Victoria Heimer-McGinn is the president of Brain Waves Rhode Island. The organization recently held its annual celebration, both in Pawtucket and at Brown University, to increase public awareness of the progress made and benefits of brain research. Brain Waves Rhode Island, formerly known as Brain Week Rhode Island, recently rebranded and acquired its own 501(c)(3) status as a nonprofit.
PBN: What was the impetus of Brain Waves Rhode Island to change its name and buy its own 501(c)(3) status?
HEIMER-MCGINN: From a business perspective, it was a simple case of responding to demand, defining our niche and updating our brand accordingly. Ten years ago, we were advocating for the biological basis of brain disorders and calling on Congress to fund more brain research.
It was among these projects that we launched Brain Week, then under a different organization. Over the years, Brain Week educational activities consumed us as we grew in response to community needs, including curiosity for the brain. Eventually, our mission became focused, to educate people of all ages, inspire the next generation of neuroscientists and showcase Rhode Island-based research.
We also began hosting events beyond a single week in March, so “Week” no longer made sense. “Waves” is a nod to the Ocean State, to the electrical waves found in the brain, and to the waves we hope to be making in science education.
PBN: What will this change mean for the organization?
HEIMER-MCGINN: Hopefully growth! We have two projects in the pipeline, one in broadcasting and another in school programming. In broadcasting, we plan to release short educational segments about brain science and are pitching segments in local R.I. media to report and discuss brain science.
In high schools, we are piloting a program that provides science teachers with materials, protocols, training and mentorship to carry out a semesterlong brain science research project. We envision having Brain Waves “chapters” at high schools across the state.
To make progress possible, we are seeking new board members, committee members and sponsors. We plan to diversify our expertise across fields and across backgrounds so that we can reach more communities across different mediums. In the long run, we hope to collaborate with Rhode Island officials to develop a state-sponsored neuroscience curriculum. The larger our reach, the better we can fulfill our mission to educate, inspire and showcase.
PBN: What was part of Brain Waves’ annual Brain Fairs this year?
HEIMER-MCGINN: Lots of games and free face painting [laughs]. We set up [more than] 50 stations where people could measure their brain waves, touch real human brains, control video games with their brain and create brain-themed crafts. Topics people learned about included language, memory, sleep, exercise, mindfulness and brain disorders. We also had community-focused stations that provided resources for people living with brain-related conditions.
For future scientists, we had a small college fair, and stations led by the high school students in our pilot research program. Finally, we had talks featuring current research, treatments and personal stories. For example, at the Pawtucket Fair, a 30-year-old veteran shared his amazing story of stroke recovery and was joined by researchers who provided scientific footnotes to his experiences.
At the Brown [University] Fair, 15-min talks highlighted topics such as depression, the brain-gut connection, and memory replay. To top it all off, we had live music, food trucks, brain-themed baked goodies and lots of giveaways.
PBN: Why is it important for the public to learn directly from the experts?
HEIMER-MCGINN: At the center of our organization are more than 150 passionate scientists, clinicians and advocates. Like me, they believe that specialists need to do a better job of making science discoveries more accessible for everyone. We also believe it is important to break the barriers that separate us.
Our events provide a unique platform for the public to interact with specialists in a relaxed, informal environment that promotes mutual learning and understanding. Bridging this divide is critical because people are more likely to trust scientific advice when scientists are perceived as being “normal” people rather than the “mad-scientist-with-a-sketchy-agenda” that is portrayed everywhere – a personal pet peeve!
For budding scientists and medical professionals, it’s also inspiring to meet the experts, especially ones who look like them. This is why we love to showcase not only amazing research in Rhode Island but also the many faces paving the way for a diversified workforce.
PBN: What aspects, such as mental health and depression, were discussed or shared at the Brain Fairs? Were any recent advances in brain health discussed?
HEIMER-MCGINN: Our fairs feature many opportunities to learn that there is no such thing as “mental” illness; only biological diseases of the brain. For example, did you know that fruit flies can become addicted to alcohol or that mice can suffer bipolar disorder and depression? The causes are biological and conserved across evolution.
For brain health, it boils down to five “simple” routines: eating well, exercising, sleeping enough, healthy social relationships and staying cognitively (“mentally”) active. We also learned about major advances in diagnosing Alzheimer’s disease using risk factors (e.g., APOE gene) and molecular biomarkers (e.g., amyloid beta), and in treatments for the early stages. The take-home message was to get tested early because mild memory impairments could be more than “normal” aging. The sooner you know, the more effective the treatment.
We also engaged in a lively conversation about the barriers that prevent Black and Latino/Hispanic communities from getting the diagnoses and treatments they need. All in all, people left with a greater awareness of how their brain works, how to take care of it, what to do if they experience illness, and an understanding that research can advance human health.
James Bessette is the PBN special projects editor, and also covers the nonprofit and education sectors. You may reach him at Bessette@PBN.com. You may also follow him on Twitter at @James_Bessette.