The 2026 Michigan Brain Bee will be at the Michigan Union. We will be between the Kuenzel Room (first floor) and the 2210 ABC (second floor).
On competition day, there will be signs posted around the Union to help you navigate between rooms.
First Floor
Second Floor
8:30am-9:30am
Outside Kuenzel Room
Please bring completed consent forms with you to make the check-in process faster!
9:30am - 9:45am
Kuenzel Room
10:00am - 11:00am
2210 ABC
55-question written examination
Kuenzel Room
Presentation from Sehj Rai, a senior undergraduate student working in the Michigan Neuroscience Undergraduate Program Office
11:15am - 12:30pm
Labs will be announced soon
Stay tuned!
12:00pm - 1:00pm
Kuenzel Room
Parents and students will be able to ask questions regarding admissions, majors, premed/prehealth, student life, and more to current UM students
2:00pm - 2:30pm
Kuenzel Room
Dr. Smiley's research focuses on neural and physiological mechanisms that control animal and human social behavior throughout life and how they have evolved over time. Her research looks at neural, hormonal and sensory parenting responses using zebra finches as a model! Similar to humans, zebra finches are monogamous, biparental and highly social. You can find more about her research here!
2:30pm - 3:00pm
Kuenzel Room
Dr. Cummings is a lecturer in the Brain and Behavior area of the Psychology Department at the University of Michigan. She was also recently named George C. Rosenwald Collegiate Lecturer of Psychology. She teaches a wide variety of psychology and neuroscience courses from introductory neuroscience to advanced courses such as Hormones and Behavior and Determinants of Health and Disease. You can read more about her here!
3:00pm - 4:00pm
Kuenzel Room
Top 8 performers from Session I answer 25 interactive questions using 3D models, diagrams, and MRI/CT scans
(Top 2 performers from Session II move on to Session III)
4:00pm - 4:30pm
Click here to learn more about each session of the competition!