With the support of a 2017 Global Advocacy Seed Grant, the Bangladesh Neuroscience Society (BNSS) has made two visits to secondary schools and given workshops on basic neuroscience (see pictures above). These workshops have helped to increase understanding, awareness and interest in the brain among the country’s youth.

These events are always met with great enthusiasm from participating students and schools. Students are given free T-shirts with customized brain logos on them, and they are shown brain specimens of different animals so they become familiar with their structures and functions. Exciting new neuroscience research is also discussed and helps to spark interest and generate questions.

In addition, BNSS organizes brain bee competitions each year and awards prizes to the top three students of each participating school. IBRO has recently become a supporting partner of the International Brain Bee organization and hopes to see a world brain bee champion from Bangladesh in the future!

The overall aim of the Bangladesh Neuroscience Society is to raise awareness about brain research among students throughout the country and bring together as many Bangladeshi neuroscientists as possible who are interested in returning to or developing existing research in Bangladesh. It also works towards connecting the Bangladesh neuroscience community to government policymakers as well as global scientific networks.

Finally, the 2017 Global Advocacy Seed Grant has been instrumental in the creation of BNSS. Dr. Amin Shakhawat, Executive Director of BNSS and a 2017 Global Advocacy Seed Grant Awardee, commented: “The global advocacy funding was very helpful in promoting neuroscience in Bangladesh and, in fact, the establishment of BNSS was only possible because of this award.”

If you would like more information about BNSS, please contact Dr. Amin Shakhawat (international contact), at amins[at]stanford[dot]edu or Dr. Ashrafur Rahman (BNSS Vice President and local Bangladesh contact) at rahman.ashrafur[at]northsouth[dot]edu. To find out more about our Global Advocacy Initiative, please click here.