunities and events related to research
APPLICATION DEADLINE: FRIDAY, MAY 24!!
Participants will receive $250 for attending all 3–days of programming (June 18, 20, and 21, 2024). Breakfast/lunch and snacks are provided! If you are a student (or research opportunity) and have any questions, please email us at summerresearch@pdx.edu.

Free Webinar: Open Science Drives Discovery
2024-09-16 15:00 - 16:00 (America/Los_Angeles) | OR
WHAT: Free American Brain Coalition webinar – Open Science Drives Discovery
WHERE: Online; REGISTER HERE
WHEN: Monday, September 16, 2024, 3:00 – 4:00pm Eastern time

Join us as we explore the transformative power of open science. This session will delve into what open science means, the importance of sharing data, and how it fuels scientific innovation. This webinar will provide valuable insights on how open science is shaping the future of discovery-and how you can be a part of this movement.
Speakers include:
Benjamin Dichter, PhD
Founder, CatalystNeuro
Community Liaison, Neurodata Without Borders (NWB)
Sue Tappan, PhD
Head of Community Engagement
SPARC Data and Resource Center
Moderator: Bill Griesar, PhD
ABC Programming, Engagement & Outreach Committee Member
Teaching Assistant Professor, Psychology, Portland State University
Neuroscience Coordinator, NW Noggin

Noggin @ Society for Neuroscience!
2024-10-05 - 2024-10-09 | McCormick Place Chicago, 2301 S King Drive, Chicago, IL, 60616, United States
WHAT: Noggin/PSU Neuroscience Club @ Society for Neuroscience conference!

WHERE: McCormick Place, 2301 S Martin Luther King Dr, Chicago, IL 60616
WHEN: Saturday, October 5 – Wednesday, October 9

Abstract Control Number: 1895
Abstract Title: Las neuronas son bacanes interdisciplinary neuroscience in Valparaíso Chile
*W. GRIESAR1, J. LEAKE2;
1Northwest Noggin/PSU/OHSU, Astoria, OR; 2Psychology, Northwest Noggin/Portland State Univ., Portland, OR
Session Title: Teaching of Neuroscience: College II
Session Day and Time: 10/5/2024 1:00:00 PM-10/5/2024 5:00:00 PM
SATURDAY, OCTOBER 5
12:30pm – 2:00pm
NOGGIN POSTER
Posterboard Number: X2
We’ll be at our Theme J poster from 12:30 – 2:00pm
Abstract Control Number: 1895; Session Number: TJP04
Abstract Title: Las neuronas son bacanes interdisciplinary neuroscience in Valparaíso Chile
*W. GRIESAR1, J. LEAKE2

2:30 – 4:00pm
NOGGIN POSTER
BRAIN AWARENESS SESSION, HALL A, PRODUCT THEATER
We’ll be at our second poster at the BRAIN AWARENESS SESSION!

SUNDAY, OCTOBER 6
ALL DAY
SFN CONFERENCE!
MONDAY, OCTOBER 7
OUTREACH
9:30am – 3:00pm
We are super-excited to meet with students, teachers and staff at the Chicago Military Academy at Bronzeville! This innovative public school is close to McCormick Place, and the Chicago Public Schools Department of STEM will provide coffee, breakfast and lunch for Noggin volunteers! Plan to arrive at 9:30am, and stay through 3:00pm.

WHAT: Noggin visit with high school students at Chicago Military Academy at Bronzeville

WHERE: Chicago Military Academy at Bronzeville, 3519 S Giles Ave, Chicago, IL 60653
WHEN: Monday, October 7, 8:30am – 3:00pm (coffee/meals provided)

9:30am
Arrival at school and initial setup
10:00 – 10:30am
Tour of the school and museum!
10:30 – 11:00am
Set up in Freshman Drill Hall
11:00am – 12:20pm
SESSION ONE: 25 students
12:25 – 1:15pm
Lunch
1:21 – 3:01pm
SESSION TWO: 25 students (all from the Anatomy class)
From their website: “The purpose of the Bronzeville Project is to establish a world-class urban military academy in the historic Eighth Regiment Armory that would serve students from all areas of Chicago. The Academy is the site of National African-American Military Museum, which will display artifacts and memorabilia of the black commanded ‘Fighting Eighth’ Illinois National Guard Regiment and other honorable veterans.”
LEARN MORE: The History of Bronzeville
LEARN MORE: History of Bronzeville

