Canadian teen wins second place in international neuroscience competition

Lisa Wei, a Winnipeg high school student, won second place in the International Brain Bee held in Chicago. He competed with nearly 3,000 other students from 40 countries.

He told CTV news: "For me, this was very surprising. I didn't expect it at all."

To reach this stage, he first won a local Winnipeg competition organized by the University of Manitoba, and then competed against 20 other participants in the Canadian National Brain Competition held in Vancouver.

He says that he studied a lot in his free time.

"My preparation definitely included reading online," he said. "I spent the summer months learning, setting goals, like reading a few chapters or articles a day, and the rest of September I spent going over what I had read over the summer."

Held online, the quiz focuses on facts about the brain, from basic functions to more complex levels such as emotions and memory.

He told CTV News that his love for the brain stems from its complexity and how a single organ can easily lead to highly complex phenomena such as behavior, emotions and memory.

The judges got tired of asking him and his Australian competitor questions because they knew all the answers.

Dr. Robert Beatty, a professor at the University of Manitoba's College of Medicine, has collaborated with him, and says it's a testament to his skill.

Beatty said: "This competition is very difficult and these questions are at the graduate level. He is only in 11th grade which is very surprising. "He is truly an extraordinary student and we are very proud."

Beatty says the Winnipegs have been successful in the brain race, winning three of the last four Canadian-level contests.

"We're educating the next generation of neuroscientists and the next generation of health care workers, as well as instilling this passion for science in these students," he said.

The competition is open to all high school students nationwide and is an opportunity to learn about neuroscience for those interested in pursuing a career in the field.

The Canadian National Brain Competition will be held in Toronto from May 21 to 24, 2025.

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