Neuroscience course at the Science Academy Lower Austria
How does our brain work?
Why don't we always think logically?
How can our senses be deceived?
These and many other questions are explored by students aged 14-16 in the extracurricular neuroscience course, which takes place as part of the Science Academy Lower Austria. Young people learn about exciting experiments, gain insights into current research, and have the opportunity to interact with scientists from ISTA. They also receive support in developing their own projects—from finding a project idea to presenting the results.
The course comprises three semester blocks, each consisting of five workshop days and two summer weeks, and offers participants insights into the fundamentals of neuroscience from February 2026 to summer 2027. The course deals with current methods of neuroscientific research and the relevance of neuroscience in everyday social life. In addition to the technical content, the focus is on personal contact with scientists, independent research, and experiencing science as a process.
Block 1: What is neuroscience?
The human brain – basics and structure
Function and electrophysiology of the nervous system
Comparison of nervous systems in the animal kingdom
How do our senses work, and how can they be deceived?
How do emotions arise, and how can they be better regulated?
Block 2: How neuroscience works
Behavior: How much of our behavior is innate, how much is learned?
Methods of neuroscience for researching brain structure
Methods of neuroscience for researching brain function
Clinical neuroscience
How does science work?
Block 3: Neuroscience & Society
Neurodiversity: Individual Variations and Scientific Debates
Artificial Intelligence
Art and the Brain
Mental Health
Excursion: Psychiatry Through the Ages
Applications will be accepted starting September 1, 2025. More detailed information and eligibility requirements for the course can be found on the website of the Science Academy of Lower Austria.
You can find more information on neuroscience in the ForscheN magazine published by the province of Lower Austria.
Impressions of the Neuroscience Academy
