§ HERO

In partnership with the UCLA Brain Research Institute

BRAINWAVEWhat if every child understood their brain?

BRAINWAVE empowers K–12 teachers with cutting-edge neuroscience, classroom-ready tools, and the inspiration to transform how their students understand their brains, their learning, and their mental health — prioritizing the communities where this knowledge is needed most.

Get Involved See Our Impact Read Our Story

Reaching 182+ teachers across 60+ Los Angeles schools and counting.

§ MISSION

Our Mission

Neuroscience Belongs in Every Classroom

Founded in 2024, BRAINWAVE was built on a simple but powerful belief: when teachers understand the brain, students thrive. We bring cutting-edge neuroscience from UCLA's labs directly into K–12 classrooms—prioritizing under-resourced schools where this knowledge is needed most and where early exposure can change the trajectory of a child's life.

Our goal is not just to teach brain science—it's to build empathy, stronger classrooms, and more compassionate communities. When students understand how their own brains work, they begin to understand each other. That's how we spark a generation of curious, self-aware learners and inspire future scientists from every community in Los Angeles—and beyond.

Read Our Story

Empower Teachers

Equip educators with neuroscience knowledge, evidence-based tools, and the confidence to transform their classrooms—starting Monday morning.

Impact Under-Resourced Communities

We welcome educators from all schools, while intentionally prioritizing communities with fewer resources—where access to neuroscience education is limited and the potential for impact is greatest.

Inspire Future Scientists

Early exposure to neuroscience plants seeds of curiosity—helping students from all backgrounds see themselves as the scientists of tomorrow.

Bridge Research & Reality

UCLA researchers bring their discoveries directly to classrooms—turning complex science into practical wisdom every teacher can use.

§ MANIFESTO

The Science of Learning

We believe every teacher has the potential to be a catalyst for change. Through immersive workshops, hands-on activities, and exclusive tours of UCLA neuroscience labs, we equip teachers with the latest brain research — translated into tools they can use starting Monday morning.

LAUSD-Approved Professional Development JSPCC-approved workshops · Salary point credit for teachers

Teachers as Change Agents

Educators are the most powerful force in a child's scientific journey. We equip them with cutting-edge neuroscience knowledge, evidence-based pedagogy, and a community of forward-thinking peers — because when a teacher grows, every student in their classroom grows with them.

Equity at the Core

We prioritize under-resourced schools across Los Angeles where neuroscience education is rare but needed most. By emphasizing early exposure to brain science, we inspire students from all backgrounds to explore STEM fields and see themselves as future scientists.

§ IMPACT

A Living Measure of Change

A Movement in Numbers —
and in Lives

Teachers
Engaged

Schools
Represented

Would Attend
Again

Rated Workshop
5/5 Stars

Teachers
Waitlisted

Students
Impacted

Teachers celebrating with BRAINWAVE certificates

What Educators Are Saying

Summer 2024 "

I now have strategies to address "sleepy" students in my classroom. This will impact their social emotional well-being and my level of frustration.

Workshop Participant

LAUSD · Los Angeles

Summer 2024 "

Thank you so much, Vidya, for inviting us science teachers to this very powerful workshop! It was probably the BEST professional development we have ever attended thus far!

Workshop Participant

LAUSD · Los Angeles

Summer 2024 "

Knowledge is power — once informed, our school community will prioritize sleep, which will hopefully improve student achievement. Too many of our students are sleep deprived, and it clearly impacts their learning.

Workshop Participant

LAUSD · Los Angeles

Winter 2024 "

Although this is a busy time of year and I was extremely tired this week, I am extremely happy I attended. I have learned a great deal and feel motivated to institute some positive change at my school site.

Workshop Participant

LAUSD · Los Angeles

Winter 2024 "

The BEST PD that I have ever been to.

Workshop Participant

LAUSD · Los Angeles

Summer 2024 "

The actual impact of sleep debt on learning — and what we can do in our classrooms to support sleep-deprived students, especially knowing the impact on memory. Connecting with other educators is always fantastic!!

Workshop Participant

LAUSD · Los Angeles

Summer 2024 "

I think it will assist me in providing more perspective to students as to why they should prioritize healthy sleep, instead of just telling them that they need it.

Workshop Participant

LAUSD · Los Angeles

Summer 2024 "

I'm going to make it my mission — immediately — to improve the sleep hygiene of my students. I want to have sleep journals in class.

Workshop Participant

LAUSD · Los Angeles

Winter 2024 "

I enjoyed everything — this has been one of the most interesting workshops I have ever been in.

