image: After winning the Atlanta Regional Brain Bee, cosponsored by Georgia State's Center for Behavioral Neuroscience, Atlanta high schooler Claire Zhou took first place at the national competition and will represent the United States at the International Brain Bee.
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Credit: Courtesy: Georgia State University
ATLANTA/NEW BRUNSWICK, N.J. — The 2025 USA Brain Bee National Championship has crowned its champion. Claire Zhou, a high school student representing the Atlanta Regional Brain Bee, took first place in the national neuroscience competition May 3 at Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School in New Brunswick, N.J.
The Center for Behavioral Neuroscience (CBN) at Georgia State University is a co-sponsor and organizer for the Atlanta Regional Brain Bee. CBN collaborates with Emory University and the Atlanta chapter of the Society for Neuroscience to host the annual neuroscience competition for high school students ages 13 to 19.
Lolo Iddrisu is Georgia State’s graduate student co-chair of the program. She said it’s rewarding to be part of the annual event and witness how opportunities like these can open doors for young people.
“Regional Brain Bees like Atlanta’s are important because they help foster interest in science among students who might not have the same access or exposure as those in larger or more well-funded areas,” Iddrisu said. “They also introduce students to a wide range of career paths and research topics they may never have encountered otherwise.”
Zhou will go on to represent the United States at the International Brain Bee World Championship in November, competing against champions from more than 50 countries.
The USA Brain Bee is the national championship of the International Brain Bee. During the months leading up to the national competition, regional Brain Bee chapters around the country host competitions to identify winners who advance to the national competition. This year, 48 regional champions from 26 states gathered to compete in three intensive rounds of competition focused on the human brain and brain disorders.
Zhou described the win as “a complete shock.”
“It felt like a dream honestly, like I could just suddenly wake up and vaguely think: ‘Well that was crazy,” she said.
Zhou is a rising senior at Northview High School in Johns Creek, and says studying for the competition was no small feat.
“Going through Brain Facts challenged me the most, especially in remembering all the details. There’s so much content and breadth in that seemingly unassuming book,” she said. “I’m proudest of my growth in neuroanatomy because I still remember not being able to identify the basic lobes not too long ago.”
Zhou’s father added: “Claire has always been a curious learner, and it’s been wonderful to watch her dive into neuroscience with such excitement and commitment. We’re so proud of her and so grateful for the Brain Bee for creating this platform for young minds to thrive.”
In round one, students were asked neuroscience facts and concepts. In round two, students completed a practicum, identifying neuroanatomy, reflecting on patient diagnosis vignettes and responding to questions about the scientific method. The top 12 performing students advanced to participate in the live elimination round, where students answered rapid-fire neuroscience questions live on stage in front of a panel of expert judges. In addition to the competition, students attended two keynote lectures and connected with graduate students during a poster session over lunch.
The USA Brain Bee was founded in 1998 by Norbert Myslinski at the University of Maryland and is directed by Manuella Oliveira Yassa of the University of California, Irvine Center for the Neurobiology of Learning and Memory. The competition aims to inspire teens to learn about the brain and pursue careers in neuroscience and related fields. The 2026 competition will take place at UC Irvine.
“The Brain Bee is about more than just knowledge, it’s about sparking a lifelong connection to science," Oliveira Yassa said. “These students are tomorrow’s scientists, physicians and leaders. The Brain Bee gives them a community and a platform to dream bigger and to know that they belong in science.”
The championship was hosted by Michael Matise and his team at Rutgers University. “Programs like the Brain Bee provide the fertilizer that encourages the seeds of curiosity to germinate and grow into a lifelong pursuit of knowledge and service through research and medicine,” Matise said. “It’s a rare and valuable opportunity to share our passion for neuroscience with young talented high school-age students — to provide a window into this unique scientific pursuit where ‘the universe can know itself,’ to paraphrase the late Dr. Carl Sagan.”
About the USA Brain Bee
With more than 25,000 students participating globally each year, the Brain Bee is the world’s leading neuroscience competition for high school students. It is part of a global initiative to inspire the next generation of scientists, clinicians and innovators working to understand the human brain and combat neurological disease. Find a local chapter at usabrainbee.org.