Ecobricks is a productive and engaging product that is suitable for all individuals, regardless of ability and needs. The purpose of the project is to help reduce plastic waste in our oceans and our land, that contribute to harming our ecosystem. Ecobricks are essentially an alternative to the traditional red bricks that are used to create different building structures. They are called "Ecobricks" because they consists of PET bottles that are reusuable and are filled with non-biodegradable and non-recycable plastic. The bottles do not contain any metals, glass, sharp objects, or bio-degradable items. They also contain only clean and dry plastics. These bottles are then used to make different building projects (there are some photos of building projects done, using the Ecobricks).

BIDMC required an individual that could assist in the improvement of operations in the department of Food Service and Nutrition. With the proper resources, completing weekly tasks such as patient rounds, and reporting the necessary feedback from patients to the kitchen staff and general supervisor was easily achieved. A high volume of negative feedback,prompted initiatives to improve; kitchen workflow, timeliness of food delivery, and creation of accommodations. Although the data for the increase in positive feedback is not available at this time, comments about improvements in food quality, and service have been provided and emphasized.

The goal of this project was to teach and spread awareness on effective ways to use narcan to keep people in the community safe.

South Shore Hospital is a nonprofit health organization that provides community care, home health, specialty care, primary care, emergency and urgent care, and wellness services. This senior internship aimed to create a resource about Transvaginal Ultrasound for staff to provide their non-English speaking patients. Ten staff members of the Ultrasound Department were interviewed about specific language barriers when working with their patients. As a result, the existing English version was translated into five documents to assist patients who spoke Cantonese, Vietnamese, Spanish, Haitian Creole, and Portuguese. According to staff, the translation sheets will improve communication with non-English speaking patients (especially understanding the exam) and overall patient satisfaction. After this internship, the department will continue to use the translation sheets to prevent future language barriers.

This capstone project describes a personal healthcare journey with Type I Diabetes in the United States and the fluctuating price of insulin necessary to treat this disease. This paper emphasizes the dangerous toll on a person’s health and quality of life that results from the choices and sacrifices one must make to purchase and have on hand the supply of insulin needed on a daily basis. The "Cost To Survive" is explained through a narrative of personal experience, the diabetic literature, online news reports, and a President’s stand on the issue. A vivid diagram illustrates the complex and convoluted insulin supply chain that master-minds extreme price-fixing of insulin in the United States. Rationing of insulin supply is a dangerous but necessary technique for some persons-that leads to health disparity and fast forwarding of dangerous side effects that may be fatal as a result of untreated diabetes.

Disability representation in media is often skewed and is a disservice to the neurodiversity movement. This presentation will review examples of tokenized representation and challenge these portrayals by focusing on culturally sustaining practices. Participants will begin to examine classroom and school-based practices that are neuro-inclusive and reaffirm that all students belong, and all voices need to be heard. This is the second panel of the CRCA spring seminar series on Disability Justice.

From the earliest primates to modern humans, our history as a species has been characterized by environmental change and variability. Through studying the geological record we can reconstruct the past environments associated with fossil primates and hominins. This allows us to build and test hypotheses about how climatic and tectonic processes shaped the eastern African ecosystems in which our species evolved and ultimately migrated from to colonize the globe.

Evolutionary science has long been regarded as conservative, a tool for enforcing regressive ideas, particularly about race and gender. But in A Voice in the Wilderness, evolutionary biologist Joseph L. Graves Jr.—once styled as the “Black Darwin”—argues that his field is essential to social justice. He shows, for example, why biological races do not exist. He dismantles recent work in “human biodiversity” seeking genes to explain the achievements of different ethnic groups. He decimates homophobia, sexism, and classism as well.

Sometime in the late Pleistocene, sea level rose and buried a coastal bald cypress forest beneath the sea floor. The trees and wood were preserved under the sediment for the next 60,000 years until recently exposed by hurricane waves. Once uncovered the ancient wood formed the foundation of one of the most unique marine environments ever discovered. The site now hosts a diverse marine community, fueled by wood, and dominated by wood-eating bivalves and other wood-associated marine invertebrates. I will discuss the diversity of organisms that thrive in this environment and the special role played by wood-eating bivalves (shipworms) and the cellulolytic bacteria that enable their unusual woody diet.

Each year we are seeing more and more impacts from climate change. Dr. Young’s presentation will explain why we are seeing these impacts and what we can expect in the future. Dr. Young will also discuss his recent research about climate change in New England and will end the talk highlighting climate change education and activities by Salem State University students.