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I’m a Neuroscientist Live at the Barbican   In March and April 2013 we organised the heats and final of I’m a NeuroScientist Live at the Barbican as part of Wonder season: Art and science on the brain. In the first heat on Saturday 30th March the five scientists taking part were: Thomas Butts and Irene Jacobson from Kings College London, Martin Coath from the University of Plymouth, Sarah Jarvis from Imperial College London and Esha Massand from Birbeck, University of London. While on Sunday 31st the next five scientists competing were Amy Birch from Imperial College London,  Jonathan Webb from the University of Oxford, Eva Feredoes from the University of Reading, Mark Horowitz from Kings College London and Catherine Loveday from the University of Westminster. We found all 10 of these participants and gave them a full briefing before the event. Neural network modeller Sarah Jarvis from the first … Continue reading →

I’m a Scientist, Get me out of here! Live puts five scientists on stage to compete for audience votes by answering the public’s burning science questions. Whichever topics you’d like to be talked about, we can work with you to find enthusiastic experts in their field who are keen to engage the public with their work. The event is based on the successful online format, where school students take part in live online chats with scientists and vote for their favourite. The live format takes advantage of the public’s curiosity, allowing them not only to engage with the scientists but to decide for themselves the best science communicator. Click here to find full details of our most recent I’m a Scientist Live event, which was held at the Barbican and included two heats in March and a final in April. Update: The most recent I’m a Scientist Live event was … Continue reading →

Last night saw the final of I’m a NeuroScientist live at the Barbican Centre, with over 200 audience members asking questions and voting as the five neuroscientists battled it out to win £200 for charity and the much-coveted I’m a NeuroScientist winner’s trophy. Both scientists and science-lovers came to see neuron network modeller Sarah Jarvis, March I’m a Scientist Brain Zone winner Jen Todd Jones, depression researcher Mark Horowitz, brain collector Pascal Durrenberger and music-lover Lauren Stewart. At £5 a ticket, audience members – 35% scientists themselves and the rest members of the public with an interest in science – were keen to have their brain questions answered by the experts. Questions included I’m a girl, I can read maps but I can’t multitask – am I broken? and can stress ever be good? At the end of the evening Mark Horowitz walked away with the trophy after some great answers on how stress … Continue reading →

So here’s the plan. Heat winners Sarah Jarvis & Mark Horowitz are confirmed. Sarah models networks of neurons, to identify certain principles and test out scenarios, to establish why the neurons in our brains are connected to each other the way they are. Mark studies the molecular causes of depression using a human hippocampal stem cell model to understand what effect stress hormones, inflammation and antidepressants have on the brain. They will be joined by one of these five who are currently battling it out online for supremacy of the Brain Zone. That leaves two spaces in the I’m a NeuroScientist Live final. We’ve had a few nominations in, but we’re giving one more chance for final suggestions. Please email iaslive@gallomanor.com with your nominations by Friday 15th March 2013. Talking of spaces. There aren’t many left for the audience. Book online now. £5 plus a booking fee.

“Do we need a brain?” “Can you ever stop thinking?” “Why does depression come on so quickly?” One sign of success with a public Q&A session is that the public mob the panel afterwards with the questions they couldn’t ask during the main event. Thank you to all the scientists who hung around for ages after the events last weekend. Congratulations to Sarah Jarvis and Mark Horowitz our I’m a NeuroScientist – Live Weekender Heat winners. The events at the Barbican last weekend were a real blast. The place was packed. People queueed to take part in science activities about the brain. It was a great feeling on both days to come out of the green room to find a large audience of about 150 people already sat down waiting for our show to start. Saturday had a distinctly youthful feel to it. they were excitable, noisy and ready to … Continue reading →

Join us at the Barbican in London this weekend for two free live I’m a Scientist events giving you the chance to quiz real neuroscientists on the brain. Neuroscientists will be on stage taking audience questions at 3:45pm on Saturday and again at 3:15pm on Sunday as part of the Barbican Weekender. Each day, five scientists will compete for the votes of the audience to win a place in the final which takes place on the evening of Tuesday 9th April in Cinema One at the Barbican. Meet the NeuroScientists Saturday: Thomas Butts – Kings College London We study the evolution of the brain and its associated nerves – how does the developing embryo make neurons that allow it to sense the world around it? and how did it evolve new neurons, and in really large numbers? Martin Coath (@mcoath) – University of Plymouth I write computer programs and help to design … Continue reading →