Agenda Departments

Agenda

SRC Government Reception

Nov. 19: The Springfield Regional Chamber will hold its annual Government Reception from 5 to 7 p.m. in the Carriage House at Storrowton Tavern, 1305 Memorial Ave., West Springfield. Sponsored by Baystate Health and Comcast with support from Columbia Gas of Massachusetts and Westfield State University, the reception provides business and community leaders with the opportunity to meet socially with local, state, and federal officials following the end of the formal legislative session. Last year, more than 200 people attended the event, including members of area select boards and city councils, as well as state representatives and senators. Reservations for the event are $50 for chamber members and $70 for general admission. To reserve a spot, visit www.springfieldregionalchamber.com or e-mail Sarah Mazzaferro at [email protected].

Neuroscientist to VisitSpringfield College

Nov. 19: The Springfield College Center for Wellness Education and Research (CWER) will host world-renowned neuroscientist and nutrition and diet expert Nicole Avena at 7 p.m. in the Fuller Arts Center. Avena’s presentation, “Why Diets Fail: Because You’re Addicted to Sugar,” will focus on years of research showing that sugar is addictive, and present a science-based plan to stop cravings. The event is free and open to the public. Author of more than 50 scholarly journal articles, Avena’s research suggests that overeating of palatable foods can produce changes in the brain and behavior that resemble addiction, findings that have jump-started an entire new field of exploration and discovery related to the obesity epidemic. She has presented her research to an array of audiences, including pharmaceutical companies, diabetes-prevention groups, food-industry marketing executives, nutrition groups, and obesity-education groups, and has contributed to articles in Men’s Health, Psychology Today, Bloomberg Businessweek, and WebMD. The New York Academy of Sciences, the American Psychological Assoc., and the National Institute on Drug Abuse have honored her research achievements. Housed in the Springfield College School of Health, Physical Education and Recreation, CWER’s mission of is to serve as the region’s pre-eminent source for best practices in nutrition and physical-activity programming for young people.