Synapse Conference explores brain health

Organized by students from UCC and Havergal College, the free event welcomed other high schools and combined speakers and activities, looking to expand its focus. 

“The speakers last year were mostly based in neuroscience, but this year we tried to bridge that with the humanities aspect,” says Year 11 student Matthew Tong, who co-chaired the event with Havergal’s Carol Rong. 

This year’s speakers included Rutsuko Ito, a University of Toronto professor who researches the neurology of schizophrenia, drug addiction and depression; psychotherapist Mike Stroh, who specializes in school and workplace mental health; and Dr. Amer Burhan, who investigates dementia and therapeutic brain stimulation.   

The opening keynote was delivered by Shenoa Ragavaloo from the Centre for Applied Neuroscience. 

“She talked about failure, first from a neuroscience point of view,” Tong reports. “Then she discussed techniques for framing failure differently. Failure is often seen as a negative thing, but she talked about how it can positively impact the brain and turn on certain synapses or transmitters that can foster growth.” 

The day’s schedule continued its uplifting trajectory, culminating in a closing keynote on the science of happiness by Dr. Gillian Mandich, a TEDx speaker.  

Says Tong, “Dr. Mandich started with the biological aspects of happiness, such as endorphins and neurotransmitters, and then went on to talk about how happiness is something we can be practising on a consistent basis.”

Tong, also co-founder of UCC’s politics and ethics club and a senior editor of Convergence, cites a brain-computer interface (BCI) workshop run by co-chair Rong as one of the day’s highlights.   

“The BCI reads brain waves, creating data you can then use,” he explains. “Carol covered the different ways we can use BCIs, then we did a live demonstration. The participants were fascinated to see their brain waves on a screen. We discussed how we could use brain waves and BCIs in the future, and how ethical it would be.”

Chandra Boon, a science and Theory of Knowledge teacher and conference faculty adviser, was pleased with the outcome. 

“The speakers were generous with their time and well-chosen,” she says. “Based on the impact of digital technology, especially post-pandemic, it’s important for students to have opportunities to learn about neuroscience, because it can provide insight into both learning and mental health. The panel discussion [featuring Stroh, Mandich, and Ito] was a highlight.”