Workshop Participant

LAUSD · Los Angeles

§ JOURNEY

For Educators

Your Journey with BRAINWAVE

Discover

Explore

Browse our evidence-based neuroscience curriculum and see what a BRAINWAVE classroom looks like — lesson previews, teacher stories, and research behind the program.

Register

Register for our intensive 5-day Summer Workshop on the UCLA campus. No neuroscience background required — just a passion for your students.

Transform

Teach

Return to your classroom equipped with activities, materials, and the science to back every lesson. Watch your students engage with learning in a completely new way.

Connect

Grow

Join our national educator network — monthly webinars, peer collaboration, alumni resources, and an ongoing relationship with UCLA neuroscientists.

Start Your Journey

§ PROGRAMS

What We Offer

View All Programs

Neuroscience in the Classroom

Teachers explore key topics including sleep and learning, memory and cognition, brain development, neurodiversity (ADHD, autism, dyslexia), and mental health — translated into practical, classroom-ready understanding.

Hands-On Workshops & Lab Experiences

Interactive sessions include hands-on neuroscience demonstrations, exposure to real brain specimens and tools, guided visits to UCLA research labs, and insight into how neuroscience research is conducted.

Curriculum & Educator Community

Teachers design lesson plans to take back to their classrooms and continue their journey through webinars, peer collaboration, and ongoing engagement with UCLA researchers.

§ EXPLORE PROGRAMS

What We Cover

Explore Our Programs

Learning & Memory

How the brain encodes, stores, and retrieves information—plus evidence-based strategies teachers can use to strengthen learning and retention in the classroom.

Sleep & Brain Development

The science of sleep and its critical role in attention, behavior, and learning—equipping educators to recognize sleep-related challenges and support student success.

Neurodiversity & Inclusive Classrooms

Understanding ADHD, autism, dyslexia, and diverse learning profiles—helping teachers create inclusive environments where every student can thrive.

Brain Development Across Childhood

How the brain grows and changes from early childhood through adolescence—and what that means for teaching, behavior, and learning.

Mental Health & the Brain

Exploring the neuroscience of stress, emotion, and mental health—providing tools to support student well-being in the classroom.

Attention, Focus & Executive Function

How attention works in the brain—and practical strategies to support focus, self-regulation, and executive function skills.

Hands-On Neuroscience Activities

Interactive demonstrations and classroom-ready activities that bring brain science to life for students.

Translating Research to Practice

Bridging cutting-edge neuroscience research with real classroom strategies teachers can use immediately.

The story behind BRAINWAVE

Dr. Vidya Saravanapandian leading a BRAINWAVE workshop with educators

Working alongside educators to bring neuroscience into classrooms

Our Founding Story

Neuroscience isn't just for researchers in labs. It belongs in every classroom, in every community.

Dr. Vidya Saravanapandian

Founder and Director, BRAINWAVE
Sleep Scientist, UCLA Brain Research Institute

Born and raised in India, Vidya earned her PhD in Neuroscience from UCLA. Recognizing that early exposure to brain science was transforming her own sense of possibility, she founded BRAINWAVE in 2024 to ensure every K–12 teacher in Los Angeles had access to the same knowledge — regardless of their school's ZIP code.

What BRAINWAVE
stands for

BBringing

RResearch And

IInnovation in

NNeuroscience to

WWorkshops for

AAdvancing

VVisionary

EEducators

§ TEACHING

Inside the Workshop

Teaching & Learning Experience

Each BRAINWAVE workshop is immersive, hands-on, and deeply collaborative. Teachers don't just hear about neuroscience — they experience it through interactive sessions, real research from UCLA labs, and peer learning that translates directly back to their classrooms on Monday morning.

Neuroscience Foundations

Active UCLA researchers share their discoveries directly — covering topics from memory and sleep to learning, development, and mental health. Science made accessible, relevant, and inspiring.

Classroom Applications

Every session bridges research to practice. Teachers leave with evidence-based strategies, lesson frameworks, and classroom-ready activities they can use with any grade level or subject.

Interactive Learning

From lab tours and brain specimen handling to VR demos and collaborative lesson design, BRAINWAVE turns learning about the brain into an unforgettable, multi-sensory experience.

Instructor leading a neuroscience session with teachers

Small group discussion during BRAINWAVE workshop

BRAINWAVE teachers outside UCLA Neuroscience building

§ TEACHER NETWORK

Our Community

Classrooms Transformed Across Los Angeles

Every pin on this map is a school whose teacher has been trained in neuroscience by BRAINWAVE. Every teacher reaches ~40 students per year. This is what a movement looks like.

182+

Teachers Engaged

60+

Schools Represented

100%

Public Schools

K–12

All Grade Levels

Schools in Our Network

60+ schools across Los Angeles, spanning multiple grade levels.

