SA’s brainiest students compete at UniSA

by Katrina Phelps

Brain Bee State Champion Adit Chakranarayan (left)
and runner-up Sam Talfari.

Pop quiz – name the cell formation that develops to form the central nervous system? What do oligodendrocytes do? And what is a dendrite?

Any ideas? South Australia’s brainiest Year 10 students could help you out with the answers.

More than 40 Year 10 students gathered at UniSA’s City East campus last month (June) to take part in the South Australian final of the nationwide Brain Bee Challenge.

The Challenge is all about encouraging high school students to think about how the brain works.

“The brain is an amazing organ that can reorganise itself as we age and learn new things,” said UniSA’s Brain Bee Challenge host and Senior Research Fellow in the School of Pharmacy and Medical Sciences, Dr Gabrielle Todd.

“Studying how the human brain works is fascinating and can form the basis of a career in neuroscience.

“Through my work I study how the brain controls movement, and being involved with the Australian Brain Bee Challenge is a wonderful opportunity to introduce students to the wonders of the human brain.”

Christian Brothers College student Adit Chakranarayan won the title of State Champion, while second place went to his fellow student Sam Talfari in a tie-break against Kildare College student James Hughes. As the State Champion in the Brain Bee Challenge, Adit will travel to Queensland in January for the national final.

Henley High School students Ellen Swan,
Michael Reschke and Victoria Langton.

A team of three students from Henley High School won the Team State Championship and will also take part in the national final. Dr Todd said the Henley team did exceptionally well given that they competed with only three team members instead of four like their opponents.

South Australian Chief Scientist, Professor Don Bursill, congratulated the students as he presented their certificates and said that the future of science in Australia looks brighter with students like this who are interested in the topic.

“I am pleased to see such enthusiastic participation in this competition,” he said. “Like many science professionals, I am concerned that society is devaluing subjects like science and maths so it’s great to see these students embrace the subjects.”

*Answers to questions in first paragraph: Neural tube; they form myelin sheaths that insulate neurones in the brain; and projections of a nerve cell body that resemble branches of a tree.