Stories this week at Wake Forest

SCIENTIST/TV HOST TO DELIVER FOUNDERS’ DAY ADDRESS

Award-winning scientist, environmentalist and television program host David Suzuki will deliver the Founders’ Day Convocation address at 11 a.m. on Feb. 10 in Wait Chapel. The event is free and open to the public. Suzuki’s speech, “Science and Technology in the New Millennium: Setting the Bottom Line,” will address environmental issues such as toxic pollution, the loss of biodiversity, global warming and topsoil degradation. Suzuki, who is well known for explaining the complexities of the natural sciences in a compelling and easily understood way, is familiar to American television viewers as the host of the eight-part PBS series, “The Secret of Life,” and his five-part series, “The Brain,” which aired on the Discovery Channel.

SUZUKI AVAILABLE TO MEDIA

David Suzuki will talk with the media immediately following his Founders’ Day Convocation address on Feb. 10. Convocation begins at 11 a.m. in Wait Chapel. Interview requests need to be made in advance by calling the News Service. Reserved seating for the media will be located in the first and second rows on the far rights side of the chapel. Cameras may set up along the right stairway and balcony. Anyone wanting a line level feed should arrive by 10:30 a.m. Parking will be available on both sides of the chapel. Downloadable photos and audio clips from convocation will be available at www.wfu.edu/wfunews.

IS CHIVALRY DEAD OR ALIVE?

Honor, valor, courtesy and loyalty were all virtues of chivalry that are not necessarily gone and forgotten, according to Gale Sigal, an English professor who specializes in medieval literature. “There are still widely-held beliefs that men and women should act a certain way in relationships,” Sigal said. From opening doors to sending flowers, what is considered gentlemanly conduct today is rooted in the chivalrous conduct of medieval times. To interview Sigal, contact the News Service.

CHINESE NEW YEAR CELEBRATION

A Chinese New Year celebration will feature dances, lectures and activities highlighting Chinese culture from 12 p.m. to 4 p.m. on Feb. 13 in the Scales Fine Arts Center’s main lobby. The free event will include the traditional celebratory lion dance; demonstrations of acupuncture and calligraphy; lectures on Feng Shui, the ancient Chinese art of design and placement; and Qi Gong, breathing exercises to boost positive energy. Hands-on activities for children will include making paper lanterns and learning to use chopsticks. The event is free and open to the public.

MOTHER LIKE DAUGHTER?

The relationship between mothers and daughters will be the focus of a panel discussion from 11 a.m. to noon on Feb. 15 in the Benson University Center’s third floor lounge. Panelists will include Christy Buchanan, an associate psychology professor who specializes in child development issues; Mary DeShazer, a professor of English and women’s studies; and Angela Hattery, an assistant sociology professor who specializes in family issues. The free and public event is part of the “Discover Series,” a talk-show format program sponsored by the Benson Center.

HELP YOUR SWEETHEART HAVE A HEALTHLY HEART

This Valentine’s Day, help yourself and your sweetheart have a healthier heart. Taking care of your heart is like nurturing an important relationship, said Peter Brubaker, an associate professor of health and exercise science. Your heart is your lifeline, working 24 hours a day, seven days a week, without a break for the length of a lifetime, he said. On the road to cardiovascular health, Brubaker, who is also director of Wake Forest’s Cardiac Rehabilitation Program, suggests some simple lifestyle changes such as learning to cook lighter, healthier meals. He also suggests attaining and maintaining a desirable body weight for height; becoming and staying physically active; eating a diet low in saturated fat and cholesterol; and eating a plentiful amount and good variety of fresh fruit and vegetables. For more tips or to interview Brubaker, call the News Service.

WFU AND WSSU TO CELEBRATE 40TH ANNIVERSARY OF SIT-IN

Wake Forest and Winston-Salem State University will celebrate the 40th anniversary of a student sit-in at a downtown lunch counter with a series of events on Feb. 23 and Feb. 24. The celebration, “Leadership and Civil Rights: Retrospective and Prospective Visions,” will feature free and public events at both universities and in downtown Winston-Salem. Event highlights will include the dedication of a commemorative marker by Winston-Salem Mayor Jack Cavanagh, panel discussions with the student participants and local civil rights leaders, and a Unity Sing with music groups from both universities. More details and calendar information is available at http://civilrights.wfu.edu.

WEB SITE HIGHLIGHTS SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY EVENTS

For more information about “Science and Technology: The Next Millenium,” Wake Forest’s yearlong celebration of scientific inquiry, visit www.wfu.edu/yost. The Web site features news releases, a calendar of upcoming events and profiles of faculty members and their research. Also featured is an on-line essay collection titled, “Science in the 20th Century.” The essays, written by Wake Forest faculty members, discuss major science and technology developments of the 20th century.

Categories: Arts & Culture, Community, Events, Media Advisory, University Announcement