Las Positas College
Department of Psychology
Brain Awareness
Co-sponsored by Psi Beta Psychology Honor Society / Psychology Club


Brain Awareness Week is a week long, worldwide series of educational events held each March. BAW involves a unique partnership of over 1,500 organizaitons in 55 countries. These organizations include scientific institutions, patient advocacy groups, universities, colleges, governmental agencies, services groups, K-12 schools, and other affiliates.

Brain Awareness Week activities are designed to increase public awareness about the wonders of the brain and nervous sytem, focus national and international attention on the progress, promise, and benefits of brain and nervous system research, and help people of all ages and backgrounds understand more about "universe between their ears."

Brain Awareness Week at Las Positas College is sponsored by the Department of Psychology and the Psi Beta Honor Society in Psychology. Each March we organize a variety of BAW activities on campus, including the annual Brain Awareness Fair, interactive
exhibits, library displays, brain lectures by LPC psychology students at local middle schools, and the Brain Awareness Week
Distinguished Speaker Program.



The annual Brain Expo (BAW Faire)
featured poster exhibits designed by LPC psychology students, interactive brain exhibits,
and exbitors from local community educational and health organizations.

Brain Awareness Distinguished Speaker Program
The Distinguished Speakers Program was created to promote awareness and discussion of important issues in psychology.
Students, faculty, staff, and community members have the opportunity to meet and learn from some of the most influential
people in psychology today.

A major focus of LPC Brain Awareness Week, guest speakers have presented on such topics as Posttraumatic Stress Disorder, Autism, Savant Syndrome, Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder, Bipolar Disorder, Drug abuse and dependency, Sleep and Performance, and Sleep and Dreams.


Dr. Temple Grandin (middle) with LPC Biology Professor Nan Ho
and chief lab technican Jerry Gire during her 2008 visit to LPC.

 

 

 

 

 

 


Dr. Temple Grandin
Brain Awarness Distinguished Speaker 2008 and 2011

The World's Most Famous and Sucessful Person with Autism
Over 800 people joinedrenowned scientist, scholar, and best-selling author Temple Grandin as she shared her inspirational story of growing up with autism, techniques she developed to cope, and her unique, groundbreaking insights on human and animal minds.

Link to Temple Grandin's homepage.

Link to Documentary Video about Temple Grandin

Temple Grandin speaks to an overflow audience at the Brain Awareness Week event, March, 2011

 

 

 


Kim Peek
"The Real Rain Man"
Brain Awareness Week Distinguished Speaker 2007
Frequent speaker at LPC

"The Mount Everest of Memory"
The late Kim Peek - the one-of-a-kind "mega-savant"- who served as the inspiration for the academy award winning movie Rain Man - and his father Fran became part of the Las Positas family and regularly return to Las Positas College. In 2008, Kim and Fran were inducted as honorary members of the Las Positas College chapter of Psi Beta, the National Honor Society in Psychology.


Kim Peek at LPC News Story

ABC News Video of Kim Peek at LPC

Documentary video about Kim

Kim Peek
with LPC psychology professor Ernie Jones
at LPC


Dr. William C. Dement
 Brain Awareness Week Distinguished Speaker, 2006, 2010

The Father of Modern Sleep Scince
William C. Dement, M.D., Ph.D, is the father of modern sleep research and the world's leading authority on sleep, sleep deprivation, and the diagnosis and treatment of sleep disorders.

Dr. Dement was the first to identify and describe the stages of sleep. He was the first to describe REM sleep as a distinct biological state with unique properties including vivid dreams and muscle paralysis, and discovered REM sleep in animals and newborn babies. He was among the first researchers to study sleeping subjects with the electroencephalogram (EEG), and was the first to make all-night, continuous recordings of brain and eye activity during sleep, leading to his discoveryof the five stages of sleep.

In 1970, Dr. Dement founded the world's first Sleep Disorders Clinic at Stanford University.

Since his first 2006, Dr. Dement has returned regularly to Las Positas College and the inspirationfor the popular new Las Positas College psychology course on sleep and dreams.

Stanford School of Medicine web article on Dr. Dement

Link to video with Dr. Dement: On Healthy Sleep and Optimal Performance




Dr. John Ratey
2009 Brain Awareness Week Distinguished Speaker

Harvard Professor and Best-Selling Author Dr. John Ratey spoke to more than 400 people joined renowned scientist and best-selling author Dr. John Ratey
for a fascinating journey through the mind-body connection and a discussion of the
exciting new insights emerging from the new science of exercise and the brain.

 

 


Dr. Ratey speaking at LPC.

" Regular physical exercise is the single most valuable health
practice that individuals can engage in, regardless of age or
socioeconomic status. The benefits are wide ranging, with few
or no side effects."
Dr. John Ratey




Want to Participate?
Brain Awareness Week events at Las Poistas College are open to general public.

For information about how upcomming events and how you can attend or participate,
contact Ernie Jones, LPC Psychology Instructor

Teachers who would like to request an LPC instructor or student Brain Awareness speaker at their school, contact Ernie Jones, LPC Psychology Instructor