Edmonton high school student headed to National Brain Bee
Canada’s best brain could be in Edmonton.
Jenny Sun, a Grade 12 student at Old Scona Academic high school, is heading to a neuroscience trivia competition called the Canadian National Brain Bee Championship in Hamilton, Ont., on May 24 and 25.
The competition, organized by the Canadian Institutes of Health Research, pits top students against each other to answer questions about topics including brain anatomy, neurodegenerative diseases and patient diagnosis.
‘Really cool to learn’
“I think it is really cool to learn about neurodegenerative diseases and how to potentially cure them and help others with that,” Sun told Edmonton AM host Mark Connolly.
She heard about the competition after a friend who had participated in the contest started a school club called the Brain Bee Society.
“It was something I thought I could join out of interest,” said Sun.
Her interest turned into success. Sun advanced after winning the regional title at a competition in Edmonton. The winner of the national competition will earn a $1,500 cash prize and a trophy.
She has learned some of the material in biology class and has also spent a lot of time studying material provided on the Brain Bee website and looking at brain slices online and in textbooks. All that studying comes as she also prepares or Grade 12 final exams.
No matter the outcome of the Brain Bee, Sun will continue studying neuroscience. She has been accepted to the University of Alberta in the neuroscience honours program.
“I can pursue a career in research, as well as something in the health-care field,” she said. “That is what I am interested in.”