Jericho High School Student Wins LIU Post Brain Bee Competition

The LIU Post Brain Bee Neuroscience Competition was held Saturday, Feb. 22, with 58 local high school students among the 92 registered from the tri-state area. After an intense and exciting day of competition, Preeti Kakani (daughter of Drs. Rajesh and Sonali Kakani) from Jericho High School on Long Island won the regional title after three previous attempts in 2011, 2012, and 2013. 

Second place in the LIU Post Brain Bee went to Crystal Zheng, also from Jericho High School and third place went to Ali Barlas from Sachem High School East on Long Island.  

The Brain Bee is a live question and answer competition that tests the neuroscience knowledge of high school students. Young men and women from all over Long Island, Queens, and Westchester, competed today to determine who is the “best brain” on topics such as genomics, intelligence, memory, emotion, and addiction.

Preeti will go on to attend the national championship at the University of Maryland, Mar. 14 – 15, 2014, during Brain Awareness Week, where they will compete against the winners of other local Brain Bee competitions that were held across the country.

The LIU Post Brain Bee Competition is co-chaired by Neuroscientist and Professor, Dr. Grace Rossi and Psychology Department Executive Secretary Susan Ansbro, who also organized several neuroscience workshops at LIU Post for the students during the month of February.

“We were fortunate to hold our 15th Annual Long Island University Brain Bee Competition today,” said Dr. Rossi. “Each year we look forward to hosting talented, local high school students at LIU Post and hope that it will inspire them to pursue a career in biomedical brain research.”