PROVIDENCE, R.I. [Brown University] — At the 2025 Brown Brain Fair, visitors stepped into a world where neuroscience wasn’t just explained — it was experienced.
From donning portable EEG headsets to witness real-time brainwave patterns to uncovering how optical illusions reveal the mind’s playful tricks on perception, the cerebral celebration — now in its 10th year — brought the Brown and Providence communities together for a day of scientific discovery, hands-on learning and family fun.
Held at Brown’s School of Engineering, the free, all-ages annual event featured scientists, researchers and volunteers from nearly 30 Brown science labs and centers. Attendees explored neuroscience and brain health through interactive stations, hands-on experiments, lively games and engaging lightning talks.
For the past three years, Samia Walker of New Bedford, Mass., has attended the fair with her daughters, 7-year-old Nyla and 4-year-old Egypt.
“We come every year and look forward to it because the kids love it,” Walker said. “They’re both really into science, and it’s important for them to be exposed to this at a young age because they learn so much. Seeing college students, especially those who look like them, doing innovative work gets them really excited. They always leave feeling like they’ve met the coolest people working on big things, presented in a way they can understand and relate to. It’s phenomenal.”
As local residents and families entered Hazeltine Commons in the Engineering Research Center, more than 100 Brown researchers and students were stationed throughout the space, engaging attendees, answering questions, sharing brain facts and debunking common brain myths.
Each exhibit made neuroscience accessible through demonstrations and activities designed for all ages. Kids and adults tried virtual reality goggles, handled a preserved human brain, witnessed their brain’s electrical signals control movement and tested their decision-making skills. Young visitors enjoyed brain-themed face painting and got creative with arts and crafts, coloring brain hats and matching fruits to their MRI scans.
One exhibit challenged kids to explore the connection between taste and smell with a simple jelly bean experiment. Participants held their noses while eating a jelly bean, noticing only a general sweetness. Once they let go, flavors like cherry, lemon or bubble gum suddenly became recognizable, demonstrating how smell plays a crucial role in taste perception.
For 7-year-old Alma Barczynski, the jelly bean challenge was a highlight of the day. Attending the fair for the second time with her parents and three siblings, the Cranston, R.I., resident couldn’t pick just one favorite part.
“I really like everything about it,” Barczynski said. “It’s just so fun. The games are cool and every year you get to touch a real brain. It’s weird, but fun!”
Beyond the brainy fun, the day also showcased the tangible applications of brain research. Brown researchers shared how their work is influencing health care, including cutting-edge brain-computer interfaces restoring movement in individuals with paralysis. Presenters educated attendees about recognizing the signs and symptoms of stroke, understanding the importance of sleep and exploring advancements in OCD treatments.
Bridging the gap between research and public understanding is important, said Michaela Cunningham, a second-year neuroscience graduate student at Brown and one of this year’s fair organizers.
“Events like the Brown Brain Fair raise public awareness of brain research and its impact,” Cunningham said. “We want kids and families to leave today excited about neuroscience, seeing it as tangible, accessible and relevant to their lives. Through these hands-on activities and one-on-one conversations, we hope to show people how it connects to their everyday experiences and well-being.”
To empower Rhode Islanders with knowledge of their own brains, Brown faculty and student researchers also led mini-lectures on brain health and mental illness, covering topics such as brain mapping, artificial intelligence, aging, and the connection between the senses and memory.
The family-friendly event, organized by the Brown Brain Bee student organization in collaboration with the Carney Institute for Brain Science, is held each March in partnership with Brain Waves Rhode Island. It is one of two flagship events celebrating International Brain Week. The Pawtucket Brain Fair will take place on March 22, 2025, where nearly a dozen Brown labs and centers will also be featured.
For Providence resident Sierra Bainbridge, the Brown Brain Fair offered a chance for her son, Lakin, a fifth-grader at Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Elementary School, to see science come to life.
“He’s interested in science, but he’s only ever experienced it in the classroom — I don’t think he’s seen it in action before,” Bainbridge said. “Today, it’s been great to see how excited the Brown students are about their work, and it’s inspiring for him to witness that enthusiasm firsthand.”