BRAIN WAVES RI CELEBRATES MILESTONE 10th ANNIVERSARY
Annual Brain Fairs and In-School Programs Inspire People to Explore the Mysteries and Wonder of the Brain
Pawtucket, RI (January 30, 2025) – Brain Waves RI (BWRI) celebrates a decade of annual events and in-school programs that focus on brain science and the exciting research taking place in Rhode Island with the Brown Brain Fair, March 15, 10am-2pm and the Pawtucket Brain Fair, March 22. 10am-2pm (Hope Artiste Village). Each fair features 50+ display tables with games and fun activities, all centered on functions and health of the human brain. While the study of the brain is serious business, these fairs have proven to be engaging and delightful experiences for families and kids. The fairs are free and open to people of all ages.
In the ten years since its founding, Brain Waves RI has reached over 17,000 engaged parents, children, students and teachers from the diverse neighborhoods in and around Providence. Collaborating with students and faculty at Brown, they held a first Brain Fair at Brown in 2016 and have included a second Brain Fair every year since then. BWRI expanded a program of school visits by Brown neuroscience researchers and made BRAINY Visits available to a growing number of K-12 classrooms and libraries.
Visits are organized each year by students and faculty from Brown, Roger Williams, Bryant, URI, and Providence College. Most recently, BWRI has developed a new program that loans EEG equipment to schools and provides students and teachers with the necessary skills and tools to carry out their own science experiments. The organization, led by Co-Founder and President Victoria Heimer-McGinn, PhD (also known as “Dr. V”), Vice President Kristin Scaplen, PhD, and a committed volunteer board, continues to broaden its activities with the help of generous local sponsors.
Ten Years and Thriving – a Brief History
Brain Waves RI began in 2015, when Victoria Heimer-McGinn (a neuroscientist), Hakon Heimer (a science writer/consultant), and Alden Bumstead (a PhD in literature) were driven by the experience of mental illness in their families. They knew that more basic brain research would be necessary to cure these biological diseases of the brain, and they discovered that people were interested in learning more about brain health and brain research. BWRI grew out of their passion to make these topics accessible to a wide range of people – to advocate for more research, promote neuroscience research in Rhode Island, and help create new generations of neuroscience researchers.
Over these 10 years, BWRI’s activities have opened unusual opportunities for scientists and clinicians, as well, giving them venues to share their work with a general audience, network with others in related fields, and find creative ways to inspire students to consider science as a career option. BWRI has also given scientists a platform through which they can practice communication skills and develop their own community outreach.
Updates on programs and speakers at the Brain Fair will be posted on brainwavesri.org.
Suggested Interview Opportunities (contact Ruth Davis):
Victoria Heimer-McGinn, Co-Founder and President and Kristin Scaplen, Vice President
BRAINY Visits
In-School BWRI programs: year-long research program for high school students.
About Brain Waves RI
Brain Waves Rhode Island (a 501(c)3 not-for-profit organization), previously named Brain Week Rhode Island, has one mission: to make brain science accessible to everyone. We aim to share the wealth of neuroscience research that supports what we know about brain health, and in doing so highlight the work that is happening in the Ocean State. Our efforts bring together experts across disciplines and promote a growing biomedical economic sector that holds great promise for Rhode Island’s future.
Brain Waves RI aims to (1) increase public awareness of the progress and benefits of brain research, (2) educate people about brain health, (3) educate and inspire the next generation of neuroscientists, and (4) showcase the wealth of neuroscience activity and advocacy in Rhode Island.
Sponsors include: Rhode Island Department of Health, Carney Institute for Brain Science (Brown University), Ryan Institute for Neuroscience (URI), Center for Neurorestoration and Neurotechnology (VA Hospital), Rhode Island Parent Information Network, COBRE Center for Neuromodulation (Butler Hospital), Bryant University School of Health and Behavioral Sciences, Papitto Opportunity Connection, and others