CIHR Canadian National Brain Bee 2025 Participants
Ottawa Student Wins National Neuroscience Competition — Headed to International Stage
"In the hippocampal trisynaptic circuit, dentate gyrus neurons receive axonal input from which cortical region?"
That was one of the questions Emma Rees, a finalist in the 2025 CIHR Canadian National Brain Bee, answered to win the title of "Best Teen Brain in Canada." And she is only in grade 10!
Emma, who attends Canterbury High School in Ottawa, was one of 17 top performers out of 581 students who competed in local bees across Canada, earning a spot at the regionals. She then competed against the other semi-finalists to reach the finals in Toronto.
As part of the CIHR Canadian National Brain Bee "Final Showdown," she and the two other regional finalists—Maxwell Li from Toronto and Diyaa James Hamsaveni from Guelph—wrote a neuroanatomy test and then answered questions about neuroscience in front of a live audience. Only Emma knew that the entorhinal cortex is the part of the brain that first sends signals to kick-start the process of forming memories. That knowledge helped her win the title and earned her the honour to represent Canada at the 2025 International Brain Bee World Championship taking place in November, competing against students from more than 40 countries.
Emma is more than just a brainiac. She's also a passionate artist who hopes to become a medical illustrator, combining her love of biology and visual art. "I'm excited by the idea of turning complex scientific concepts into simple, accessible illustrations."
CIHR is proud to support the Canadian National Brain Bee and Canada's newest generation of scientists.
CIHR 2025 Brain Bee Champion places second in the world!
Ottawa high school student Emma Rees, earned global recognition, placing second overall at the 2025 World Brain Bee Championship and receiving a $2000 USD prize. Emma stood out among 40 competitors from around the world, demonstrating exceptional skill and knowledge across multiple challenges, including a written exam, identifying parts of the brain and its cells, diagnosing patients, and answering questions on the spot from leading neuroscientists.
After placing first in Canada in May, Emma advanced to the international competition, held in November during Neuroscience 2025, the annual meeting of the Society for Neuroscience in San Diego, California.
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