Three Sacred Heart College students, who scored highly in the national Brain Bee Challenge, were invited to visit the Centre for Brain Research at the University of Auckland. 

Year 11 student Ruby Lo placed third-equal in the first round of the competition, and her peers Sophia Ventura and Caitlin Montaperto-Wells placed in the top half of participating students.

The Brain Bee Challenge is a competition for high school students in Year 11 to learn about the brain and its functions and neuroscience research. It also allows students to find out about careers in neuroscience, and to dispel misconceptions about neurological and mental illnesses. 

There are four rounds: an online quiz, which follows a month of independent study, regional finals, national finals, and an international final.

As part of the competition, the top 180 students from the first round were invited by the Centre for Brain Research to visit the Faculty of Medical and Health Sciences at the University of Auckland. 

Ruby, Sophia and Caitlin had a tense five hours of delays at Hawke’s Bay Airport before their flight to Auckland was eventually cancelled, due to heavy fog.

Disappointment was replaced by renewed excitement, with an invitation for a special guided visit to the Centre for Brain Research, along with two students from Napier Girls’ High School, and accompanying teachers.

The visit was hosted by the NZ Brain Bee National Coordinator and Centre for Brain Research Associate Director, Dr Deborah Young, who is also an Associate Professor of Pharmacology and Clinical Pharmacology.

It included tours of working research labs, including one linked to the Human Brain Bank, and the Centre for Advanced MRI. 

All three girls said being able to see a university campus in action and seeing the goings-on in the Centre for Brain Research, was inspiring. 

“I think overall, the trip was such a great opportunity to explore not only neuroscience, but also other areas in the science field. It really showed me that science is very interesting and has a range of possibilities open for a lot of people,” Sophia says. 

“During lunch, Dr Young was saying how a part of her work is to teach students, and that's what inspires her the most. That's why she wanted to give us a chance, as she is really passionate about teaching students so that she can see them successful in the future.” 

Ruby says: “I am very grateful to Dr Young and all the people at the university who made the day so memorable and enjoyable”. 

“I really enjoyed seeing all the special lab and medical equipment and what happens inside the university and meeting new people. It was an amazing experience.” 

By chance, all of the science and medical researchers who spoke to them throughout the day happened to be female. Caitlin says it was cool to see female representation in the STEM field. 

“They were very passionate in their jobs, so it was nice to learn from them.” 

Sacred Heart College HoD Science, Theresa Cowen, says she is very proud of Ruby, Sophia and Cailtin. She is also very grateful for the opportunity Dr Young and her team gave them. 

Mrs Cowen says a group of six Year 11 students took part in the first round of the competition and showed great initiative and commitment by studying neuroscience together in their spare time. 

“It’s the first time we have given students the opportunity to take part and it went really well. So, we'll definitely promote the competition next year.”

She hopes Ruby, Sophia and Caitlin will be able to mentor any of their peers who decide to give it a go. 

They all speak very highly of their school and Mrs Cowen. 

“She’s been really supportive,” Ruby says. 

“And when we got a second chance to make it to Auckland, the school and Mrs Cowen were quite supportive of us going,” Sophia says. 

Article added: Friday 15 September 2023