CNGG hosts family-favourite ‘Be a brain explorer’ event for Cardiff Science Festival
1 March 2025
On Saturday 22 February, the Centre for Neuropsychiatric Genetics and Genomics (CNGG) hosted a free event for children and their families, as part of the Cardiff Science Festival and supported by the National Centre for Mental Health (NCMH).
Cardiff Science Festival happens annually across the Welsh capital and aims to educate and inspire people of all ages about the scientific research happening on their doorstep. ‘Be a Brain Explorer’ welcomed 150 people to learn about neuroscience and mental health research and the complexities of the brain through several hands-on exhibits such as pipetting, microscopy, a virtual reality brain scan, and a bounce on the brain dome!
Event organiser, Dr Eleanor Mawson said: "It was great to see researchers and students come together to provide such a fun and interactive event enjoyed by around 150 people on the day.”
The exhibits were run by 22 volunteers spanning several research organisations from Cardiff University’s Division of Psychological Medicine including: CNGG, the UK Dementia Research Institute, the Neuroscience and Mental Health Innovation Institute, and the National Centre for Mental Health.
Dr Mawson continued: “We received some amazing feedback from families, particularly about the way the exhibits were organised so that children could engage with the content without being too overwhelmed.”
Dr Sarah Knott, NCMH manager said: “We were delighted to support this event and speak to parents and carers about the exciting mental health research taking place in the university, in addition to providing resources on a variety of mental health conditions.”
“Many attendees described the resources as ‘incredibly helpful’, giving them a better understanding of specific conditions and support available for family, friends and coworkers who may be affected. Thank you to everyone who visited us this year, and we look forward to next year’s event.”