Eating a healthy diet on a regular basis can be a challenge for many reasons. Among them: costs, having a lack of access to healthy foods, and the convenience of processed foods. What are some tips for eating healthy on a budget? And what are some misconceptions when it comes to diet and nutrition?

Guest: Jeff Fisher, Director of the Allen Foundation Culinary Nutrition Center, at Central Michigan University.

• 00:00 Introduction
• 01:04 What is a “food desert”?
• 02:42 Why are processed foods cheaper than fresh foods?
• 04:36 How can I prepare healthy and cost-effective meals at home?
• 07:16 How can I stretch my groceries into more meals?
• 08:36 What is the benefit to seasonal eating and preserving food?
• 12:59 How can I easily preserve produce at home?
• 14:23 How have modern conveniences changed our relationship to food?
• 17:39 How can I grocery shop in a budget-friendly way?
• 22:39 How can I begin to eat a plant-based diet?
• 24:28 What are common misconceptions about diet and nutrition?
• 28:01 How do I know what health advice to trust?
• 31:05 How can I improve my portion control and create a well-balanced plate?
• 32:08 What value can food have beyond simple nutrients?
• 33:30 Conclusion

What are some of the most important skills for an entrepreneur to have, and what do you need to know when launching or acquiring your own business?

Guest: Julie Messing, Director of the Isabella Bank Institute for Entrepreneurship at Central Michigan University.

• 00:00 Introduction
• 01:09 What is entrepreneurship?
• 02:33 What skills does an entrepreneur need?
• 04:54 How can you build people skills and confidence?
• 07:26 How do you get a new business off the ground
• 12:17 How does acquisition entrepreneurship work
• 19:31 What is the relationship between entrepreneurship and the ‘gig economy’?
• 21:30 What is intrapreneurship?
• 23:42 How can you support entrepreneurs in your community?
• 25:30 Conclusion

How is light pollution affecting the environment and our own well-being? And how can we mitigate light pollution and preserve night sky visibility?

Guest: Aaron LaCluyzé, faculty member in the Department of Physics at Central Michigan University.

• 00:00 Introduction
• 02:04 What is light pollution?
• 06:55 Is there a benefit to reducing light pollution?
• 10:50 How does poor light design contribute to light pollution?
• 13:26 Why does light pollution occur?
• 15:29 How can we address light pollution?
• 16:47 What other factors contribute to limited night sky visibility?
• 18:06 How does light pollution impact wildlife?
• 21:40 How does light pollution impact humans?
• 23:59 What kind of light bulb creates the most light pollution? Why?
• 28:04 How can we mitigate light pollution and preserve night sky visibility?
• 34:15 How is light pollution measured?
• 35:49 What are the cultural impacts of light pollution?
• 37:03 What concerns arise with the proliferation of satellites?
• 44:09 Recap and conclusion

Game-based learning has been around for thousands of years. What makes games so effective as a learning tool? And how can you implement games into everyday learning?

Guest: ⁠Jonathan Truitt⁠, co-director of the ⁠Center for Learning through Games and Simulations⁠ at ⁠Central Michigan University⁠.

• 00:00 Introduction
• 01:18 What is game-based learning and gamification
• 03:44 How do we gamify our daily lives?
• 05:07 How did game-based learning start to catch on?
• 08:58 How is game-based learning different than educational video games?
• 10:40 How do you decide if game-based learning is a good fit for a lesson?
• 14:16 Why does game-based learning help to increase understanding?
• 16:14 What is the benefit of face-to-face, live game play?
• 21:37 What game models work best in the classroom?
• 23:41 How does an academic board game get published?
• 25:03 What games have been published through Central Michigan University Press?
• 28:47 How can educators introduce game-based learning to their classrooms?
• 33:51 What are the career opportunities in game-based learning?
• 37:28 Conclusion

Why has autism become more prevalent? And what’s the difference between autism awareness and autism acceptance?

Guest: Allison Peart, Director of the Autism Assessment Evaluation Center at Central Michigan University.

• 00:00 Introduction
• 01:11 What is autism?
• 03:13 What is the appropriate language to use when talking about an ASD diagnosis?
• 06:57 What is the current therapy model for ASD? Why is this model used?
• 11:39 Why is self-advocacy important and how has it improved access to accommodations?
• 15:02 Is there any overlap between ASD and ADHD?
• 17:13 Why are autism diagnoses becoming more prevalent?
• 19:11 What is the role of diagnosis for accessing services and resources?
• 21:17 What kind of support is available within the public school system?
• 21:53 What is the evaluation and recommendation process like for ASD?
• 26:00 What is autism acceptance and why is it important?

Why is the 2024 total solar eclipse such a big deal? And, where and how can you see it safely?

Guest: Aaron LaCluyzé, faculty member in the Department of Physics at Central Michigan University.

• 00:00 Introduction
• 01:06 What is an eclipse?
• 06:42 What will the view of the solar eclipse be from Michigan?
• 07:20 What are the dangers of looking directly at a solar eclipse?
• 10:17 How long will the eclipse last?
• 12:16 What’s the cultural history of eclipses?
• 14:33 How do modern-day scientists predict eclipses?
• 16:53 How was the experience of viewing the 2017 eclipse?
• 18:30 How do you prepare to view a solar eclipse?
• 23:42 Why is a total eclipse worth trying to see?
• 33:19 If I’ve seen an eclipse before, should I still see this one too?
• 35:11 What equipment do I need to view or photograph the eclipse?
• 44:05 What scientific phenomena can be observed during a solar eclipse?
• 46:32 What can scientists learn from viewing a solar eclipse? What can the average person learn?
• 50:26 Are there any philosophical implications of a solar eclipse?
• 52:40 Conclusion

It’s one of the most important skills employers are looking for in the business world today: process mining. What is it and how can businesses use it to leverage data to become more efficient?

Guest: Vishal Shah, associate professor of Business Information Systems at Central Michigan University

• 00:00 Introduction
• 01:07 What is process mining?
• 05:54 What are some examples of process mining applications?
• 10:52 How can I get into the field of process mining?
• 13:40 What is ERP and SAP, and how do these systems benefit businesses?
• 15:52 How does process mining build on data mining?
• 19:38 What makes quality data and why is that important for process mining?
• 22:48 How can process mining work in tandem with human judgement and decision making?
• 29:42 What career paths can benefit from studying process mining?
• 35:57 Why is the demand for process mining skills increasing?
• 38:48 How can process mining skills help students succeed in the job market?
• 43:24 How can I apply process mining to my personal routine?
• 49:35 Are there limits to process mining?
• 51:27 Are there any ethical or legal concerns with process mining?
• 54:38 Review and wrap-up

What challenges do first-generation students face? And, what advice and resources are available to help make the transition from high school to college a successful one for first-generation students?

Guest: James Span Jr., executive director of Student Inclusion and Diversity at Central Michigan University.

• 00:00 Introduction
• 01:23 How is “first-generation student” defined?
• 02:08 Why is it important to identify first-generation students?
• 04:06 Why can it be challenging to be a first-generation student?
• 09:01 What are some of the challenges faced by first-generation students?
• 12:00 What is the importance of empathy and support for first-generation students?
• 18:44 What resources are available for first-generation students?
• 21:13 What scholarship and financial aid opportunities are available for first-generation students?
• 22:20 What programs does Central Michigan University have to support first-generation students?
• 27:03 Why is it important to address the stigma around being a first-generation student?
• 30:04 How should first-generation students prepare to enter college?