Auckland Brain Bee Challenge

Fifteen year old Stephen Mackereth, a year 11 student from Kings College, was named this year's Brain Bee Champion at the finals staged in assoication with the CatWalk Trust on Tuesday 24 June at The University of Auckland.

One hundred and thirty one students from more than 30 high schools in the Auckland region competed in the finals of the Brain Bee Challenge either as part of the 27 teams of four competing in the Team's Challenge or as one of the 80 individual competitors. Elimination heats through the day led to some intense final rounds with the individual and team winners finally both being determined by a single mark. During the day of finals, students were also given tours around the Faculty of Medical and Health Sciences' neuroscience laboratories and other research facilities.

Bernard Aliem from Rangitoto College finished second in the individual competition of the Brain Bee Challenge with Vinka Nurdjaja from Elim Christian College in Howick finishing third. Stephen Mackereth helped his King's College team to win the Brain Bee Team's Challenge, having just one more correct answer than runners up Rangitito College while Massey High took out a tie-breaker for third from Elim Christian College.

More than 1150 high school students from 43 Auckland schools took part in Round 1 of the 2008 Australia-New Zealand Brain Bee Challenge, held in schools during Brain Awareness Week in March. A total of 9592 students from across Australia and New Zealand competed in this competition, with the best individuals from Round 2 from each Australian state as well as New Zealand going forward to the finals to be held at the Queensland Brain Institute in Brisbane in August. The overall winners will represent Australasia in the International Brain Bee in Maryland, USA, in early 2009.

"With the aging population, the number of people suffering from brain disorders and spinal cord injuries in New Zealand is increasing," says Associate Professor Louise Nicholson, co-ordinator of the New Zealand Brain Bee Challenge. "Neuroscience is making significant discoveries as to how the brain functions, and what changes occur in neurological diseases. To continue this work, we need young scientists moving into research, and to help discover treatments and interventions for these diseases. The Brain Bee Challenge introduces students to the topic of neuroscience and, we hope, provides them with the enthusiasm to embrace science and perhaps to even continue into scientific research."

In 2007, Auckland students were placed second and thrid in the final of this Australasia-wide competition. Established in New Zealand in 2006, the Brain Bee Challenge is coordinated in New Zealand by the Faculty of Medical and Health Sciences at The University of Auckland. In 2008 and with the support of the CatWalk Spinal Cord Injury Trust, the competition was introduced to schools in Otago and Southland in conjunction with Otago University. The Australia - New Zealand competition is supported by the Queensland Brain Institute and the Australian Neuroscience Society. The 2008 New Zealand Brain Bee Challenge has two major sponsors; the Neurological Foundation of New Zealand and the CatWalk SCI Trust. Prizes were also donated by Zeiss International, Lipincott Williams and Wilkins Publishers, Dick Smith Electroncis, NZ Scientific Ltd, Fullers, Sony, Penguin Books, Hoyts and Dunkin' Donuts.

_{Winners of 2008 Brain Bee Challenge Team Competition, Kings College.}

_{This is the second year running that King's have taken out the team section.}