Nijmegen, February 12th 2024 – The 2024 edition of the Dutch Brain Olympiad (Nederlandse Hersenolympiade) took place on Saturday February 12, bringing together some of the brightest young minds in the country to learn about neuroscience and participate in a knowledge competition.

Hosted at the Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour, Radboud University in Nijmegen, secondary school students from across the Netherlands engaged in a challenging competition designed to test their understanding of the complexities of the brain. The Dutch Brain Olympiad, now in its 6th year, is a platform that aims to kindle a passion for neuroscience among high school students and to create opportunities for young neuroscience students and early career researchers to showcase their research.

The Olympiad day did not only feature a knowledge competition:  the students also got to see a live dissection of a brain by our partner Brein in Beeld, as well as a live EEG recording by students from Tilburg University and dr. Tonny Mulder (Psychobiology, UvA). At the Brain Expo, participants could visit several booths and posters showcasing different neuroscience research projects and even join in a few experiments! With 27 participants from 17 schools, some of which travelled several hours to the event, the Olympiad shows a wide interest in neuroscience among secondary school students.

After three quiz rounds, six finalists were chosen from the students to participate in an exciting live Q&A final round. The top three winners of the 2024 Dutch Brain Olympiad, Gina, Nanou and Melissa, were awarded a book about neuroscience, a ticket to attend the Dutch Neuroscience meeting and a 3D printed brain (a)trophy. Each participant will receive a certificate of participation, recognizing their commitment to advancing their understanding of neuroscience. The winner, Gina, will go on to represent The Netherlands in the International Brain Bee later this year.

The event would not have been possible without the help of our volunteers, sponsors, and partners.
For more information about the Dutch Brain Olympiad and upcoming events, please visit hersenolympiade.nl.