The 17th Annual Undergraduate Research Symposium, a celebration of research, scholarship and creative work from undergrads, will take place at 1 p.m. Saturday in the Kansas Union on the Kansas University campus.

Six undergraduate researchers who present their work in an accessible, creative and engaging way have won $500 and will speak at Saturday’s event, KU said in a news release:

• Rachel Cross, Wichita, “Ecopoetics and the Academic Ecosystem: A Step-by-Step Guide for the Anti-Colonialist”; research mentors: Megan Kaminski, English; Mary Klayder, English.

• Gavin Hanson, Salina, “The Role of Attention in Goal-Directed Semantic Retrieval: Evidence from Multi-Voxel Pattern Analysis”; research mentor: Evangelia G. Chrysikou, psychology.

• Alex Kong, Lawrence, “Evaluating Derivatives of Vitamin E as Therapeutic Agents for Alleviating Lysosomal Trafficking Defects Associated with Neurodegenerative Diseases”; research mentor: Jeff Krise, pharmaceutical chemistry.

• Megan Nelson, Manhattan, “Tipping: An Economic Anomaly”; research mentor: Neal Becker, economics.

• Mitchell Newton, Overland Park, “Utilizing Microdialysis and Electrocortiography to Understand Seizure Activity in the Brain”; research mentor: Craig Lunte, chemistry.

• Josh Russell, Lawrence, “Resources and Educational Outcomes: A Look at Kansas and Missouri Public Schools”; research mentor: Donna Ginther, economics.

Two undergraduate research mentoring awards, one for faculty and one for graduate students or staff, will be given:

• Barbara Schowen Undergraduate Research Mentor Award (faculty): 2014 Award Winner Kostas Kokkinakis, speech-language-hearing. Honorable Mention: Renee Perelmutter, Slavic languages and literatures

• Undergraduate Research Mentor Award (graduate student/staff): 2014 Award Winner Rachel Bowes, ecology and evolutionary biology. Honorable Mention: Jacob Carter, ecology and evolutionary biology.