23+

Elementary

Grades K–5

10+

Middle School

Grades 6–8

High School

Grades 9–12

Magnet & K–12

Multi-grade programs

Some schools span multiple grade levels.

§ WORKSHOPS

Workshop Highlights

Where the Learning Happens

A glimpse into how educators engage with neuroscience through BRAINWAVE workshops.

Teachers engaged in neuroscience lecture

Learning Together

Exploring neuroscience concepts in interactive sessions — UCLA researchers bring their real discoveries into the room, making complex brain science accessible and immediately relevant to every educator.

Teachers trying VR headsets in neuroscience lab

Teachers gathered around brain specimens at BRAINWAVE workshop

Hands-On Exploration

Hands-on experiences that bring brain science to life — from VR technology and real brain specimens to cutting-edge imaging data, teachers engage directly with the tools of modern neuroscience.

Educator presenting neural communication concepts

Collaboration & Community

Building a community of educators learning together — small group discussions, peer lesson design, and connections that extend well beyond the workshop into every classroom these teachers touch.

Next Workshop

Stay Tuned — More Coming Soon

Our next workshop date and topic will be announced here. Join the waitlist to be the first to know and secure your spot.

Join the Waitlist

§ FACULTY SPEAKERS

Expert Faculty Speakers

Featuring faculty from the UCLA Brain Research Institute

Learning from Leading Experts

Learning from leading experts in neuroscience and brain health — UCLA faculty who bring cutting-edge research directly into the BRAINWAVE classroom.

Dr. Christopher Colwell

Circadian Biologist · UCLA

Explores circadian rhythms and their role in brain health and neurodegenerative disease.

Dr. Gina Poe

Sleep Neuroscientist · UCLA

Studies how sleep supports memory, learning, and brain plasticity.

Dr. Ketema Paul

Sleep Researcher · UCLA

Researches sleep and circadian rhythms and their impact on brain function.

Dr. Stephanie White

Neuroscientist · UCLA

Investigates how brain circuits support cognition, decision-making, and behavior.

§ UCLA PARTNERSHIP

Our Institutional Home

Rooted in UCLA Research

BRAINWAVE is supported by the UCLA Brain Research Institute (BRI) — a leading neuroscience research institution. This partnership gives teachers direct access to active researchers, working labs, and the most current discoveries in brain science. It's what makes BRAINWAVE fundamentally different from any other professional development program.

The UCLA Brain Research Institute advances interdisciplinary research to understand the brain and improve human health. Through this connection, BRAINWAVE brings cutting-edge neuroscience insights into K–12 education.

Active Research Labs UCLA Postdoctoral Instructors Evidence-Based Curriculum LAUSD-Approved PD Credit

UCLA Brain Research Institute

Gonda Neuroscience & Genetics Research Center

1506 Gonda Building · UCLA Campus · Los Angeles, CA

Visit BRI BRAINWAVE Page

§ FAQ

Common Questions

Frequently Asked Questions

Q Do I need to pay to participate in a BRAINWAVE workshop?

No — BRAINWAVE workshops are completely free for K–12 teachers. BRAINWAVE is currently a volunteer-driven initiative. We are deeply committed to making these workshops accessible to all teachers and are actively working to expand support to sustain and grow this effort.

Q I am not part of LAUSD. Can I still join?

Yes! While we prioritize under-resourced Los Angeles schools, BRAINWAVE welcomes K–12 teachers from any public school district across California. All teachers who are passionate about neuroscience are encouraged to join — we strive to include as many educators as our capacity allows.

Q Do I need a science or neuroscience background to attend?

Absolutely not. BRAINWAVE is designed for educators of all subjects and grade levels — from kindergarten teachers to high school history educators. Our UCLA instructors are experts at making complex brain science accessible, relatable, and immediately applicable to any classroom. Your curiosity and passion for students is the only prerequisite.

Q Will I receive professional development credit?

Yes. BRAINWAVE workshops are JSPCC-approved by LAUSD and count toward salary point credit for eligible teachers. Participation certificates are provided to all attendees. We work with participating school districts to ensure the time you invest translates into recognized professional development.

Q What happens after the workshop — is there ongoing support?

The workshop is just the beginning. BRAINWAVE alumni join our Educator Community Network — a growing community of trained teachers connected through monthly UCLA webinars, peer collaboration, a curated library of classroom-ready neuroscience activities, and direct ongoing access to our UCLA researcher team.

Q How do I register, and when is the next workshop?

Submit your interest through our Teacher Interest Form — it takes less than 5 minutes. We'll notify you when the next workshop date is confirmed. Spots fill quickly, so joining the waitlist early is the best way to secure your place. Questions? Email [email protected].

Still have questions? We'd love to hear from you.