Brain Awareness Week
Brain
Awareness
Week
March 23 - 28, 2026
There have been significant advances in brain research in recent years, increasing understanding of the brain and raising awareness and support for ongoing research.
Join ULethbridge researchers, students and community partners in the lead up to and during Brain Awareness Week to learn more about these advances and what they mean for overall brain health.
From Action to Cognition: How the Body Shapes the Brain
Dr. Claudia Gonzalez
(MSc '00, PhD '04)
Tuesday, March 24, 2026 | 7:30 p.m.
BMO Auditorium, ULethbridge
We often picture the brain as a powerful computer built for thinking, reasoning and solving problems. But the brain did not evolve for abstract thought; it evolved for action. Long before language, logic or executive function, our ancestors had to reach, grasp and navigate through a complex world. The same brain systems that control our hands and movements also shape how we perceive, learn and solve problems.
In this talk, Dr. Claudia Gonzalez explores how everyday behaviours, from grasping a cup to reaching for something in the dark, reveal the deep links between action and cognition. Drawing on research from her Brain in Action Laboratory, she shows that patterns of hand use, and their variations across age and sex, shed light on how each hemisphere of the brain supports different cognitive abilities. Ultimately, Dr. Gonzalez maintains that cognition is, at its core, embodied: rooted in the simple act of interacting with the world.
The Stressed Brain: Lessons from Earth and Space
Dr. Gerlinde Metz
Friday, March 27, 2026 | 5:30 p.m.
Galt Museum
Experiences such as stress and social isolation can shape how our brains function, influencing both mental and physical health. Extreme experiences, including natural disasters, conflict, and long-duration space missions, offer unique insights into how the brain responds to chronic stress and loneliness. This talk explores how stress affects the brain and body across the lifespan and even across generations. Drawing on research with astronauts and populations on Earth, we will examine what these experiences reveal about resilience. We will also discuss practical strategies to support brain health at all ages and how to build resilience in the face of stress and loneliness.
Canadian Centre for Behavioural Neuroscience (CCBN) Open House
Saturday, March 28, 2026 | 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Science Commons University of Lethbridge
Join the Canadian Centre for Behavioural Neuroscience (CCBN) at the University of Lethbridge to learn more about the great work that is being done right here in southern Alberta. Take a tour of the department in Science Commons and learn what the labs are researching, interact with a variety of community organizations that support brain and mental health, and take the kids to the kids’ room for fun, engaging, brain-building activities.
Community booth fair, kids room and activities, tours and more.
Free parking Lot S or K. View map.