COMMITTED OUTREACH VOLUNTEERS
1. Bill Griesar, NW Noggin, PSU/OHSU
2. Jeff Leake, NW Noggin, PSU
3. Denesa Lockwood, NW Noggin, OHSU
4. Kadi Rae Smith, PSU Neuroscience Club
5. Cece Austin, PSU Neuroscience Club
6. Cassidy Fitzpatrick, PSU Neuroscience Club
7. Logan Tangredi, PSU Neuroscience Club
8. Marc Chenard, PSU Neuroscience Club
9. Amanda Jones, PSU/OHSU
10. Conner Corbett, PSU/OHSU/Noggin Glial Grant recipient
11. Hope Berns, Outreach Associate, Society for Neuroscience
12. Dan Jang, PSU Neuroscience Club
13. Leigh Wilson, Kings College London
14. Noah Milman, OHSU
15. Xander Hawkins, PSU
Some questions from students in CPS:
1. What strategies can you provide for learning the Body Systems, their functions, and their location?
2. How often do you study to prepare for an Anatomy & Physiology course?
3. How much reading is required for an Anatomy & Physiology course?
4. Why did you select to conduct your studies in the medical field?
5. What kind of impact has AI had on the medical field?
6. What impact has AI had on you as a professional?
7. Do any of you mentor at-risk youth? Why or why not?
8. What advice would you give to a student not interested in medicine but in becoming a social media personality?
9. How would you advise me to network as a high school student?
10. How have you leveraged social media for your professional and private life?
11. How do you get perseverance? How do you stick with something?
12. What about your habits? Stuff you don’t want to do? How do you change that?
13. How does a dog brain work? Is it similar to ours? Does it have different parts, or different connections?
14. What other careers are related to neuroscience?
15. Why is there electricity in the brain?
16. If your brain is more wrinkly, are you smarter?
17. How do you sleep better?
18. Why can I control my dreams but my friends can’t?
19. Where does the energy in our neurons come from?
20. Do we have an electromagnetic field? Does the electricity traveling on axons create an electromagnetic field inside our heads? Does it affect how I think, or feel?
21. Is research a good career for someone with social anxiety?
22. Does taking ashwagandha for anxiety good for you? Is it good for your brain?

6:15 – 9:00pm
BRAINFACTS LIVE: Alien Intelligences
Haymarket Pub & Brewery, 737 W Randolph St, Chicago, IL 60661

TUESDAY, OCTOBER 8
ALL DAY
SFN CONFERENCE!
From their website: “The Society for Neuroscience is the world’s largest organization of scientists and physicians devoted to understanding the brain and nervous system.”

Northwest Noggin volunteers include neuroscience undergraduates (many from the Portland State University Neuroscience Club), graduate students, postdocs and artists, and both individually and collectively we present and attend local chapter meetings and international conferences for the Society for Neuroscience (SfN).
LEARN MORE: Noggin @ Society for Neuroscience
We’re excited to return to Chicago this fall to present our posters and visit local public schools!

THANK YOU PORTLAND ALCOHOL RESEARCH CENTER @ OHSU, PORTLAND STATE UNIVERSITY PSYCHOLOGY, SOCIETY FOR NEUROSCIENCE AND THE MARIE LAMFROM CHARITABLE FOUNDATION FOR SUPPORTING ALL-VOLUNTEER INTERDISCIPLINARY NEUROSCIENCE OUTREACH!!! (The PSU College of Liberal Arts and Sciences initially promised support for outreach supplies – but they’ve ghosted us 🤯).
LEARN MORE: Noggins in CHICAGO!
LEARN MORE: Reflections on Chicago
Check out our abstract!

