§ HERO
UCLA Brain Research Institute · Est. 2016 ↓ hover logo to expand

BRAINWAVE
Teaching the Brain.

BRAINWAVE is a pioneering neuroscience education initiative that bridges cutting-edge brain research with dynamic classroom teaching. Led by UCLA postdoctoral fellows, we empower K–12 teachers across Los Angeles to revolutionize how every student — in every community — understands their own brain.

Apply for a Workshop Explore Our Impact
§ 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

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Voices from the Field
BRAINWAVE Teacher "

This was my first neuroscience education workshop, and I learned so much. Can't wait to bring these activities to my classroom. Very grateful for the invitation!

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Workshop Participant
LAUSD · Los Angeles
BRAINWAVE Teacher "

The best part was the environment — everyone was so nice and genuinely excited to share their research and explain it in a way that was easily digestible. I loved the variety of research that was shared!

BW
Workshop Participant
LAUSD · Los Angeles
BRAINWAVE Teacher "

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!

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Workshop Participant
LAUSD · Los Angeles
BRAINWAVE Teacher "

This experience was amazing. I had a blast learning from scientists and collaborating with educators I wouldn't have otherwise had the chance to work with. I'd love to participate again.

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Workshop Participant
LAUSD · Los Angeles
BRAINWAVE Teacher "

I anticipate this workshop will impact my students' learning by helping me become a more aware teacher. A big takeaway was the idea of the "weekend brain" — I'll be rethinking my exam schedule to better support students.

BW
Workshop Participant
LAUSD · Los Angeles
§ JOURNEY
For Educators

Your Journey with BRAINWAVE

1
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.

2
Apply

Register

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

3
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.

4
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
Free · Residential

Summer Intensive Workshop

A 5-day residential training on the UCLA campus. Neuroscience lectures from faculty, hands-on lab experiences, and collaborative curriculum design. Fully funded for qualifying teachers.

Learn More
NGSS-Aligned · Free

Classroom Activity Library

50+ ready-to-use neuroscience lessons designed for K–12 classrooms. Activities aligned to Next Generation Science Standards, available for immediate download at no cost.

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Alumni Network

Educator Community Network

Monthly webinars with UCLA neuroscientists, peer collaboration forums, and ongoing professional development. Stay connected and keep growing after the workshop ends.

Learn More
§ QUOTES
In Teachers' Own Words

What Educators Say About BRAINWAVE

"

Behavior IS Communication! Sleep, attention and the student's wellness are part of the WHOLE Child — if the basic need is not being met, the student will have challenges. BRAINWAVE helped me understand that. Now I know how to help.

LAUSD Teacher · Waitlist Survey 2025
"

It was probably the BEST professional development we have ever attended thus far!

Workshop Participant · LAUSD
"

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

Teacher · June 2025 Workshop
"

I will be more flexible when I teach heavy content in the morning, checking to see for symptoms of sleep deprivation. My students deserve that awareness from me.

Teacher · December 2025 Workshop
"

I am most excited to introduce a sleep schedule challenge to my homeroom class — so many strategies I can apply right away, including calming, connecting, and cognitive techniques.

Teacher · June 2025 Workshop
"

Seeing — and touching — a real human brain was the most exciting thing. It made the science completely real for me. I can't wait to bring that sense of wonder back to my classroom.

Teacher · December 2025 Workshop
"

The best part was the environment — everyone was so genuinely excited to share their research and explain it in a way that was easily digestible. I loved the variety of research shared!

Workshop Participant · LAUSD
"

Reinforcing the idea that schools and families are partners in education outcomes. This workshop gave me the science to back that conversation with parents.

Teacher · December 2025 Workshop
§ 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.

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Teachers Engaged
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Schools Represented
100%
Public Schools
K–12
All Grade Levels
Schools in Our Network
Showing schools from all workshop cohorts · No personal information displayed
📋 Connected to your Google Forms — When you share your registration form exports, this grid and map update automatically with real cohort data. Grade levels, subjects, and school names populate from your forms. No personal teacher information is ever displayed publicly.
§ WORKSHOPS
Workshop Archive

Where the Learning Happens

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Most Recent December 2025 · UCLA Campus

[Workshop Title — To Be Added]

Our most recent BRAINWAVE workshop brought together passionate LA educators for an immersive day of neuroscience exploration, hands-on activities, and classroom-ready insights from UCLA researchers.

🎬 Video in production — coming soon
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Teachers Attended
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Would Recommend
June 25, 2025 · UCLA

Brains in Rest: The Neuroscience of Sleep and Its Role in Learning, Behavior, and Development

Teachers explored the science of sleep — how rest shapes memory consolidation, attention, and emotional regulation — and left with classroom-ready lessons on brain health.

Workshop Cohort 2025
Fall 2024 · UCLA

Neuroscience of Learning and Memory

An immersive day exploring how the brain builds memories, the science of forgetting, and evidence-based strategies teachers can use immediately to boost student retention.

Workshop Cohort 2024
Coming Up — Future Workshop Topics
Wired to Learn: How the Brain Builds Memory and Understanding Focus Forward: Executive Function, Attention & the Developing Brain Teaching the Teenage Brain: Adolescent Brain Development The Learning Brain and the Power of Play
§ TEAM
The People Behind BRAINWAVE

UCLA Scientists Who Teach

Our instructors are active postdoctoral researchers at UCLA — experts who bring their real lab discoveries into the classroom. This is what makes BRAINWAVE unique.

§ STORY
Teacher + Students · Photography
Our Founding Story
Neuroscience isn't just for researchers in labs. It belongs in every classroom, in every community.
Dr. Vidya Saravanapandian
Founder & Director, BRAINWAVE · IRACDA Postdoctoral Fellow, UCLA Golshani Lab

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 created BRAINWAVE to ensure every K–12 teacher in Los Angeles had access to the same knowledge — regardless of their school's ZIP code.

Read Our Story
§ PARTNERS
Supported By

BRAINWAVE is a collaborative initiative supported by research institutions, philanthropies, and school districts across California.

§ CTA

Ready to Bring Brain Science to Your Classroom?

Register your interest for our next BRAINWAVE workshop.
Free for K–12 teachers · LAUSD salary point credit · No neuroscience background required.

Teacher Interest Form UCLA Postdoc? Join as Instructor

Questions? Email [email protected] · A UCLA Brain Research Institute Initiative