About France Brain Bee

The France Brain Bee, is a neuroscience competition for high school students.  Students in grades 9-12th (3ème- terminale) are eligible to compete in the annual event. In addition to inspiring careers in neuroscience, the global mission of the brain bee initiative is to  teach students about the brain, its functions, and to dispel  misconceptions about neurological and mental illnesses.

The 2022 France Brain Bee will be held on at the Institut du Cerveau – ICM (Paris Brain Institute), Paris, 75013.

Students who wish to participate must register in advance (see registration & prepare pages on our site).

We are indebted to ICM for becoming the official host and sponsor of the event in December 2018.  Gifted in France, a non-profit 1901 association based in Paris, which has organized the Paris Brain Bee in 2016 and 2018, will continue to play a role as part of the organizing team, working on logistics and reaching out to recruit schools and students for the competition.

In France, we are the first affiliate  of the International Brain Bee, IBB, joining more than 50 other countries who organize similar events for students.

IBB is a non-profit educational organization comprised of partnerships with the International Brain Research Organization (IBRO), the Dana Foundation, the Federation of European Neuroscience Societies (FENS), and the  Society for Neuroscience (SfN). The International Brain Bee, was founded in 1998 by Dr. Norbert Myslinski of the University of Maryland in the United States.

To start a Brain Bee at your school or city, please contact scientific.affairs@icm-institute.org or visit our Contact page.

OUR HISTORY – Timeline

Organisation of the competition in 2022 :

Partenership with Institut du Cerveau and Arte Education and organisation of the France Brain bee 2022 competition

Organisation of the competition in 2021 :

Second edition Online due to the Covid 19 pandemic

Organisation of the competition in 2020 :

First edition Online due to the Covid 19 pandemic

Organisation of the competition in 2019 :

First edition in collaboration with the Paris Brain Institute
10 December 2018, paris

Institut du Cerveau et de la Moelle épinière – ICM (Brain & Spine Institute) and Gifted in France announce a partnership in working together to promote the Paris Brain Bee. ICM becomes the official host and sponsor for the 2019 France Brain Bee. Paris Brain Bee’s name is changed to France Brain Bee to represent the nationwide effort to bring the neuroscience competition to high schools across France, and inspire more students, teachers, parents, community leaders and institutions to support the event at a local, regional and national level.

1 December 2018, Paris

Gifted in France leads My Amazing Brain workshop for young children at the American Library in Paris to create awareness of Paris Brain Bee and the importance of brain education.

6-9 July 2018, berlin

Lilia Evgeniou, a high school student from Ecole Jeannine Manuel and winner of the 2018 France Brain Bee (formerly Paris Brain Bee), becomes the first student to represent France at the International Brain Bee (IBB), which was held in Berlin during the biannual conference of the Federation of European Neuroscience Societies (FENS). Read more.

March 2018, PARIS

Brain workshop for young children held at the American Library in Paris as part of Brain Awareness Week and to promote the Paris Brain Bee’s visibility. Organized and led by Gifted in France.

3 February 2018, PARIS

First Paris Brain Bee competition is held between International School of Paris (ISP) and Ecole Jeannine Manuel (EJM). Lilia Evgeniou from (EJM) takes 1st prize, while Philine Rouwers from (ISP) finishes second place.  In addition to her trophy and a one-year complimentary membership to the American Library in Paris, Evgeniou qualifies for the International Brain Bee (IBB) World Championship  in Berlin, in July. The PBB is organized and sponsored by Gifted in France.  The American Library in Paris, a long time supporter of our educational outreach events, donates a one-year family membership to the winner. Many thanks to our friends at the ALP, including Celeste Rhoads and Pauline Lemasson; and to our Brain Bee counterparts in Germany and in the UK for guiding and supporting us. Thanks to all the key volunteers who helped with this event. Read more about 2018 PBB.

4 June 2016, paris

First High School Brain Bee is held at the International School of Paris thanks to the efforts of biology teacher Mariana Martini. Event is organized and sponsored by Gifted in France. The American Library in Paris, long time supporter of educational outreach events, donates a one-year family membership to the winner. Heartfelt thanks to our Brain Bee coordinators in Germany: Mandy Watson and Julianne McCall for their expertise and mentoring.

March 2015, Paris

Children’s Brain Art Workshop held at the American Library in Paris (ALP) is on exhibit at the children’s science museum, Palais de la découverte during the 2015 Brain Awareness Week. Participating children and parents are also given a special brain workshop by a staff member of the museum. These events were organized and sponsored by Gifted in France with the collaboration of the ALP and Palais de la découverte. Many thanks to Celeste Rhoads and Pauline Lemasson at the ALP and Aurélie Massaux at the Palais de la découverte. Special thanks to gap year student Shannon Connelly for leading the children’s workshops on behalf the Paris Brain Bee campaign. See more photos of the artwork here.

Fall 2014, PARIS

Gifted in France begins outreach efforts to create support for the Paris Brain Bee, the first affiliate in France for the International Brain Bee, a neuroscience education program for high school students.  Co-coordinators Helen Sahin Connelly and Shannon Connelly launch brain workshops for children at the American Library in Paris and join the 2015 Paris Brain Awareness Week Committee.