Every year in March neuroscience institutions from all over the world invite the public to inform themselves on current themes in brain research. This year the Bernstein Center at Freiburg University will participate in the „Brain Awareness Week.“ Two events will shed light on this years topic - "Imagine your Brain" - from distinct perspectives.
On Monday, 12 March (7pm) there will be a podium discussion on the topic of imaging techniques ("Imaging Techniques in Neuroscience: The Line between Imaging and Imagining") in the Bernstein Center lecture hall (Hansastraße 9A). Round table participants are Prof. Britta Schinzel (Computer Science and Society, Freiburg University), Prof. John-Dylan Haynes (Theory and Analysis of long-range brain signals, Humboldt University Berlin), and Prof. Cornelius Weller (Director of the Neurological University Medical Center Freiburg). Amongst themselves as well as with the audience they will discuss "brain-scans" from their different backgrounds and focus specifically on limits and possibilities as well as on methodological as well as philosophical problems with regard to this technology.
On Wednesday, 14 March 2012 (2pm) all interested teachers and students will be asked to model their brain out of plasticine ("Knet' Dir dein Gehirn"!). Dr. Janina Kirsch will introduce the secrets of the anatomy of the human brain by modeling it with participants. This unconventional approach is already being used in teaching at the university, in order to teach the basics of a complex field while dispelling reservations. Janina Kirsch has been awarded the university's teaching award for this approach. Since the number of participants is limited, teachers are asked to register themselves as well as up to two students by 9 March.