This is your brain on caffeine

On Saturday, Nov. 6, several science professors and the student-officers of NERD (Neuroscience Education & Research at Denison) hosted 41 Columbus area high school students in Burton Morgan Center for a day of hands-on “brain” science.

The high schoolers were part of a career exploration program, sponsored by COSI Academy, that focuses on science, technology, engineering, math, and health. They were treated to a program called “This is your brain on caffeine,” which covered topics related to sensory systems, memory, and the brain’s biochemistry. They also participated in a mini Brain Bee, conducted by Denison’s NERD leaders, Kevin D’Rummo, Kelly Folkers and Rachel Stevenson, all from the Class of 2012. The faculty members—Kristina Mead, Frank Hassebrock, Heather Rhodes, Joe Reczek, and Nestor Matthews—represented the fields of biology, psychology, biochemistry, chemistry, and neuroscience, respectively.