Coordinated by the Dana Alliance for Brain Initiatives, Brain Awareness Week unites the efforts of universities, hospitals, patient advocacy groups, professional associations, government agencies, service organizations, and K-12 schools around the world in a week-long celebration of the brain.
For the Cognitive Fitness Initiative the Alliance develops programs and resources focused on the factors that may contribute to a brain healthy lifestyle throughout adulthood. The Your Brain at Work series, part of the Initiative, explores brain science issues that relate to the mature worker, offering information about what employees can do to maintain cognitive fitness and how their employers can assist. The Dana Alliance partnered with The Conference Board to create this series, in order to raise awareness among both workers and employers of the benefits of brain fitness.
The Dana Alliance is committed to educating teachers and students about neuroscience as a means of inspiring the next generation of neuroscientists. The Alliance's neuroscience education initiatives include developing programs and partnering with other organizations to provide tools for teachers and students.
Gray Matters, a radio series on brain topics, was produced from 1994 to 2009 by Public Radio International, in association with the Dana Alliance. More than 25 programs were created on topics ranging from Stress, Neuroethics, Learning throughout Life, and Sports and Fitness, with Alliance members serving as advisors to the program.
Lending Library is a Dana Alliance collaboration with university neuroscience departments to provide models, posters, and related materials for use in outreach education. A program must be established with schools or other community educational outreach organizations on a continuous basis.
Each year, in celebration of Brain Awareness Week, the Dana Alliance organizes the New York City Regional Brain Bee competition, open to all New York City and Westchester County high school students in grades 9-12. The winner of the Bee is eligible to compete in the United States National Brain Bee.
Staying Sharp focuses on understanding how the brain works and maximizing brain function and health. The program includes a series of live public forums, booklets available for download in English and Spanish, and a DVD program. Staying Sharp is presented by the Dana Alliance in collaboration with NRTA: AARP’s Educator Community and with support from MetLife Foundation.