Jack Ross-Pilkington ’17 has had a very busy two weeks. The junior from Stuyvesant Falls is preparing for a solo cabaret performance at the end of the month. He also is one of the lead members of the defense for our mock trial team, which just won its second consecutive Rensselaer County Championship. On top of both of these time-consuming activities, as well as his demanding course load and other clubs, Jack also recently placed first at the Inaugural Albany Medical Center Brain Bee (beating out fellow DS junior, Shan Leng ‘17 of China). His prize for emerging victorious over the 40 other students from the Capital District? A fully-funded trip to Baltimore this weekend to compete in the Ninth USA National Brain Bee Championship.
I had the chance to sit down with Jack and learn about his journey to Baltimore.
Q: first let me say congratulations on winning the AMC Brain Bee. What was the competition like?
Jack: “To be honest, I didn’t think I had much of a shot. I have an interest in neuroscience but not necessarily a driving passion. I thought the competition would be fun and I definitely knew I was well-prepared from Dr. David Wells’ Advanced Biology class. The event was kind of intimidating – I felt like I was the only non-genius there! I really didn’t think I would make it past the written test into the oral exam. To then make it into the final 10 was pretty scary. There were a lot of questions and we went up three levels of difficulty. The questions were pretty intense, but we had a DS student cheering section for me and Shan. I still can’t believe I won. As part of the weekend, we also had the chance to network with some very talented individuals who are rock-stars in the neuroscience world.”
Q: Do you remember your winning answer?
A: “The question dealt with looking at what a new possible cure for spinal injuries did. I answered that it restored motor neurons.”
Q: So what have you been doing to prepare for nationals?
Jack: “I am working with Dr. Annalisa Scimemi, Assistant Professor of Biological Sciences at the University at Albany. She is helping me review the anatomy of the brain as well as how to diagnose and treat disorders. Both of these are categories I will be tested on. She is basically having me work on the material that would be covered in a college-level Intro to Neuroscience course. I am really honored to be working with her.”
Q: How has Doane Stuart helped prepare you for nationals?
Jack: “Dr. Wells has been indispensable. The Biology program here has us very well-prepared, especially Advanced Bio, which approaches things from a neuro perspective. I meet with Dr. Wells nearly every Monday and Friday at lunch. He has helped a lot with the actor thing; how to differentiate the diseases (one of the tasks requires competitors to diagnose actors presenting with different diseases). He has given me advice on certain signs to look for – different tricks of the trade. I also want to thank Ms. Forster, my freshman year Biology teacher. Their approach to teaching science gave us an advantage. I wouldn’t say I am a hugely scientific person, but the program allowed these experts to be an expert and we covered so much. “
Q: Do you plan on pursuing Neuroscience in college?
Jack: “I’m not sure yet. I might consider it as a major but would probably minor in it. I want to pursue law or politics and I am passionate about international relations. My goal in life is to make a lasting change in the world. I want to help people and have fun doing it.”
Jack is one of 53 competitors from the continental US and Alaska. He is one of four from New York State, the other three representing schools in Buffalo, White Plains, and NYC. 30,000 students will compete internationally. The winner of the US Championship will earn a fully-funded trip to Copenhagen, Denmark in July to compete at the International Brain Bee, sponsored by The Federation of European Neuroscience Societies.
This weekend, Jack will be graded on a grueling 100 point exam that will cover the following areas:
• Human Neuroanatomy Practical – 25 stations to identify names and functions of parts of the brain
• Patient Diagnosis – 12 actors – 12 symptoms to diagnose
• Written Test – 44 multiple choice questions
• Neurohistology – 20 stations with pictures or microscope slides to identify
• MRI Identification – 40 images to identify
• Oral Question and Answer – 20 questions all requiring a one-word answer
Good luck, Jack! The whole of Doane Stuart and the Capital District is rooting for you! Study hard and have fun!
Previous News story – Jack’s victory at Albany Medical Center
https://www.doanestuart.org/news/ross-pilkington-17-wins-inaugural-albany-medical-center-brain-bee/
Official Press Release from the University of Maryland
Baltimore, March 8, 2016
USA National Brain Bee Championship
The Ninth USA National Brain Bee Championship will be held in Baltimore on Friday, Saturday and Sunday, March 18, 19 and 20, 2016. The Brain Bee is a neuroscience competition for high school students. Winners from 56 regional competitions in 33 states are coming to test their knowledge of the human brain including such topics as intelligence, emotions, memory, sleep, vision, hearing, sensations, Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, schizophrenia, addictions and brain research. The competition involves a neuroanatomy laboratory practical exam with real human brains, patient diagnosis with patient actors, neurohistology, brain imaging identification and orals. Attached are the list of competitors and their home towns and schools; the tentative schedule of activities, the Brain Bee History, a photo and the USA Chapter Coordinators and their contact information.
The 2016 USA Champion will then represent the United States in the World Championship that will be held in conjunction with the Convention of the Federation of European Neuroscience Societies in Copenhagen, Denmark in July. Currently there are 165 Brain Bee Chapters in 40 countries in 6 continents. Dr. Norbert Myslinski (University of Maryland Department of Neural and Pain Sciences in Baltimore) founded the International Brain Bee seventeen years ago and says “Its purpose is to motivate young students to learn about the human brain and inspire them to seek careers in the basic and clinical neurosciences to help treat and cure diseases of the brain and nervous system. We build better brains to fight brain disorders.”