Toronto Brain Bee Event Reports

The 27th Annual Toronto Brain Bee competition took place at the Ontario Institute for Studies in Education, University of Toronto on March 21st, 2025.

120 students from 48 high schools in the Toronto area participated in the competition. 23 volunteers and four faculty members were involved in organizing this successful outreach event. Over 160 people attended the event.

The top winners were: Maxwell Li (Lauremont School, first place), Tessa Nitescu (Marc Garneau Collegiate Institute, second place), and Zainab Farooq (Saint Kateri Tekakwitha Catholic Secondary School, third place & top novice win). As the first place winner, Maxwell will represent Toronto at the 2025 CIHR Canadian National Brain Bee Competition (regional), which will be held virtually on April 25th, 2025. The Canadian National: the Final Showdown will be held in Toronto, on May 23, 2025.

Recognized Teachers for their consistent support and contribution to early education in neuroscience: Marijana Kanisek (Erindale Secondary School) and Iman Kamali Sarvestani, (Laureates Academy for Gifted Students)

This year’s Toronto Brain Bee had both returning and new competitors, with students inspired by resources provided by the University of Toronto.

“This was my first time attending the TBB, and I’m already looking forward to coming back next year. The competition helped me clearly identify where my knowledge gaps are and what areas I need to work on. Some of the questions were really tricky, and it was a great learning opportunity.” – Peled Levanon, Alexander Mackenzie High School, Grade 9 (Interviewed by Xinyang Zhang).

“What brought me back to the competition this year was the belief that I could do better than I did at last year's TBB. In addition, this year I returned not only to compete, but

also to support and train students in the neuroscience club I started at my high school.” – Jiya Pardal, Alexander Mackenzie High School, Grade 12

The commitment of new and returning faculty volunteers to judge the event allowed competitors to not only compete in the competition but also engage in meaningful discussions of neuroscience topics.

“What drives me to continue serving as a judge for Toronto Brain Bee is the opportunity to engage with the younger generation and help them find their interest in neuroscience….I’ve been involved in this event for more than ten years. For me, it is not just about evaluating knowledge, but also about supporting and nurturing young students in a way that feels very much like teaching. I always make time for this event because I truly enjoy it.” – Hong-Shuo Sun, Professor, Temerty Faculty of Medicine

We thank every student competitor, the organizing committee and our sponsor for a successful, impactful and mutually inspiring experience.

The Graduate Volunteers included (in alphabetical order):

The Organizing Committee: Zhong-Ping Feng (Toronto Brain Coordinator, Committee Chair), Hong-Shuo Sun (Professor), Kaori Takehara (Professor), Sarah Eide (Event Planning Lead), Rafi Matin (Creative Team Lead), Ain Kim (Post-Doctoral Researcher; Administrative Lead).

Questions/Creative Team: Zhong-Ping Feng (Faculty Lead), Hong-Shuo Sun (Professor, Chief Judge), Kaori Takehara (Professor, Chief Judge), Paul Whissell (Assistant Professor), Rafi Matin (Graduate Lead), Megana Thamilselvan, Francis Fernandes, Armaan Fallhi, Davina Premraj, Nicholas Silver.

Graduate Student Speakers: Lola Zovko (PhD Candidate, PCL), Shannen Kyte (MSc Candidate, IMS), and Alicia Harracksingh (PhD Candidate, PSL).

Toronto Brain Bee Sponsorship: The 2025 Toronto Brain Bee competition was sponsored by the Collaborative Program in Neuroscience (CPIN) and the Firefly Foundation.