Brain Awareness Week

Status: Open

Deadline: 3 Oct 2024

Funding body: FENS, Dana Foundation

Brain Awareness Week (BAW) is the global campaign to foster public enthusiasm and support for brain science, organised by the Dana Foundation.

Every year, on behalf of the Dana Foundation, FENS offers financial support of up to EUR 1,000 to Brain Awareness Week event organisers in Europe.

In 2025, FENS and the Dana Foundation encourage event organisers during the Brain Awareness Week campaign to highlight how neuroscience benefits society and reflects the aspirations of all people, by exploring the connections between neuroscience and society’s challenges and opportunities, and how neuroscience has the potential to do good.

Neuroscience and Society

Neuroscience and society is a multidisciplinary field that explores how neuroscience both influences and is influenced by society, while translating these insights into practical applications. It encompasses diverse areas where neuroscience intersects with the world, including ethics, law, humanities, medicine, arts, social sciences, policy, education, journalism and public engagement. This list is illustrative rather than exhaustive, as many other disciplines also fall within the scope of neuroscience and society. The field serves as a link between research and the interdisciplinary insights needed to enhance people’s lives. By fostering meaningful connections between scientists, academics and the communities they serve, neuroscience and society ensures that advancements in the field lead to tangible benefits for individuals and society as a whole.

We encourage applicants to incorporate issues and topics in neuroscience and society in their 2025 events to ensure BAW remains relevant to people’s lives and engages them in wider conversations about brain science. 

Some examples of relevant issues include:

  • Educating the general public about the significance and intricacies of neuroscience, by providing information about how the brain works and the latest discoveries in the field, and highlighting the benefits of neuroscience research in improving people’s lives
  • Creating platforms where neuroscientists can share new research findings with the broader community, making complex scientific knowledge more understandable and relevant to everyday life, and combatting misinformation about the brain and scientific research
  • Ensuring adequate funding for brain research by bringing together scientists, funders, lawmakers and the general public
  • Initiatives designed to spark curiosity and passion for neuroscience, especially among young people, through interactive workshops, seminars, and educational materials.
  • Educating the public about the responsible use of animals in research
  • Collaborative projects and events that highlight the interdisciplinary nature of neuroscience, such as exploring the intersection between neuroscience and art, philosophy, law, or ethics
  • Pushing boundaries and exploring new frontiers for neuroscience outreach
  • Raising awareness about various brain-related health issues, including mental health disorders, neurodegenerative diseases, and the impact of brain injuries, while providing information on prevention and treatment. Activities emphasising practices and lifestyles that support cognitive well-being and prevent neurological diseases.
  • Fostering partnerships that leverage the strengths of schools, universities, and local organisations to promote neuroscience education and outreach.
  • Developing programs and resources aimed at reducing disparities in health and education, particularly in underserved communities.
  • Initiatives to encourage and support individuals from underrepresented groups in pursuing careers in STEM fields, with a focus on neuroscience.

Additional resources that could be helpful for event organisers include:

Franklin Institute Neuroscience & Society High School Curriculum: Offers and in-depth focus on neuroscience through the lens of societal issues relevant to high school students.

NISE Network Changing Brains Activities: A collection of public engagement and professional development resources about the brain, neuroscience, and neuroethics. Activities include:

Dana Discovery Dialogues Series: A webinar series hosted by the Boston University College of Communications. This series unpacks some of the most pressing and occasionally contentious topics in contemporary neuroscience. Topics include When Brain and Computers Connect; Psychedelic Assisted Therapies; Neurodiversity and Accessing Creativity; Brain Organoids; and more.

Secret Science Club Neuroscience & Society Talk Series: Neuroscientists captivate and inform public audiences at this biannual lecture presented by the Secret Science Club and Dana Foundation. Topics include Artificial Intelligence, Our Brains, & Our Bodies; Your Brain & the Law; Art and the Brain; Brain Stimulation & Mental Health; Dance, Movement, and the Brain; and more

Inside the Brain: A Lifetime of Change: A webinar series from Knowable Magazine, each episode focuses on a different stage of brain development from childhood to adolescence and late adulthood.

Additional neuroscience and society resources are available at https://dana.org/resources/

Organisers are encouraged to consult the Dana Foundation mission and Neuroscience and Society resources for further guidance and inspiration.

Applications will be evaluated based on their approach in highlighting neuroscience and society aspects relevant to their local community.

Projects that are innovative and cross-disciplinary will be prioritised. First-time event organisers, especially from countries and regions where there were few BAW events organised in the past, are especially encouraged.

Please consider also using the ALBA Network’s guidelines for organising a diverse conference/workshop and inclusive forms for gender and sexual diversity in your projects.

How to apply

You need to be logged in to your FENS user account to apply and a form will appear on this page. You can login here or register here if you do not have an account yet. As a FENS member you already have a user account that you can use, but it is not necessary to be a FENS member to apply, you can register as a non-member.

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The call for BAW 2025 applications is open until 3 October 2024.

Should you have any questions, please email: baw@fens.org

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