Eastern Student Haley Celotti of Ashford Participates in Environmental Earth Science Undergraduate Research Project

2016 Aug 15

Undergraduate research and creative activities at Eastern Connecticut State University provide opportunities for students to work closely with faculty mentors on research or creative work. Projects are aligned with the mentor's expertise and designed to expose students to professional activities within a chosen field.

Eastern Environmental Earth Science students recently participated in summer undergraduate research projects. These summer field activities are enabling Haley Celotti '17 of Ashford, along with two other EES students, to work directly with Environmental Earth Science faculty members Peter Drzewiecki (departmental chair), Bryan Oakley and Drew Hyatt.

Their research utilizes high-tech, three-dimensional imaging and mapping techniques to investigate sites of geologic interest in Rhode Island and Connecticut.

"One interesting aspect of this research is that these EES students work as a team, assembling data sets that will support follow-up research independently conducted by each student through fall semester practicum, as well as independent study coursework," said Hyatt.

Initial field has focused on learning techniques used to image and map sites of coastal erosion at Napatree Point in Rhode Island and Jurassic bedrock exposures in Glastonbury. These sites have been studied independently by Professors Oakley and Drzewiecki for several years. New data sets derived from this summer's research will enable construction of extremely detailed three-dimensional computer models that support ongoing and new research.

Field and laboratory work will continue during the summer with results being presented at Eastern's spring 2017 CREATE conference.

Cellotti's research included working with Professor Hyatt to process images and utilize photogrammetric software in order to construct photo-realistic computer models. The models will enable mapping of topographic changes for a bluff at Napatree Point in Westerly, RI, that is likely to experience coastal erosion during future New England coastal storms.