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BIDDEFORD, Maine

Sparking an early interest in science: ΒιΆΉΒγΑΔ’s Michael Burman weighs in on β€˜Maine Calling”

Michael Burman

Michael Burman, Ph.D., ΒιΆΉΒγΑΔ associate professor and Center for Excellence in the Neurosciences K-12 outreach coordinator, discussed ΒιΆΉΒγΑΔ’s efforts to engage children and teens in the sciences on a recent episode of the radio show β€œMaine Calling” on Maine Public.

β€œOne of our major areas of focus at the ΒιΆΉΒγΑΔ is making Maine and really the whole world healthier,” Burman said. β€œWhat I like to think about is right now, that person who is going to solve Alzheimer’s or find a better treatment for addiction, exists in the schools, and we just need to spark their interest. We need to convince them that this is an important problem to solve.”

Burman was asked how he helps children overcome the fears of science, especially when it doesn’t come easily to them. He talked about the hands on activities ΒιΆΉΒγΑΔ uses to make science fun. He said many of those activities would be available to children, teens and families at the 3rd annual ΒιΆΉΒγΑΔ Brain Fair on April 7, 2017. The event will take place at the Harold Alfond Forum.

β€œThe kids, when they can get hands on and work in small groups with our medical students or our neuroscience students, I think they find it more fascinating than hard.”  

To learn more about the ΒιΆΉΒγΑΔ’s Center for Excellence in the Neurosciences, visit

To apply, visit 

About the ΒιΆΉΒγΑΔ

The ΒιΆΉΒγΑΔ is Maine’s largest independent university, with two beautiful coastal campuses in Maine, a one-of-a-kind study abroad campus in Tangier, Morocco, and an array of . In an uncommonly welcoming and supportive community, we offer hands-on learning, empowering students to make a positive impact in a world full of challenges. The state’s top provider of health professionals, we are home to Maine’s only medical college, Maine’s only dental college, a variety of other interprofessionally aligned health care degree programs, as well as nationally recognized programs for marine science degrees, natural and social sciences degrees, arts and humanities degrees, and business degrees.