Undergraduate researchers at UCSB will present their discoveries and creative accomplishments at the 16th annual Undergraduate Research Colloquium on Thursday, May 18, beginning at 11:30 a.m. in Corwin Pavilion. Students will be available to discuss their work.

This year’s event will be the largest ever, with more than 125 poster presentations that showcase the work of undergraduate scholars. Students will address subjects ranging from astrophysics to discrimination in healthcare, from ancient Mayan pottery to natural marine gas seeps. Research projects in the fine arts, including films and performance art, are also well represented.

“The research and creative work from some of our brightest and most talented students will be on display,” said Alan J. Wyner, dean of undergraduate studies in the College of Letters and Science. “Their work demonstrates the opportunities available to students at our world-class research university.”

The campus provides more than $200,000 each year to support undergraduate research, and it is estimated that one of every four students is involved in an organized research program.

Research, conducted under the supervision of professors who are eminent in their fields, fosters critical thinking skills, and helps prepare students for future careers and advanced study.