NW NOGGIN ABSTRACT
Las neuronas son bacanes: interdisciplinary neuroscience in Valparaíso Chile
GRIESAR, W.S.124, LEAKE, J.123
1Department of Psychology, Portland State University; 2NW Noggin (nwnoggin.org); 3Department of University Studies, Portland State University; 4Department of Behavioral Neuroscience, Oregon Health & Science University

Nonprofit nwnoggin.org organizes collaboration around interdisciplinary neuroscience, going places to explore brains, hear stories, make art and see where research discoveries can contribute. Portland State University in Portland, OR offers a minor in interdisciplinary neuroscience, where Noggin co-founders Dr. Bill Griesar and Jeff Leake both teach. In 2023, we reached out to artists and STEM colleagues at the Universidad de Valparaíso Chile. Along with the PSU Education Abroad Office and Academic Programs International we created Cerebrarte, the first international, homestay-based STEAM program exploring the rich art and neuroscience traditions of the Valparaíso region. We brought 17 students and two faculty to Chile from July 27 – August 28, 2023. Through visits to labs and the historic complex at Montemar, we explored how research on the giant axons of Humboldt squid contributed to our understanding of the electrical signaling that links our perceptual and cognitive experiences to the world. We met Dr. Ramón LaTorre and Dr. Juan Saez (members of the National Academy of Sciences), Dr. David Naranjo, Dr. Jesús Olivares, Dr. John Ewer and Dr. Kate Whitlock, and graduate students and postdocs for discussions about olfaction, voltage-gated channels, spider neurons and potential therapeutic compounds in boldo tea. We welcomed Kings College London neuroscientist Dr. Richard Wingate, Editor of brainfacts.org, the outreach arm of Society for Neuroscience, who spoke about his 2023 book, “The Story of the Brain in 10 ½ Cells,” with the ½ Cell referencing the giant axon. Valpo is home to exceptional research, and is a celebrated center of public art. Street art was legalized in 1990, and eye-catching murales are everywhere. Students examined art with thiscatcallededdie, explored regional museums, created engravings (grabados), and sewed arpilleras, woven depictions of challenging and sometimes traumatic experiences that allow emotional expression and create durable memories of events with artist Cecilia Araneda. We explored the neuroscience of perception, stress and trauma as it relates to personal experience (including aspects of culture shock), research, art and the 50th year since El Golpe, the US-backed coup that violently overthrew democratically elected President Salvador Allende in 1973. The program culminated in a visit to Ciencia al Tiro, a STEAM outreach nonprofit where we made pipe cleaner brain cells and took them to the streets to speak with residents of Playa Ancha sobre porque las neuronas son bacanes (why neurons are cool). Cerebrarte was an exciting, interdisciplinary, intercultural, international experience, and will occur again in 2025.
LEARN MORE: Las neuronas son bacánes!
JOIN US IN CHILE IN 2025: Valparaiso – Arte y Cerebros en Chile

Noggin in Lincoln County Schools!
2024-10-14 12:45 - 15:00 (America/Los_Angeles) | Taft High School, 3780 SE Spy Glass Ridge Dr, Lincoln City, OR, 97367, United States
WHAT: NW Noggin at Lincoln County Schools for Indigenous Peoples Day!

WHERE: Taft High School, 3780 SE Spy Glass Ridge Dr, Lincoln City, OR 97367
WHEN: Monday, October 14, 2024, 12:45pm – 3::05pm

IMAGE SOURCE: Siletz Valley School principal investigated after seventh complaint
Northwest Noggin is thrilled to be invited to Lincoln County Schools!

Learn more about our previous outreach in Siletz here:
Long skinny lightning in Siletz

Interdisciplinary Neuroscience Social @ PSU!
2024-10-15 15:00 - 16:30 (America/Los_Angeles) | Cramer Hall 307, Portland State University, 1825 SW Broadway, Portland, OR, 97201, United States
WHAT: Discover Interdisciplinary Neuroscience at PSU!

We still do this – without administrator compensation or tenured faculty protections.
WHERE: Cramer Hall Room 307 and 309 and the hallway in between 🙂
WHEN: Tuesday, October 15th, 2024, 3:00 – 4:30pm

Hold brains! Ask questions! Share stories! Make art!
FREE COFFEE AND SNACKS PROVIDED BY YOUR TEACHING FACULTY!
We’ll bring the extra noggins and pile up the pipe cleaners for a fun afternoon of crafting and discovery. Learn about PSU’s unique interdisciplinary neuroscience minor, directly examine specimens, create your own brain cell and hear about the Interdisciplinary Neuroscience Association!

LEARN MORE: Interdisciplinary Neuroscience minor at PSU
ALSO: Explore innovative education abroad opportunities in Valparaíso, Chile – an extraordinary art-filled coastal city where foundational neuroscience research on how neurons carry electrical messages continues utilizing the giant axons of the Humboldt squid!

