The big blue ball
December 29, 2017, Aïda Rogers
From Scotland to Singapore and Germany to New Zealand, South Carolina Honors College alumni make their homes abroad.
2017 Archive
No. 1! UofSC sport science programs top national rankings
December 20, 2017, Allen Wallace
The University of South Carolina’s sport science programs are ranked No. 1 in the United States for the second year in a row, and No. 4 in the world by ShanghaiRanking's 2017 Global Ranking of Sport Science Schools and Departments.
Social justice for all
December 18, 2017, Chris Horn
Two professors, a student and a staff member have been selected as 2018 recipients of Social Justice Awards by the University of South Carolina’s MLK Day planning committee.
2017 A to Z
December 15, 2017, Joshua Burrack
When Capstone is lit, you know something good has happened in Gamecock Nation and it was lit a lot in 2017. Take a look back at some of our top moments with our A to Z year-in-review video.
Adulting 101
December 13, 2017, Jalesa Cooley
This semester, Capstone Scholars were offered an array of workshops that taught them valuable skills that are not offered in the typical classroom environment.
Going global
December 12, 2017, Aïda Rogers
Study abroad offers valuable lessons, priceless experiences.
Master of His Field
December 12, 2017, Allen Wallace
Former Hootie & the Blowfish tour manager Paul Graham has been a star in the sport and entertainment management field for decades. Recently, he has also been simultaneously a teacher and a student at USC and will claim his master's degree this month.
UofSC institute finds solutions to help vulnerable familiies
December 08, 2017, Megan Sexton
The USC Institute for Families in Society has a simple goal — find solutions to help vulnerable families in South Carolina. But the work, much like the issues faced by families, can be anything but simple.
Terms of engagement
December 07, 2017, Chris Horn
Domestic abuse is a problem nationwide and even more so in South Carolina. Counselor education professor Ryan Carlson says it's important for counselors to know what kind of violence they are dealing with when helping abuse patients.
Anonymously yours
December 07, 2017, Megan Sexton
Thanks to a $5 million gift to the university from an anonymous donor, the country’s oldest freestanding academic library is getting a needed renovation. Work is well underway at the South Caroliniana, with all of the materials moved to the Thomas Cooper Library and other sites around campus.
Adjudicating the Rwandan genocide
December 04, 2017, Page Ivey
Political science professor Anu Chakravarty's new book looks at the tribunals that followed tribal genocide in Rwanda. The unprecedented effort led to more than 1 million people being tried by their neighbors on as little as a single accusation.
Dealing with dyslexia
December 04, 2017, Chris Horn
It’s estimated that 6 percent to 10 percent of K-12 students — some say as many as 20 percent — struggle with reading disorders of some kind. Carolina psychology professor Scott Decker has a grant to assess every school district in South Carolina to see how well they are doing in identifying and helping students with dyslexia.
A case for good training
December 02, 2017, Page Ivey
South Carolina’s Department of Social Services works with families in some pretty tough situations, but they don’t have to go it alone — thanks to support from USC’s Center for Child and Family Studies.
Gateway to adventure
November 30, 2017, Jalesa Cooley
Whether heights, spiders or dark corners, we all have fears that need facing. Students in the Capstone Scholars program are encouraged to address their fears head-on and realize their potential through the Personal Challenge — a pillar of the Capstone experience that requires students to step out of their comfort zones and try something new.
Moore School trailblazer honored with Carolina Distinguished Professorship
November 30, 2017, Amanda Hernandez
For 21 years, Tatiana Kostova, Buck Mickel Chair and Professor of International Business at the University of South Carolina's Darla Moore School of Business, has been an integral part of the Moore School faculty. Her hard work and success with students have culminated this year with a Carolina Distinguished Professorship award.
It's about to get personal
November 27, 2017, Allen Wallace
Imagine going shopping and having your phone or fitness tracker make product recommendations for you based on your breath or the current physical state of your body. It is not science fiction. It’s the future of retailing and health care digitization according to researchers at University of South Carolina’s College of Hospitality, Retail and Sport Management.
The sky is not the limit
November 21, 2017, Chris Horn
Michel van Vooren, director of the McNAIR Center for Aerospace Innovation and Research, says the center is taking flight with new research grants and the collective energy of 50 undergraduate and graduate students.
A family affair
November 17, 2017, Craig Brandhorst
Maybe you’re familiar with the annual Thanksgiving for Internationals dinner at Columbia restaurant Immaculate Consumption; maybe you’re not. Either way, you can appreciate the spirit of the event.
