Community

Brainy Days

Brainy Days celebrates neuroscience with events throughout the month of March to educate and engage the community about the benefits of brain research.

Every year, the Stiles-Nicholson Brain Institute hosts “ Brainy Days ” during the month of March. It is celebration of neuroscience that features free community lectures hosted by many of our researchers and community partners that are committed to promoting brain wellness and reducing the stigma associated with brain disorders.

“Brainy Days” exemplifies Florida Atlantic’s commitment to providing the community with the knowledge needed to maintain brain health and lower one’s risk for brain diseases. Our scientists are committed to conducting world-class research, developing cutting-edge technologies, and training the next generation of neuroscientists.

2024
Dates Event Speaker/Host Location
Thursday, March 7
Lecture 7 – 8 p.m.
Book Signing 8 – 9 p.m.
Gut Feelings - The Gut Microbiome as a Key Regulator of Brain Health Across the Lifespan
Lecture, reception and book signing
John Cryan, Ph.D., Professor and Chair Department of Anatomy and Neuroscience, University College Cork, Ireland
Hosted by Randy D. Blakely, Ph.D., Stiles-Nicholson Brain Institute
Stiles-Nicholson Brain Institute
Florida Atlantic MacArthur Campus,
Jupiter
Tuesday, March 12
Lecture 7 – 8 p.m.
Book Signing 8 – 9 p.m.
Well-being is a Skill
Lecture, reception and book signing

Register
Richard Davidson, Ph.D., William James and Vilas Research Professor of Psychology and Psychiatry and Founder and Director of the Center for Healthy Minds, University of Wisconsin-Madison and Founder and Chief Visionary for Healthy Minds Innovations, Inc.
Hosted by Nicole Baganz, Ph.D., Stiles-Nicholson Brain Institute
Charles E. Schmidt College of Medicine,
Gelb Auditorium,
Florida Atlantic
Boca Raton Campus
March 16, 1 – 5 p.m.
March 18, 5 – 8 p.m.
March 19, 5 – 8 p.m.
INSIGHTS at the Institute
Creativity and the Bipolar Brain Art Exhibition
Presented by the Ryan Licht Sang Bipolar Foundation, Palm Health Foundation and the Stiles-Nicholson Brain Institute
Hosted by Randy D. Blakely, Ph.D.,
Stiles-Nicholson Brain Institute
Stiles-Nicholson Brain Institute
Florida Atlantic MacArthur Campus,
Jupiter
Saturday, March 16
11 a.m. – 2 p.m.
BrainSparks!
Hands-on brain fun
Free event with paid admission to the Cox Science Center and Aquarium
NeuroSquad
In partnership with the Cox Science Center and Aquarium, Max Planck Florida Institute for Neuroscience and the Herbert Wertheim UF Scripps Institute
Cox Science Center and Aquarium
4801 Dreher Trail N.
West Palm Beach
Thursday, March 21
Cocktails 6 – 7 p.m.
Lecture 7 – 8 p.m.
Book Signing 8 – 9 p.m.
Art, Architecture, and Human Well-being
Cocktail hour, lecture and book signing/reception to follow

Register: Email Kristian Zambrana
Anjan Chatterjee, Ph.D.,
Professor of Neurology, Psychology, and Architecture, University of Pennsylvania and Director of the Penn Center for Neuroaesthetics
Hosted by Nicole Baganz, Ph.D.,
Stiles-Nicholson Brain Institute
Cox Science Center and Aquarium
4801 Dreher Trail N.
West Palm Beach
Saturday, March 23
11 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.
Rhythms of the Brain

Register
NeuroArts symposium presented by Mind, Music, Movement Foundation Kravis Center
701 Okeechobee Blvd.
West Palm Beach
Friday, March 29
10 a.m. – 2 p.m.
Neural Nexus: Fusing Science, Art, and Creativity Greg Dunn, Ph.D., Mixed Media Neuroscience Artist Suzanne Nalbantian, Ph.D., Interdisciplinary Scholar and Author in Humanities and Neuroscience
Hosted by Robert W. Stackman, Ph.D. and Bethany Stanhope, Ph.D., Florida Atlantic University
Stiles-Nicholson Brain Institute
Florida Atlantic MacArthur Campus,
Jupiter
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mind-music-logo
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Brainy Days 2023
FOR THE PUBLIC
Dates Event Speaker or Host Zoom Recording
March 2 Autism Research, Education and Service: Moving the Needle — Right Now, Right Here! Randy Blakely, Ph.D., Florida Atlantic Stiles-Nicholson Brain Institute
Damon Page, Ph.D., Herbert Wertheim UF Scripps Institute for Biomedical Innovation & Technology
Erin Brooker Lozott, EdD, BCBA-D, CCC-SLP, Els for Autism Foundation®
Kelley C. Bastien, MSW, Florida Atlantic Center for Autism & Related Disabilities (CARD)
March 5 Autism Speaks Walk NeuroSquad
In partnership with Florida Atlantic Center for Autism and Related Disabilities
March 17 Reality+: Virtual Reality and the Puzzling Nature of Existence David Chalmers, Ph.D.,
Departments of Philosophy and Neural Science, NYU Center for Mind, Brain and Consciousness
March 18 *The Soul of an Octopus: A Surprising Exploration into the Wonder of Consciousness
Lecture, reception and book signing
Sy Montgomery,
Naturalist and Author
March 25 BrainBlitz! Hands on Brain Fun NeuroSquad
In partnership with the Cox Science Center and Aquarium
March 27 When Science Links with the Arts: Research and Alternative Therapies for Parkinson’s and other Neurodegenerative Diseases Beth Elgort, CSW, Mind, Music and Movement Foundation
Randy Blakely, Ph.D., Florida Atlantic Stiles-Nicholson Brain Institute
Julie Pilitsis, M.D., Ph.D., MBA, Florida Atlantic College of Medicine
Henriette van Praag, Ph.D., Florida Atlantic Stiles-Nicholson Brain Institute
Voices of Parkinson's Chorus, Movement, Dance and Meditation
Note: All programs free and open to the public except for the March 17 lecture by David Chalmers
* Offered In conjunction with MindFest: Grand Opening of the Center for the Future Mind
Program Sponsor:
logos of our sponsors

