Nathalie Rouland - Russia & Contemporary Performing Arts; Adam Van Arsdale - Reflections on Georgia; Ivan Arreguin-Toft - Russian miltary reform; Nina Tumarkin- Legacy of Soviet Past; Marshall Goldman- Summer 2010 heat wave.

Should the U.S. generate more nuclear energy? Nancy Kolodny argues "yes", describing the current consumption of energy, how nuclear power is produced, other fuel sources, and the barriers to increasing the use of nuclear energy.

Phil Levine notes that recent economic events call into question the ability of older workers to get by in retirement. He examines the factors behind workers who cannot afford to retire and those who will be forced to do so due to a weakened labor market.

Lynne Viti outlines Cass Sunstein's four categories of judicial thought: fundamentalism/originalism, perfectionism, majoritarianism, and minimalism She then explains how these categories come into play in 5-4 U.S. Supreme Court decisions.

Parkinson's Disease is characterized by selective loss of dopamine-producing neurons. Aggregation of alpha-synuclein is thought to be a key causative event. Julia reviews efforts in her lab to identify aggregation-prone regions of this protein.

Four Wellesley College professors read poems in honor of the Ancient Greek poet Sappho: Marjorie Agosin (Spanish); Dan Chiasson (English); Liz Young (Classical Studies); and Ifeanyi Menkiti (Philosophy).

Locomotion is energetically expensive. For many animals, daily energy budgets are dominated by the costs of fueling their muscles. David explores the performance limits and efficiency of locomotor systems in fish, guinea fowl, and other animals.

GIS-based geomorphologic analyses of the distribution of marsh features at the Great Marsh, MA, study area quantitatively support qualitative field observations. Process-driven models will be increasingly important as sea-levels rise.

Susan Reverby discusses her book Examing Tuskegee, focusing on myths about the study, how scientific knowledge about syphilis matters, why the study has become a metaphor for medical racism and mistrust, and why it continues to be so culturally powerful.

Roxanne Euben discusses how and why she came to study political theory and Islamic political thought, and how the events of 9/11 changed the context for, and the reception of, her work on Islamist political thought.

Barbara Beltz notes how new nerve cells are generated in the brains of many adult organisms, including humans. Adult-born neurons appear to play a role in learning and memory. The Beltz lab has been using the crustacean brain to explore the process of adult neurogenesis.

The resolution of two current problems in the history of the solar system and in the history of the ancient earth may depend upon a small isotopic effect in the spectra of carbon monoxide and of sulfur dioxide, respectively.

Scientific understanding of wisdom has been impeded by uncertainties about its definition and measuerment. Data from a 60-year old longitudinal study demonstrates the implications of two types of wisdom for psychosocial functioning in adulthood.

Olga Shurchkov presents the state of the economy; Eric Hilt discusses reform proposals past and present; Akila Weerapana looks at developments in international economics; and Joe Joyce examines changes in international economic governance.

Jon Imber's book, Trusting Doctors: The Decline of Moral Authority in American Medicine examines public perceptions about the role of physicians from the middle of the 19th century to the present. He observes how certainties evolved into probabilities.

Many believe organic food is better. Many also believe genetically engineered foods pose greater risks to human health and the environment. Yet the scientific consensus is just the opposite. Why is it so widely ignored?

Adam Van Arsdale gives an overview of the Ardipithecus fossil skeleton (what was found, where, how old it is). Jeremy DeSilva (Anthropology Professor at Boston University) describes his work as a functional anatomist of locomotion and upright walking.

Adam Weiner discusses Nabokov; Phil Kohl discusses tensions in the Northern Caucasus; Adam Van Arsdale discusses Georgia; and Marshall Goldman discusses the Russian economy.

Nolan Flynn describes how he uses infrared spectroscopy, dynamic light scattering, and electron microscopy. Projects include hydrogels and microchips for drug delivery, and nanotechnology for wound healing.