Skip to Content

College of Engineering and Computing

  • Bessman working in the lab

Research Centers and Institutes

Research at the College of Engineering and Computing is supplemented and supported through our centers, institutes and research groups, which include several South Carolina SmartState Centers of Economic Excellence. These research centers coordinate and promote faculty and student research extending across and beyond the school. Our institutes have the broadest interdisciplinary reach and generally involve faculty from several colleges and schools.

Explore our college's research centers and institutes:

Aberration-Corrected Scanning Transmission Electron Microscopy Facility

The facility's JEOL JEM2100F aberration-corrected scanning transmission electron microscope (STEM) characterizes the structure and composition of materials at atomic resolution. This facility is located in the College of Arts and Sciences' Electron Microscopy Center.

Artificial Intelligence Institute

The institute emphasizes AI applications and impact through extensive interdisciplinary collaborations with 10 colleges and several major centers and active research groups across the university.

Catalysis for Renewable Fuels SmartState Center

The Catalysis for Renewable Fuels Center focuses on synthesizing inorganic catalysts for converting biomass to biofuels and synthesizing electrocatalysts for solar fuels and fuel cells.

Center for Computational Robotics

The center's mission is to solve complex scientific problems in perception, autonomy, and interaction for robots that operate in unstructured environments.

Center for Electrochemical Engineering

The Center for Electrochemical Engineering at the University of South Carolina was created with the broad vision to spearhead the theory and practice of electrochemical engineering, electrochemical power sources, electroplating and corrosion protection through research and education.

Center for Information Assurance Engineering

CIAE is a part of the ongoing effort at UofSC to increase information systems security awareness and develop high quality education and research in this area. Faculty and students associated with the CIAE are working in a broad spectrum of security topics and issues.

Center for Mechanics, Materials and Non-Destructive Evaluation

The Center for Mechanics of Materials and Non-Destructive Evaluation develops and applies Digital Image Correlation and other advanced measurement and modelling technologies to evaluate and quantify material and structural behaviors.

Center for Predictive Maintenance

The Center for Predictive Maintenance designs the future of maintenance practices and advances technologies through component testing, predictive analytics, digital transformation, exploration of alternate sensor and signal processing technologies, as well as the investigation of historical fleet data for rapid analysis and integration of data.

Center for Rational Catalyst Synthesis (CERCAS)

The Center for Rational Catalyst Synthesis is developing catalysts that allow fuels to be produced from renewable sources. These new catalysts are the next wellhead as the transportation sector moves to less dependence on imported oil and carbon fuel. This center also serves as a resource for recruiting activities in the Midlands of South Carolina for companies associated with renewable fuels and alternative energy.

General Atomics Center

The General Atomics SmartState Center for Transformational Nuclear Technologies explores new approaches to nuclear fuel systems, modeling and simulation of nuclear fuel behavior and nuclear waste storage to meet future energy needs.

Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Center

The Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Center's  mission is to promote and support the growth of an electrochemistry industry by providing technological leadership with a vigorous program of research, development and demonstration. By serving as a locus for academic talent of the highest caliber and a non-profit site for the objective evaluation and improvement of industrial products, our goal is to become a primary leader for the understanding and advancement of fuel cell and electrolyzer technology.

McNAIR Center

The McNair Aerospace Center was created in 2013 to meet the needs of a rapidly growing SC aerospace cluster. The center supports knowledge-based economy through innovative aerospace research, interdisciplinary education, economic development, outreach and collaboration with the aerospace and allied industries and related government agencies. Research activities include areas such as composites, predictive maintenance, digital transformation, 3D printing, drones and unmanned vehicles, and combustion for aerospace applications.

Multifunctional Materials and Structures SmartState Center

The SmartState™ Center for Multifunctional Materials and Structures (MFMS), currently located at USC’s McNAIR Center, focuses on design, manufacturing and assembly technology for hybrid composite structures. 

Nuclear Science and Energy SmartState Center

The Nuclear Science and Energy Center provides leadership in research and teaching, assists small businesses, and collaborates with industry, universities and governmental research organizations nationally and internationally to advance nuclear science and energy.

Solid Oxide Fuel Cell SmartState Center

The mission of the center is to use science to drive engineering solutions that enable efficient and clean energy systems for a bright and sustainable energy future.

Strategic Approaches to the Generation of Electricity (SAGE)

SAGE conducts research to reduce the harmful environmental effects of burning coal to produce electricity. This Center of Economic Excellence will focus on improving environmental control technologies for coal power plants, including improving mercury and gas emission controls and developing new materials and processes to capture and store or find a use for carbon emissions, making UofSC an international leader in future fuels/energy research.

X-Ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy Center

The College of Engineering and Computing maintains the X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy (XPS) Center which can be used by researchers at the University or customers from outside industry. The center also boasts SIMS, or secondary ion mass spectrometry, capabilities.

 

Can't find what you're looking for? Try searching our A-Z Research Directory to browse active research groups, activities and facilities.


Challenge the conventional. Create the exceptional. No Limits.

©