JD
James Doucette
  • Sport & Leisure Management
  • Class of 2017
  • East Hartford, CT

Eastern Student James Doucette of East Hartford Presents Research Poster at CREATE Conference

2016 May 3

More than 250 talented students at Eastern Connecticut State University presented research and creative work at the university's second annual CREATE conference this past April. CREATE stands for Celebrating Research Excellence and Artistic Talent at Eastern, and is the university's premier, academic year-end showcase. At the culminating event, students of all majors presented professional posters, live music, dance performances, artwork, photography, documentaries and panel discussions.

James Doucette '17 of East Hartford, who majors in Sport & Leisure Management, presented a research poster at the event. Doucette's presentation was titled "Crisis at the Crossroads: Sport, Gender Discrimination, and the Moral Law."

"This paper examines the many issues surrounding gender discrimination as experienced by female college and professional athletes in Western Sports, demonstrating the nature, severity and extent of the problem," said Doucette. "The types and sources of discrimination that sportswomen endure are explained, with a particular focus on the role of media in propagating gender stereotypes and roles which are a major contributor to discrimination. The negative impacts of these social phenomena on the athletes themselves are described. Key characteristics of discrimination illustrated by the research are also discussed. Comprehensive ethical solutions are then proposed using the theories of Immanuel Kant, specifically applying the Moral Law, the Autonomy principle, Duties of Justice, and the inherent dignity of every human being."

Remarking on the variety of presentations, Professor Dickson Cunningham, conference co-chair, said, "CREATE encapsulates the essence of the liberal arts in one afternoon. It is an intellectual smorgasbord."

Speaking to the value of CREATE, Eastern President Elsa Nunez said, "It takes a very strong and dedicated student to produce this quality of work, and it's important for other students to see this output." Praising the faculty, she added, "It takes a committed and skillful mentor to guide students to the work that is on display. Mentorship is such an integral part of undergraduate research."

During the one-day conference, the Student Center crawled with artistic and scholarly activity. Students in professional attire addressed their peers, faculty and family. In the cafe, ensembles performed; in the theatre, student-produced documentaries were shown; in the Betty R. Tipton Room, aisles of posters depicting scientific research were displayed; across the hall, a gallery-worth of paintings lined the walls; and on the ground floor, panel discussions and oral presentations about the humanities took place.

In celebration of students' exemplary research, experiential learning and creative activity, CREATE serves to reinforce high-impact practices such as mentored research; increases the number of students presenting their work in a professional forum; raises public awareness of Eastern's liberal arts mission and student accomplishments; and contributes to the intellectual richness of the campus community.