Eastern Student Jessica Durkin of Portland 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.

Jessica Durkin '18 of Portland, who majors in Biology, presented a research poster at the event. Durkin's poster presentation was titled "Cell Culture in Microgravity."

"The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) was established with the goal of civilian space exploration," said Durkin. "Over the years they have come closer to this strategic goal of Human Exploration and Development of Space. Other agencies, such as SpaceX and Virgin Galactic, share this goal of space commercialization and accessibility. However, even with the many advances made, the consequences of space flight on the human brain remain unclear. Evidence indicates that crewmembers returning from spaceflight experience a decline in cognitive functions such as attention, accuracy, and motor skills. Currently it is unclear what causes this cognitive decline. One possibility is that exposure to microgravity has an effect on neurons, the cells in the central nervous system responsible for sending and receiving information. Here, we describe the establishment of cell culture conditions within simulated microgravity using a rotary cell culture system. These studies demonstrate our ability to culture neurons in simulated microgravity and lay the foundation for investigating the effects of microgravity on neurons. Understanding this may be crucial for developing strategies to prevent cognitive decline and facilitate the exploration of space."

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.