Eastern Student Katherine Burgos of New London 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.

Katherine Burgos '17 of New London, who majors in Biology, presented a research poster at the event. Burgos' poster presentation was titled "The Effect of Simulated Microgravity on the Functions of Olfactory Neurons in the Nematode, Caenorhabditis Elegans."

"Understanding the effects of microgravity can assist in the development of strategies to help avoid the limitations of sending humans to space and safely returning them to earth," said Burgos. "Astronauts returning from spaceflight experience poor neurocognitive performance and motor system disturbances. Understanding the effects of microgravity is critical for overcoming the issue of how humans can better survive and work in space during long?term space travel. This experiment aims to better understand how microgravity affects the nervous and motor systems of a living organism. Understanding whether simulated microgravity affects the worm, Caenorhabditis elegans (C. elegans), can potentially help uncover the specific ways that human neurons are impaired during spaceflight."

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.