ad ▁and ▁is ▁organized ▁by ▁the ▁Deutsche ▁Neu row issenschaft en - O lymp i ad ▁Association . ▁▁ ▁In ▁ 2 0 1 6 , ▁the ▁board ▁of ▁the ▁D NO ▁began ▁the ▁process ▁of ▁expand ing ▁the ▁competition ▁throughout ▁Germany . ▁ ▁Mission ▁The ▁mot to ▁of ▁D NO ▁is ▁" D riv ing ▁Connect ivity ", ▁the ▁organization ' s ▁mission ▁is ▁to ▁motiv ate ▁and ▁insp ire ▁young ▁people ▁to ▁learn ▁about ▁the ▁human ▁brain , ▁fost er ▁interest ▁in ▁the ▁various ▁fields ▁of ▁neu ros ci ences ▁and ▁purs uit ▁of ▁care ers ▁in ▁basic ▁neu ros cience ▁research . ▁Through ▁local ▁and ▁national ▁compet itions , ▁summer ▁research ▁schools , ▁practical ▁courses , ▁and ▁other ▁out re ach ▁programs ▁D NO ▁would ▁like ▁to ▁encou rage ▁national ▁and ▁international ▁exchange ▁among ▁students ▁on ▁their ▁way ▁towards ▁a ▁scientific ▁career . ▁The ▁philosophy ▁of ▁D NO ▁is ▁that ▁through ▁encourag ing ▁young ▁students ▁to ▁work ▁together ▁to ▁face ▁new ▁and ▁exc iting ▁challeng es ▁in ▁neu ros cience ▁research , ▁there ▁can ▁be ▁a ▁further ▁understanding ▁of ▁brain ▁functions . ▁ ▁Compet ition ▁The ▁competition , ▁which ▁until ▁ 2 0 1 6 ▁has ▁only ▁taken ▁place ▁in ▁Heidel berg , ▁is ▁open ▁to ▁students ▁in ▁gr ades ▁ 9 ▁to ▁ 1 3 ▁with ▁the ▁total ▁number ▁of ▁participants ▁limited ▁to ▁ 6 0 ▁students ▁per ▁city . ▁Currently , ▁the ▁German ▁Neu ros cience ▁Olymp i ad ▁is ▁expand ing ▁into ▁other ▁cities ▁throughout ▁Germany .