Nature knows Best (November 5 - 11) 
Children today are so often overly-scheduled that they have very little free time to notice and appreciate the natural world around them. Rick Van Noy (RU) talks about “nature-deprived children” and offers some practical suggestions to get kids outside and interacting with their environment.
Also: Sheila Ward (NSU) discusses how African-American women view their body image and how that image compares to how the women of Africa view themselves. Ward, a dancer and a professor of Health and Exercise Science, is intensely interested in the role of exercise in improving the health of young African American women.
Bienvenidos a Virginia (November 12 -18)
Four hundred thousand Latinos now call Virginia home. While many are concentrated in Northern Virginia, Laura Zarrugh (JMU) and Pablo Davis (South Atlantic Humanities Center) say much of the recent growth has been in rural areas and small Virginia towns, where Latinos are changing the cultural landscape.
Also featured: Folklorist Debra Lattanzi Shutika (GMU) studies “sense of place” among Latino immigrants and says while Latinos put down roots in the U.S., they also work hard to maintain their cultural roots “back home.”
The Best Medicine (November 19-25)
Laughter really is the best medicine. Neuroscientist James Olds (GMU) says laughter stimulates the immune system, which helps the body ward off disease, and it is just as essential for our mental health. His personal favorites? He guffaws at Mike Meyers and also Monty Python. Also featured: “Frankenfood” or manna from heaven? Biologist Camellia Okpodu (NSU) thoughtfully evaluates the many benefits and the potential dangers of genetically modified plants.
Mind your Manners (November 26 - December 2)
Dining etiquette seems to be a lost art, particularly among college students who tend to eat fast-food while studying or watching TV. But they are in for a rude awakening when potential employers judge their table manners at dinner-time interviews. Don Rieley and Amy McPherson (VT) teach students how to handle themselves with grace when a job interview takes place over a meal.
Also: Suzanne de Janasz (UMW) says fewer employees are willing to sacrifice their family life for career advancement and smart companies are taking note to institute more family-friendly policies.
