UAMS Sponsors Free Admission March 15 to Museum of Discovery for Brain Awareness Week

By todd

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LITTLE ROCK – Celebrate National Brain Awareness Week with free admission March 15 to the Museum of Discovery in Little Rock, sponsored by the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS) Graduate School and the Arkansas Biosciences Institute.


 


Neuroscientists from across the state will present their research at the Museum of Discovery that day following a proclamation issued by Little Rock Mayor Mark Stodola declaring the week of March 10-15 to be Brain Awareness Week in conjunction with a similar declaration by the Society of Neuroscience.


 


Tammy Kielian, Ph.D., associate professor of neurobiology and developmental sciences and the Arkansas chapter president for the Society for Neuroscience, said the event is a way to help young people become aware of the importance of taking care of the nervous system.


 


“It’s also important for students to learn of recent research discoveries that have increased our knowledge of brain and spinal cord injuries and other devastating disorders,” Kielian said.


 


A sheep brain dissection will allow visitors to get up close to the brain and learn how it functions as the control center of the body. Visitors also will discuss with scientists from the Arkansas Chapter for the Society of Neuroscience how brain cells produce behavior, how brain disorders might be demonstrated in brain tissue and the use of helmets to protect the brain.


 


A special exhibit called “Beat. Breathe. Think.” takes visitors on a journey through the circulatory, respiratory and nervous systems and teaches the importance of good nutrition and maintaining a healthy lifestyle. The Body Shoppe will feature brain dissections, finger casts and other health and medical activities. Through hands-on experiments, activities, educational displays and demonstrations by experts, visitors of all ages will learn fascinating facts and important tips for taking care of the human body.


 


Hours are 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Monday-Saturday and 1-5 p.m. Sunday. The Museum of Discovery is located at 500 President Clinton Ave., Suite 150. For more information, call the Museum of Discovery at (501) 396-7050 or visit www.amod.org.


 


The Museum of Discovery was founded in 1927 and is Little Rock’s oldest museum.  The Museum’s mission is to ignite a passion for science, technology and math in a dynamic, interactive environment. The Museum of Discovery is a Smithsonian Affiliate, accredited by the American Association of Museums and a member of the Association of Science and Technology Centers and the Association of Children’s Museums.


 


UAMS is the state’s only comprehensive academic health center, with five colleges, a graduate school, a medical center, six centers of excellence and a statewide network of regional centers. UAMS has 2,538 students and 733 medical residents. Its centers of excellence include the Winthrop P. Rockefeller Cancer Institute, the Jackson T. Stephens Spine & Neurosciences Institute, the Myeloma Institute for Research and Therapy, the Harvey & Bernice Jones Eye Institute, the Psychiatric Research Institute and the Donald W. Reynolds Institute on Aging. It is one of the state’s largest public employers with about 9,600 employees, including nearly 1,150 physicians who provide medical care to patients at UAMS, Arkansas Children’s Hospital, the VA Medical Center and UAMS’ Area Health Education Centers throughout the state. UAMS and its affiliates have an economic impact in Arkansas of $5 billion a year. Visit www.uams.edu.