July 13, 2017
You’re never too old to learn something new.
An interest in learning led Terry Dolan to take the Understanding Your Brain course taught by Baycrest’s Rotman Research Institute (RRI) trainees. A research tour was a nice way to wrap up, says Dolan, one of 30 older adult students to visit Baycrest on July 6.
“I’m intrigued to learn as much as I can because that will enhance my day-to-day enjoyment,” says Dolan. “We learned about the different areas and functions of the brain and it is great to come out and see the tools used to make these discoveries.”
This is the first year Baycrest’s Research Training Centre (RTC) has offered an eight-week class through Ryerson University’s Life Institute, which provides educational programs for older adults seeking opportunities for personal growth and social interaction.
“Through this course, our next generation of science leaders and ambassadors are developing essential skills to translate and communicate their work for a broader audience, and engaging directly with older adults – the ultimate beneficiaries of their research,” says Dr. Rosanne Aleong, RTC Co-Director.
Jordana Wynn, a graduate student at the RRI who facilitated the course and organized the event, says the experience was very rewarding since the students were engaged and interested in the material.
“There’s a gap right now between the research that’s produced and what the public knows about it,” says Wynn. “The best way to combat misinformation is for scientists and researchers to go into the community and make sure the knowledge they’re disseminating is correct.”
Stay tuned for the RTC’s upcoming training opportunities.