LEARN MORE: PSU Faculty-Led Chile: Valparaiso – Arte y Cerebros en Chile
LEARN MORE: Las neuronas son bacánes!
73 undergraduates! 🤯

That’s how many students at Portland State University have completed their #interdisciplinary #neuroscience minor requirements since the minor launched during a global pandemic in 2021. Huge thanks for the fantastic volunteer efforts of students and teaching faculty, who’ve done so much with **minimal** institutional investment but tremendous community and national/international engagement and support 🥰

Noggin @ Leodis V. McDaniel High School
2024-10-17 08:15 - 13:00 (America/Los_Angeles) | Leodis V. McDaniel High School, 2735 NE 82nd Ave, Portland, OR, 97220, United States
WHAT: Noggin visit with students at Leodis V. McDaniel High School
We did it!!
Missing limbs at McDaniel

WHERE: Leodis V. McDaniel High School, 2735 NE 82nd Ave, Portland, OR 97220
WHEN: Thursday, October 17, 2024, 8:15am – 1:30pm

Contact: Darshanpreet Gill, Biomedical Science Teacher
Please head to the school office upon arrival to check in.
We’ll meet with 10th, 11th & 12th grade students at this Portland Public school!
See what we did before at Leodis McDaniel
Your Inner Worm Bin

COMMITTED PARTICIPANTS
1. Bill Griesar, PSU/OHSU/NW Noggin
2. Jeff Leake, PSU/NW Noggin
3. Becky Martinez, PSU
4. Gabe Guarin, PSU
5. Alyssa Showalter, PSU
6. Kayla Dagnino, PSU
7. Alex Heinrich, PSU
8. Ciara Fragoso, PSU
9. Ann Bui, PSU
10. Maha Mukhtar, PSU
11. Allan Gaither, PSU
12. Lovey Zheng, PSU
13. Ashlyn O’Malley, PSU
AMAZING QUESTIONS!!

What causes ADHD?
Is all ADHD the same? Are there different kinds of ADHD?
What medication is used to treat ADHD, and does it work? Does it keep working?
Are there other ways to treat ADHD, that don’t involve drugs?
What types of jobs are available in neuroscience?
Can studying neuroscience help you work in different fields?
How do your genes and your own life experience affect each other?
How long does it take to become a neurosurgeon?
How do I get to study neuroscience?
How expensive is it to become a graduate student in neuroscience?
Are there people who can only see in black and white?
Is it harder to learn a language as an adult? And if so why?
How does better sleep help the brain?
What is consciousness – and do we know anything about where it happens in the brain?
Why are some things we do or experience conscious, but other things aren’t?
Does a bigger brain mean that you’re smarter?
Do you recommend any books or podcasts about neuroscience?
How do people still feel their missing limbs?
Can a prosthetic hand make a “phantom” limb disappear? Can it replace it?

Noggin @ Caldera Arts!
2024-10-19 10:00 - 18:00 (America/Los_Angeles) | Caldera Arts, 31500 Blue Lake Drive, Sisters, 97759, United States
WHAT: Noggin joins the Caldera Arts Hearth Festival!!

WHERE: Caldera Arts, 31500 Blue Lake Drive, Sisters, OR 97759
WHEN: Saturday, October 19, 2024, 11:00am – 6:00pm
(Noggin folks please arrive ~10:00 – 10:15am!)
Drive out Saturday morning (arrive by 10:00am); overnight at Caldera Arts (T-Hall)

CLICK HERE FOR MORE PHOTOS FROM CALDERA
Curious about neuroscience? Examine brains up close! Tell us what you already know about noggins, and ask ANY questions you have. Make art, and create your own brain cell! JOIN US AT THE CALDERA ARTS HEARTH FESTIVAL!

Hearth Festival is designed to welcome community members of all ages to Caldera’s 119-acre Arts Center for a day-long exploration of the practice of creativity, especially as it manifests within community spaces.
This yearly festival showcases Maker Stations experiences and sponsorship opportunities, featuring to explore creativity through a variety of mediums. Every year we anticipate engagement featuring photography, screen printing, ceramics, paper making, sound-play, dance, and movement…

Artisanal Food and Beverage: Our community is rich with creativity in artisanal food, crafted beverages, and sweet treats! Hearth Festival is an opportunity to experience some of the most creative artisans working in these areas.