Event Sponsors:
logos of our sponsors

Learn more: BI-outreach@fau.edu
Brainy Days 2022

Brainy Days—A Celebration of Neuroscience 2022

FOR THE PUBLIC
Dates Event Speaker or Host Zoom link
February 28 “Never Enough: Personal and research experiences of drug addiction” Judith Grisel, Ph.D. Watch Zoom Recording
March 6 Autism Speaks Walk NeuroSquad
March 15 “Gifts of the Crow” John Marzluff, Ph.D. Watch Zoom Recording
March 19 Brain Blitz! (Neuroscience fun for kids) NeuroSquad
March 23 "COVID – In It for the Long Haul? How Immune Responses Impact the Brain and Mind” Ning Quan, Ph.D. Watch Zoom Recording
March 25 Diversity in Science Festival NeuroSquad and NSO
March 31 “The Past, Present, and Future of Alzheimer’s Prevention” Richard Isaacson, M.D. Watch Zoom Recording
Program Sponsor:
logos of our sponsors

Event Sponsors:
logos of our sponsors
Brainy Days 2021

Brainy Days—A Celebration of Neuroscience 2021

FOR THE PUBLIC
Dates Event Speaker or Host Zoom link
March 2 How Dogs Love Us: Insights from Brain Imaging Gregory Berns, Ph.D., professor, Department of Psychology Emory University.
Hosted by Cheryl A. Krause-Parello, Ph.D., R.N., professor, Florida Atlantic Christine E. Lynn College of Nursing, and director of Canines Providing Assistance to Wounded Warriors® (C-P.A.W.W.).
Watch Zoom Recording
March 4 Brains, Minds, and Aliens: The Search For Extraterrestrial Intelligence and its Relevance to Brain Science Jill Tarter, Ph.D. Emeritus Chair for SETI Research, SETI Institute,
Elan Barenholtz, Ph.D., Co-Director, Florida Atlantic Machine Perception and Cognitive Robotics Lab,
hosted by Susan Schneider, Ph.D.. Professor of Philosophy and Director, Florida Atlantic Center for the Future Mind.
Watch Zoom Recording
March 9 New Insights into Mechanisms and Treatments for Alzheimer’s Disease Allan Levey, Ph.D., chair, Department of Neurology and director of the Alzheimer’s Research Center, Emory University.
Sponsored by Osher Lifelong Learning Institute at Jupiter.
Watch Zoom Recording
March 11 Brains on Trial: What Brain Science Tells Us About the Origins and Limits of Responsibility BJ Casey, Ph.D., director, Fundamentals of the Adolescent Brain Lab, Yale University;
Josh Buckholtz, Ph.D., associate professor, Department of Psychology, Center for Brain Science, Harvard University;
Carey Haughwout, public defender, Palm Beach County,
Judge Ginger Lerner-Wren, presiding county court judge, Misdemeanor Mental Health Court, 17th Judicial Circuit, Broward County.
Hosted by Wendy Guastaferro, Ph.D., interim director and associate professor, Florida Atlantic School of of Criminology and Criminal Justice.
Watch Zoom Recording
March 19 The Mighty Worm: Nobel Prize Powerhouse for the Study of Neurodegenerative Disease Randy Blakely, Ph.D., professor, Biomedical Science, Florida Atlantic’s Charles E. Schmidt College of Medicine and executive director, Stiles-Nicholson Brain Institute,
Peter Rodriguez, graduate student, Florida Atlantic’s Integrative Biology Ph.D. program.
Hosted by Becky Mercer, Ph.D.,  associate dean, Academic Affairs, Palm Beach State College.
Watch Zoom Recording
March 23 Brain Gains for Mental Illness: Progress for Science and Society Audrey Gruss, founder and chairman, Hope for Depression Research Foundation,
Susan G. Amara, Ph.D., scientific director, National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH).
Watch Zoom Recording
March 27 Brain Blitz: Neuroscience Fun for Kids Hosted by the ASCEND Program at Florida Atlantic and
South Florida Science Center
Watch Zoom Recording
Program Sponsor:
logos of our sponsors

Event Sponsors:
logos of our sponsors

Contact us

MAIN OFFICE

Florida Atlantic Stiles-Nicholson Brain Institute

Jupiter Campus

Room 201F, MC-22
5353 Parkside Drive, Jupiter, FL 33458
Phone: 561.799.8100

map of FAU Jupiter campus

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EDUCATION OFFICE

Florida Atlantic Stiles-Nicholson Brain Institute

Boca Raton Campus

Room 103A, SE-43
777 Glades Road, Boca Raton, FL 33431
Phone: 561.297.4989

map of FAU Jupiter campus