The Office of the Vice President for Research is very proud to announce the 2017 recipients of our three annual Breakthrough awards: Leadership in Research, Stars and Graduate Scholars. The Breakthrough awards recognize USC faculty and graduate students at different career levels for their research and scholarly excellence. The Breakthrough Leadership in Research award recognizes USC’s distinguished senior faculty, the Breakthrough Star award honors outstanding early-career faculty and the Breakthrough Graduate Scholar award goes to exceptional graduate students.

“The 2017 class of Breakthrough award recipients is truly an outstanding group,” says Vice President for Research, Prakash Nagarkatti. “They represent a wide variety of subject areas, but what unites them is a commitment to excellence, to going above and beyond their academic and job requirements to foster innovation in their students and colleagues, and advance the University of South Carolina’s research enterprise.”

USC President Harris Pastides echoed this statement noting, “Every year, the Breakthrough awards recognize some of the most deserving faculty and graduate students that serve on USC System campuses. This year’s group is no exception. I heartily congratulate every 2017 Breakthrough recipient, and look forward to seeing how their contributions elevate our university, and our state, in the years to come.”

Congratulations to all 2017 recipients of the Breakthrough Leadership in Research Award, Breakthrough Star award and Breakthrough Graduate Scholar award.

2017 Breakthrough Leadership in Research Award Recipients

Roger Dougal, Ph.D., Carolina Distinguished Professor and Electrical Engineering Department Chair, College of Engineering and Computing

Julius Fridriksson, Ph.D., CCC-SLP, SmartState Endowed Chair for SmartBRAIN™ (Supporting Mobility, Activity, Rehabilitation, Transportation/Technology) and Director of the Aphasia Laboratory, Arnold School of Public Health

Victor Giurgiutiu, Ph.D., Professor, Department of Mechanical Engineering, College of Engineering and Computing

Sue Levkoff, Sc.D., MSW, S.M., SmartState Endowed Chair for SmartHOME (Supporting Mobility, Activity, Rehabilitation, Transportation/Technology) and Professor, College of Social Work

John Weidner, Ph.D., Professor and Chair, Department of Chemical Engineering, College of Engineering and Computing

Hans-Conrad zur Loye, Ph.D., Associate Dean for Research and Graduate Education and David W. Robinson Palmetto Professor, Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, College of Arts and Sciences

2017 Breakthrough Stars

Christina Andrews, Ph.D., MSW, Assistant Professor, College of Social Work

Jessica Barnes, Ph.D., Assistant Professor, Department of Geography, College of Arts and Sciences

Li Cai, Ph.D., Associate Professor, Department of Chemistry, USC Salkehatchie

Jan Eberth, Ph.D., Assistant Professor, Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Arnold School of Public Health

Daniel Fogerty, Ph.D., Assistant Professor and Director of the Speech Perception Laboratory, Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders, Arnold School of Public Health

Norma Frizzell, Ph.D., Assistant Professor, Department of Pharmacology, Physiology and Neuroscience, USC School of Medicine

C. Nathan Hancock, Ph.D., Assistant Professor, Department of Biochemistry, USC Aiken

Chen Li, Ph.D., Associate Professor, Department of Mechanical Engineering, College of Engineering and Computing

Carole Oskeritzian, Ph.D., Assistant Professor, Department of Pathology, Microbiology and Immunology, USC School of Medicine

Virginia Shervette, Ph.D., Assistant Professor, Department of Wildlife and Fisheries, USC Aiken

Natalia Shustova, Ph.D., Assistant Professor, Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, College of Arts and Sciences

Gabriel Terejanu, Ph.D., Assistant Professor, Department of Computer Science and Engineering, College of Engineering and Computing

Frank Thorne, Ph.D., Assistant Professor, Department of Mathematics, College of Arts and Sciences

Lori Ziolkowski, Ph.D., Assistant Professor, School of the Earth, Ocean and Environment, College of Arts and Sciences

2017 Breakthrough Graduate Scholars

Marc Demont, Ph.D. candidate in the Department of Languages, Literature and Cultures, College of Arts and Sciences

Taylor Garrick, Ph.D. candidate in the Department of Chemical Engineering, College of Engineering and Computing

Mohammad Rifat Haider, Ph.D. candidate in the Department of Health Services Policy and Management, Arnold School of Public Health

Eboni Harris, Ph.D. candidate in Nursing Science, College of Nursing

Morgan Hughey, Ph.D. candidate in the Department of Health Promotion, Education and Behavior, Arnold School of Public Health

Behrad Koohbor, Ph.D. candidate in the Department of Mechanical Engineering, College of Engineering and Computing

Hengyun Li, Ph.D. candidate in the Hospitality Management Program, College of Hospitality, Retail and Sport Management

Jo-Yun Li, Ph.D. candidate in the Mass Communications Program, College of Journalism and Mass Communications

Minghui “Sam” Li, Ph.D. candidate in the Pharmaceutical Sciences Program, College of Pharmacy

Yuan Shen, Ph.D. candidate in the Marine Sciences Program, College of Arts and Sciences

Derek Silva, Ph.D. candidate in the Department of Sociology, College of Arts and Sciences 

Ryan Strickler, Ph.D. candidate in the Department of Political Science, College of Arts and Sciences

Qingfeng Zhang, Ph.D. candidate in the Chemistry Program, College of Arts and Sciences

 

11 January 2017