Music, Art, Speakers: Experiments with Sound, Spoken Word, and Music Performances: Throughout the daylong event, Hearth Festival will feature performances and presentations of creative expression.

Art Installations

COMMITTED VOLUNTEERS
1. Bill Griesar, NW Noggin, PSU/OHSU
2. Kadi Rae Smith, PSU Neuroscience Club
3. Conner Corbett, OHSU/PSU
Volunteer list FULL
See what we’ve done with Caldera Arts in the past!
The Art and Neuroscience of Narrative

Caldera Arts and Brains

Noggin @ Sunnyside!
2024-10-22 12:00 - 15:00 (America/Los_Angeles) | Sunnyside Environmental School, 3421 SE Salmon St, Portland, OR, 97214, United States
WHAT: NW Noggin @ Sunnyside Environmental School
We did it! (while PSU goes around threatening to fire teachers 😬)

WHERE: Sunnyside Environmental School, 3421 SE Salmon St, Portland, OR 97214
WHEN: Tuesday, October 22, 12:45 – 3:15pm!

Contacts: Asa Gervich & Jeremy Thomas, 4th Grade Teachers, Sunnyside School
We are thrilled to return to Jeremy and Asa’s lively classrooms this fall!

JOIN US!
Please contact griesar@pdx.edu and jleake@pdx.edu for to get involved 🙂
COMMITTED PARTICIPANTS
1. Bill Griesar, PSU/OHSU/NW Noggin
2. Jeff Leake, PSU/NW Noggin
3. Gabe Guarin, PSU
4. Alyssa Showalter, PSU
5. Kayla Dagnino, PSU
6. Alex Heinrich, PSU
7. Maha Mukhtar, PSU
8. Jennifer Logan, PSU
9. Radhika Reddy, PSU
10. Jennie Terranova, PSU
11. Agatha Jaquiss, PSU
12. Becky Callos, PSU
13. Bradley Marxmiller, PSU/OHSU
See what we’ve done before!
Without my amygdala, would I get scared?

Learning through mistakes!

How to visit public schools

Thank You Northwest Noggin!

Neurons in Minecraft & More!

A crayon in Homer’s brain

What about the glia?

Noggin @ King Elementary PDX!
2024-10-31 08:00 - 14:45 (America/Los_Angeles) | Martin Luther King School Portland, 4906 NE 6th Ave, Portland, OR, 97211, United States
WHAT: Noggin visit with K-5 students in Portland Public Schools!
We did it!

WHERE: Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. School, 4906 NE 6th Ave, Portland, OR 97211
WHEN: THURSDAY, October 31 🎃, 8:00am – 2:45pm
There will be COFFEE, DONUTS and PIZZA provided by the school!!
CONTACT: Teresa Seidel, Principal, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Elementary School

“At Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. School, we believe in the unlimited potential of everyone in our diverse community. We believe that a caring well-balanced student will be motivated to become a global citizen who is inspired to take action.”

Noggin volunteers are excited to hear from K-5 students at this Northeast Portland public school in October! We’ll bring some extra noggins for exploring student questions and interests, and make more pipe cleaner brain cells too.

Please join us! Email griesar@pdx.edu and jleake@pdx.edu to learn more.
COMMITTED PARTICIPANTS
1. Bill Griesar, NW Noggin/PSU/OHSU
2. Jeff Leake, NW Noggin/PSU
3. Gabe Guarin, PSU
4. Alyssa Showalter, PSU
5. Kayla Dagnino, PSU
6. Alex Heinrich, PSU
7. Xander Hawkins, PSU
8. Maha Mukhtar, PSU
9. Pearl Ton, PSU
10. E Mondragon-Torres, PSU
11. Kirby Kahl, PSU
12. Hana Haley, PSU
13. Jennifer Logan, PSU
14. Ilyarah Motley, PSU
See what we’ve done at King in the past!
A Hippocampal Halloween

King Cortex!

Noggin @ Alberta Rider Elementary School
2024-11-07 08:00 - 12:00 (America/Los_Angeles) | Alberta Rider Elementary School, 14850 SW 132nd Terrace, Tigard, OR, 97224, United States
WHAT: Noggin visit to Alberta Rider Elementary School
We did it!

