“Everyone at the UO is so supportive of undergraduate research,” Fecker said. “Taking a next step with my poetry and presenting that research project definitely built up my confidence.”

At the 2019 Undergraduate Research Symposium, Fecker presented an ecopoetry research project she conducted with mentorship from Oregon Poet Laureate Kim Stafford, as well as her continuing work using zebrafish to identify parts of the forebrain that affect social behavior for people on the autism spectrum.

Her positive experience with research at the UO, as well as her dual presenting spurred her onto working as a coordinator for ASURE, or the Associated Students for Undergraduate Research and Engagement. ASURE not only helps plan and coordinate the symposium, but also hosts student-led workshops where peers work with fellow students to help them prepare abstracts for submission, posters for presenting research, as well as give tips for orally presenting research to interested passers-by at the symposium.

“I love the event and I want to work to make it even better,” Fecker said. “After thinking about how much participating in the symposium has given to me, I realized there was so much more I could give back.”

Fecker said she knows it’s really difficult for students to know how to get engaged with research and presenting their work without having a connection – someone who can guide and mentor them through the process. She hopes to be that person for some by working with ASURE.

“Having more people doing research makes this university better,” she said. “And doing research really gives you a sense of accomplishment, so it seems like it’s good for all involved.”

Dates of upcoming ASURE workshops will be posted soon. To see Fecker’s 2019 ecopoetry research, people can visit the Living Learning Center South to see it permanently displayed.