Lynn Aldo
  • Communication
  • Class of 2017
  • Lebanon, CT

Eastern Student Lynn Aldo of Lebanon Gives Oral Presentation at CREATE Conference

2016 May 5

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.

Lynn Aldo '16 of Lebanon, who majors in General Studies, gave an oral presentation at the event. Her oral presentation was titled "'One Ringy-Dingy'--Ernestine Tomlin"

"In today's corporate environment, many organizations are forming virtual teams," said Aldo. "These allow companies to access individuals and resources from all over the world. The purpose of these virtual teams is to enable individuals to collaborate information and accomplish workplace tasks without the inconveniences of traditional face-to-face communication. The technology involved needs to be perfectly fitted if it is going to maximize efficiency and performance levels. There are specific tools for all different types of jobs and it goes the same for meetings whether they have a social presence or not; whether they are asynchronous or synchronous. Effective virtual communication will be explored through the lens of social presence and descriptive theories of communication."

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.