“I want to extend my thanks for your visit to Alberta Rider last week. Students and staff have had amazing, positive things to say about their experience. I especially loved hearing the thoughtful questions students asked during the presentation and activity. I hope we can host you again next year so more of our students can enjoy this experience.”
— Casey Petrie, Principal, Alberta Rider School

Where do we get the brains from?
Do we have any football player brains up here? Are their brains different?
Are grown ups more boring?
Can you eat your own brain?
Do we have wires in our brain?
How do you make brain cells?
How big is a brain for kids, teens, and adults?
Can you live with your brain upside down in your head?
How do you know that that is what a neuron looks like?
What happens to your rods and cones if you are colorblind?

WHERE: Alberta Rider Elementary School, 14850 SW 132nd Terrace, Tigard, OR 97224

WHEN: Thursday, November 7, 8:00am – noon

Our first visit to this Tigard-Tualatin Public School!
Please join us! Email griesar@pdx.edu and jleake@pdx.edu to learn more.
COMMITTED PARTICIPANTS
1. Bill Griesar, NW Noggin/PSU/OHSU
2. Jeff Leake, NW Noggin/PSU
3. Gabe Guarin, PSU
4. Alyssa Showalter, PSU
5. Kayla Dagnino, PSU
6. Maha Mukhtar, PSU
7. Jennifer Logan, PSU
8. Yasaman Farhand, PSU
9. Becky Callos, PSU
10. Angela Hendrix, NW Noggin

Noggin in Canby Schools!
2024-11-12 08:45 - 12:00 (America/Los_Angeles) | Carus Elementary, 14412 S Carus Rd, Oregon City, OR, 97045, United States
WHAT: Noggin visit to Carus Elementary School
We did it!

“I want to thank you all for coming. It was absolutely amazing and the feedback I’ve gotten is incredible. The sixth grade teachers were ecstatic about how much your explanations and explorations aligned with their curriculum, and us fourth grade teachers got the chance to see our kids work with something new and different. Parents have already told me that their students came home wanting to be neuroscientists! You all made my day and my week. Thank you so much for coming!”
-Kim Kent, 4th Grade Teacher, Carus Elementary
WHERE: Carus Elementary, 14412 S Carus Rd, Oregon City, OR 97045
WHEN: Tuesday, November 12, 8:45am – noon

Our first visit to this Canby Public School!
9:00-9:50 6th grade class one
9:50-10:40 6th grade class two
10:45-11:50 both 4th grades
Please join us! Email griesar@pdx.edu and jleake@pdx.edu to learn more.
COMMITTED PARTICIPANTS
1. Bill Griesar, NW Noggin/PSU/OHSU
2. Jeff Leake, NW Noggin/PSU
3. Natalie Robison, University of Washington
4. Alyssa Showalter, PSU
5. Kayla Dagnino, PSU
6. Maha Mukhtar, PSU
7. Jennifer Logan, PSU
8. Becky Callos, PSU

Noggin Benefit Night @ Fort George!!
2025-01-14 16:30 - 18:30 (America/Los_Angeles) | Fort George Brewery, 1483 Duane St, Astoria, OR, 97103, United States
WHAT: Brains, art and a benefit for NW Noggin!
We did it!

WHERE: Fort George Brewery, 1483 Duane St, Astoria, OR 97103
WHEN: Tuesday, January 14; Noggin table (bring questions!) 4:30 – 6:30pm
(but 10% of Fort sales all day support all volunteer STEM + Art outreach!)

Noggin is thrilled and honored that the storied Fort George Brewery will dedicate a portion of sales from Tuesday, January 14th to our all volunteer interdisciplinary neuroscience nonprofit! THANK YOU FORT GEORGE!!!

COMMITTED VOLUNTEERS
1. Bill Griesar, NW Noggin/PSU/OHSU
2. Jeff Leake, NW Noggin/PSU
3. Bob Duehmig, OHSU
4. Sam Mutschler-Aldine, PSU
5. Allan Gaither, PSU
6. Noelle Wilcox, PSU
7.
8.

Noggin regularly collaborates with TRIO Clatsop, public school districts and other community partners in Astoria and surrounding communities to bring brains, art and undergraduates and graduate students studying neuroscience to classrooms, theaters, and the extraordinary Lovell Building at the Fort George!
See what we’ve done before on Oregon’s North Coast!
Brain Cells Dance

Pre-K, Fish and Logger Lobes!

