Eastern Student Rachel Mackewicz of Lebanon 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.

Rachel Mackewicz '16 of Lebanon, who majors in Environmental Earth Science, presented a research poster at the event. Mackewicz delivered two poster presentations. The first was titled "A Structural and Petrographic Study of the Lebanon Gabbro and Surrounding Gneisses, Eastern Connecticut."

"The Lebanon Gabbro is one of the largest mafic intrusions in southern New England, but its geological history has scarcely been studied," said Mackewicz. "The gabbro covers an area of approximately 90 km? and is exposed 5 miles south of ECSU in widely scattered outcrops largely in Lebanon township. Since 1942, the intrusion has been the subject of only one geochemical study and there is almost nothing known about its petrological variations and structural evolution. Therefore, to better understand the geological significance of the Lebanon Gabbro, we undertook a field and petrographic study during summer, 2015 and winter, 2016. More than 40 outcrops of the gabbro and surrounding lithologies were studied along roads, powerlines and in forested areas. Many remote outcrops were discovered on virtually deforested 1m?resolution LiDAR images and were subsequently field checked. Twenty?five thin?sections of the gabbro and surrounding rock types were analyzed for mineralogical, textural and structural information. An important discovery is that the undeformed intrusive core of the gabbro comprises the high NE?SW trending ridge that crosses the township, whereas deformed and foliated gabbro defines the intrusion's southern margin suggesting a sheared tectonic contact. In addition, outcrops of the Monson Gneiss west of the Lebanon Gabbro and Hebron Gneiss outcrops south of the gabbro contain impressive NEvergent overturned folds and low?angle mylonitic zones with S?C fabrics and asymmetric tails on garnet porphyroblasts all indicating NE?directed thrust transport."

Her second project, co-presented by three other classmates, was titled "Genetically Modified Organisms: A Blessing or a Curse." In a joint statement, the students said: "Whether you realize it or not, you consume genetically modified organisms or GMOs almost daily. One would wonder, are these healthy for me? How do these GMOs effect the environment? How do they change the agricultural industry as a whole? GMOs are altering our lives, and it is time for us to attempt to determine if this is a change for the better or worse. Our students will participate in an interdisciplinary journey to form their own opinions about the physiological, environmental and economic effects of GMOs. Students will form their opinions through rigorous research in the history and social dynamics of GMOs and their effects on society as a whole. Scientific differences between organic and genetically modified foods through appearances, which will pique interest in the molecular makeup of these modified organisms. After synthesized, these findings can be used to produce statistics, graphs, and charts leading to student's predictions. This inquisition will culminate in the writing of a newspaper issue consisting of both academic findings in their subject areas and an original piece concerning one's opinions of GMOs overall after extensive research. We hope to create a complete use of research tools through independent inquiry in all subjects. Our pedagogical outlook will facilitate collaboration, independent work and interviews as opposed to a traditional lecture on GMOs. This is an extremely relevant topic that students need to have knowledge in so that they can be lifelong educated consumers."

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.