Projects of Interest to Adults and Children
Neuroscience Education Through Local Television News
Lawrence Kutner, Ph.D.
Harvard Medical School
lkutner@hms.harvard.edu
Product to be Developed: ten yearly news stories on topics about the brain and drug addiction for broadcast on local TV news stations
Target Audience: the general public
Goal: This grant is developing ten yearly news stories on science topics about the brain and drug addiction for broadcast on local TV stations across America. It is also developing in-depth Web materials to go with the news stores. The recent availability of broadcast-quality video-on-demand through the Internet is allowing Dr. Kutner to distribute neuroscience education materials not only to local television stations but also to news-oriented websites at no additional expense.
This grant is also seeking to improve the coverage of neuroscience by training journalists through online courses. The courses will provide background information related to the news stories being produced through the grant. It is anticipated that the journalists taking the courses will have little or no scientific background since most science stories for local TV and radio stations and newspapers are covered by non-specialist reporters. The National Press Foundation is a partner in these efforts.
Changing Your Mind: Drugs and the Brain
Bertha Madras, Ph.D.
Harvard Medical School
Product Developed: a museum exhibit and play for the Boston Museum of Science
Target Audience: the general public
Goal: To enhance the public's understanding of the neurobiology of drug abuse the museum exhibit, "Changing Your Mind: Drugs and the Brain" was developed in the early 1990's. It opened at the Boston Museum of Science November 29, 1994. Since then, it has traveled on a national tour then returned to the museum where it is still on display. The exhibit has been visited by people across the nation and has had an immeasurable impact on the public's understanding of drug abuse and the brain.
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