Signal from Noise on the Oregon Coast

Viking, Shark, Fishermen & Bandit Brains!

Clatsop Community Cortex

North Coast Noggins: Art, Alevins & Brains!

Accumbens in Astoria

Noggin @ Oregon City High!
2025-01-16 10:30 - 14:00 (America/Los_Angeles) | Oregon City High School, 19761 S Beavercreek Rd, Oregon City, OR, 97045, United States
WHAT: NW Noggin visit with high schoolers at Oregon City High School
We did it!

WHERE: Oregon City High School, 19761 S Beavercreek Rd, Oregon City, OR 97045
WHEN: Thursday, January 16, 10:30am – 2:00pm

Contact: Kelsey Scully, Science Teacher, Oregon City High School
We’ll join high school students studying science and anatomy in multiple classes at Oregon City High School to talk brain research, make art, and consider questions!

Come join us! Please contact Bill Griesar (griesar@pdx.edu) and Jeff Leake (jleake@pdx.com) to get involved.
COMMITTED PARTICIPANTS
1. Bill Griesar, NW Noggin/PSU/OHSU
2. Jeff Leake, NW Noggin/PSU
3. Allan Gaither, PSU
4. Emmali Luangrath, PSU
5. Willow Coughlan, PSU
6. Luis Carrillo, PSU
7. Omri Jones, PSU
8. Becky Callos, PSU
9. Iris Campos Servin, PSU
10. Richard Benson, PSU
11. Sydney Watson, PSU
12.
13.
14.
15.
LEARN MORE: NW Noggin visiting CAP Classes
Did school kill my brain?

Noggin @ Undergrad Research Opportunity Fair!
2025-01-17 13:00 - 15:00 (America/Los_Angeles) | Smith Ballroom, Portland State University, Smith Center (3rd floor), 1825 SW Broadway, Portland, OR, 97201, United States
WHAT: Tabling event at the PSU Undergraduate Research Opportunity Fair!
WHERE: SMSU Ballroom @ Portland State University, 1825 SW Broadway, PDX, OR 97201
WHEN: Friday, January 17, 1:00 – 3:00pm (Includes LUNCH!)

JOIN US @ the NOGGIN TABLE – THERE’S LUNCH (and brains 😅)!

COMMITTED PARTICIPANTS
1. Bill Griesar, Noggin/PSU/OHSU
2. Jeff Leake, Noggin/PSU
3. Kadi Rae Smith, Interdisciplinary Neuroscience Association President, PSU
4. Conner Corbett, OHSU/PSU
5. Becky Callos, PSU
6. Roadie (Planet Earth)

Noggin @ Sacajawea Elementary!
2025-01-23 09:00 - 12:00 (America/Los_Angeles) | OR
WHAT: NW Noggin @ Sacajawea Elementary School (Vancouver Public Schools)
We did it!!

◦ How fast do neurons work?
◦ What are neurons made of?
◦ Is ADHD in the brain?
◦ Do all brains look the same?
◦ Why does the (preserved) brain look like foam?
◦ So is there a tree in my head?
◦ Are brains like computer chips?
◦ What happens if we drop the specimens?
◦ Why are the brains in jars with fluid?
◦ How does the brain get all those curves?
◦ How did you get all the brains?
◦ If you hit your head, is your brain fixed so it won’t move?
WHERE: Sacajawea Elementary School, 700 NE 112th St, Vancouver, WA 98685
WHEN: Thursday, January 23, 2025, 9:00am – noon
Contact: Brenda Starr, Family‐Community Resource Coordinator, Sacajawea Elementary School; Carla Feltz, Family Engagement/Technical Assistance Coordinator, Vancouver Public Schools

Our Noggin volunteers will talk brains and make art with kindergarten through 5th graders in Vancouver Public Schools!

COMMITTED PARTICIPANTS
1. Bill Griesar, PSU/OHSU/NW Noggin
2. Jeff Leake, PSU/NW Noggin
3. Greyson Moore, PSU graduate
4. Emmali Luangrath, PSU
5. Willow Coughlan, PSU
6. Becky Callos, PSU
7. Omri Jones, PSU
8. Sam Mutschler-Aldine, PSU
9. Annabel Jensen, PSU
10.
11.
12.
See what we’ve done before at Sacagawea!
How many neurons in a dinosaur brain?
