Eastern Student Sydney Day of Columbia 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.

Sydney Day '16 of Columbia, who majors in Environmental Earth Science, presented a research poster at the event. Day's presentation, co-presented alongside classmate Joel Hara, was titled "Hard Rock Vs. Heavy Metal."

"Manganese is an abundant, naturally occurring metal found in soils and rocks across Connecticut," said the students in a joint statement. "Given the abundance, manganese is often found in groundwater. Concentrations may increase in the groundwater due to unnatural causes which include activities associated with municipal wastewater, pesticides, or mining. Although manganese is essential for all animals, prolonged exposure to concentrations exceeding 0.05 mg/L in drinking water may lead to health complications and, additionally, may cause accelerated deterioration of pipes, hot water heaters, and home heating systems. More than 1,800 water quality reports from domestic wells from 1970 to present were used to conduct a spatial and temporal analysis of manganese concentrations for Lebanon, Connecticut. Manganese concentrations were analyzed with respect to rock type, additional groundwater parameters, and groundwater flow conditions. Rock types were grouped into three lithogeochemical units and manganese concentrations were analyzed per unit per decade. Drinking water wells that exceeded the EPA drinking water standard for manganese concentrations most often occur in felsicigneous and plutonic rocks; however, average decadal manganese concentrations show that metamorphosed sedimentary rock had significantly higher concentrations. The variability in the temporal distribution of manganese suggests anthropogenic sources have altered the groundwater quality conditions."

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.