A data-blitz style event for trainees (students / techs / post docs) in the Chicagoland area studying learning and memory. Our goal is to bring together young minds who study memory at various levels (human, non-human, computational, etc.) to exchange knowledge and inspire each other. In particular, we want to foster cross talk between the diverse memory labs in the area. We also want to give trainees the opportunity to network, and practice presenting their work in a professional format that is welcoming and stress-free. We have partnered with several associations this year to host a Diversity in STEM Luncheon with special guests Women in Learning, Science Sistas, Proteintech, and Laurier Women in Neuroscience. Registration is free but required as there are limited spots. Thanks to our generous sponsors (NSF, LUC, Proteintech, ThermoFisher, Bruker-Inscopix, and the MNEME lab) there will be awards, prizes, swag, and a great line up of speakers! We hope to see you there.

To apply for the Proteintech Service in Society Award please submit your CV and a one-page (max) explanation of how you are making a difference in your community to loyola.learnmem@luc.edu. This award (value $100) will be presented at the meeting. All in person attendees / speakers are eligible. The deadline is March 17th. If you require travel support, please submit a paragraph explaining your needs to the same email address by February 7th. 

This annual event started in Boston in 2018 and the story of how it got its name is pretty cute. The children's book, Wind in the Willows has characters Mole and Rat. and Rat says to Mole “Believe me, my young friend, there is nothing–absolutely nothing–half so much worth doing as simply messing about in boats.” Messabouts are events where boating folks talk about boats - in a paper by Richard Morris, he writes " there is nothing–absolutely nothing–half so much worth doing as simply messing about in memory". So, we (the idea was actually Dr. Daniela Palombo's) called the meeting the Memory Messabout and one of my students, Amanda Fortin, even drew the logo with Mole and Rat paddling in a canoe in the Water Maze!