Creative Work
This category allows presenters to showcase their artistic talents through a variety of media, including visual arts, music, performance, poetry and more. Whether through a life performance or an exhibition, this format is very flexible and welcomes all types of creative works.
Film Screening
Introduced in 2024, this category celebrates innovative storytelling through film. Presenters will share insights about their creative process and project before the screening. To ensure a engaging experience, the total time for both discussion and film screening will be 15 minutes. Filmmakers may need to prepare an excerpt of their film for screening.
The Undergraduate Research Symposium welcomes all manner of creative presentation formats and will work directly with Creative Work and Film Screening presenters to ensure a venue that can accommodate their presentation. If your work has specific spatial or material requirements, please reach out to our team at ugresearch@uoregon.edu with any questions about presenting your creative work.
Coping Mechanism (2021) for String Trio
Jonathan Sherpa
Jonathan Sherpa presents on their four-movement string trio: Coping Mechanism. The composition “seeks to explore and exploit the various difficult emotions [Jonathan] was struggling with… Each movement is representative of a different emotion, ranging from Longing, to Panic, Anger, and finally Despondency.” The piece uses extreme dissonance, turbulent melodies, and a motivic relationship that pervades each movement which only resolves in the last moments of the piece.
Ecopoetry and Us (2019)
Adeline Fecker, Nolan Kriska, Hailey O’Donnell
“Ecopoetics” comes from the two Greek roots: oikos (family, property, house) and poiesis (to make). Together, we understand ecopoetry as home making: a process of creation and compassion and belonging . During quarantine, this team presented environmental awareness poetry with help from Oregon’s poet laureate Kim Stafford. They seek to inspire others to express themselves so that their long term emotional growth continues through the tragedy of a pandemic.
Jazz Project – A Dance Film (2011)
Shannon Knight
Jazz Project – A Dance Film, is an exploration in choreography for the camera, and layering of urban footage and still photography set to music that includes works by George Gershwin and Duke Ellington. The overall appearance of the short film is reminiscent of early cinematography. It is in black and white, and includes period costumes, and creative use of lighting. Over thirty hours of footage from studio rehearsals, live stage performances and site-specific improvisations manifest a product that is nostalgic, unique and takes the viewer on a journey through urban scenery of Eugene and Portland, OR, to Pittsburgh, PA. The music, imagery and overall aesthetic of the film suggests close attention to a time in early twentieth century industrial America, and reflects one artist’s interpretation of a form perhaps now lost, but not forgotten.