Think Twice UofSC
November 17, 2017, Jalesa Cooley
On a campus with almost 1,800 international students from 95 different counties, the University of South Carolina has supreme rankings when it comes to accommodating those from various backgrounds. While the environment is welcoming to all, a few students are taking the initiative to stop subtle acts of discrimination that often go unnoticed.
Connecting humanities and science
November 15, 2017, Mary-Kathryn Craft
With a background in the history and philosophy of science, professor Ann Johnson was well known for bridging gaps between history, philosophy, engineering and technology. Her parents and sister recently established and endowed the Ann Johnson Institute for Science, Technology and Society to carry on her vision of interdisciplinary work.
Doing big things together
November 13, 2017, Jalesa Cooley
It’s not every day that a simple interaction with a professor leads you to the Olympics, or even to finding a trusted mentor, but it is for students who are lucky enough to interact with John Grady. After 13 years at the University of South Carolina, these inspiring interactions have resulted in Grady being honored with the 2017 Outstanding Advocate for First-Year Students Award.
Maybe you're not allergic
November 13, 2017, Craig Brandhorst
A team of undergraduates mentored by associate professor of pharmacy Brandon Bookstaver has developed a new protocol being used at Palmetto Health Richland Hospital to determine if hospitalized patients who report having a penicillin allergy, in fact, are allergic.
Water, water everywhere...
November 10, 2017, Chris Horn
A former research chemist at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Carolina chemistry professor Susan Richardson focuses her research on harmful byproducts of disinfectants used to make water safe for consumption.
Creating the dancer
November 09, 2017, Page Ivey
Stacey Calvert has been a devotee of choreographer George Balanchine since she was a young dancer. “The choreography is brilliant; it’s beyond brilliant,” she says. "It’s super organic to dance. As a dancer, it makes perfect sense.” That is why Calvert has staged a Balanchine program every spring for the past 14 years as a dance professor at the University of South Carolina.
Undergraduate research opens door to opportunity
November 03, 2017, Jalesa Cooley
Pre-med sophomore Karlye Denner was working at a Columbia health clinic when she began to notice the high number of Latino patients who seemed at risk for diabetes. Intrigued, the Capstone Scholar from Closter, New Jersey, applied for a Magellan Apprentice Undergraduate Research Grant to conduct independent research on the issue.
Data traffic controller
November 03, 2017, Mary-Kathryn Craft
Physics professor Yanwen Wu recently received a National Science Foundation Career grant to explore ways to speed up information processing. She’s specifically looking at using the photon—a particle with no electrical charge—to carry information, ultimately preventing traffic jams and accelerating data flow.
Newspaper wars
November 02, 2017, Mary-Kathryn Craft
UofSC alumnus Sid Bedingfield will discuss his book “Newspaper Wars” and the role journalists play in South Carolina’s civil rights struggle during a Nov. 8 public lecture sponsored by the College of Arts and Science’s History Center.
Honk if you're not driving
November 01, 2017, Craig Brandhorst
Law professor Bryant Walker Smith explores the nexus of law, society and emerging technologies — and how human factors fit into a complex equation.
Breathe easier
October 31, 2017, Chris Horn
Just because lung cancer patients are living longer and sometimes even cured of the disease, long-term survivors of the disease often cope with distressing symptoms such as shortness of breath, fatigue, depression and anxiety. Karen Kane McDonnell, a nursing professor in USC’s College of Nursing, plans to test an intervention to reduce their symptom burden.
A plague upon us
October 30, 2017, Megan Sexton
The toll of America’s opioid epidemic is tragic, but UofSC researchers are engaged in the struggle, finding tools that could help turn the tide.
Tale of two Spanish classes
October 27, 2017, Chris Horn
Two Spanish faculty members found that fewer in-the-classroom sessions and more online homework helped students better learn the language. It's a lesson they hope catches on in other language courses.
Fighting disease with data
October 25, 2017, Chris Horn
Without consistent medical supervision, HIV patients remain infectious and often have dire health outcomes. But two Arnold School of Public Health professors and an interdisciplinary team from the University of South Carolina have a plan to help reduce HIV infections in South Carolina and make medical care more responsive for those diagnosed with HIV/AIDS.
Stick with the program
October 24, 2017, Page Ivey
Tisha Felder recently received funding from the National Cancer Institute to identify and test intervention strategies to improve adherence to hormonal therapy among disadvantaged breast cancer survivors who experience excess rates of breast cancer mortality.
Garnet Apple winner: Mohammed Khalil
October 20, 2017, Melinda Waldrop
Mohammed Khalil, a 2017 Garnet Apple award winner, has designed self-learning modules and computer-based labs to maximize student participation in his classes. The associate professor of biomedical sciences has been lauded by many former students.
A rural outreach
October 17, 2017, John Brunelli
Improving rural health is a key focus for USC’s College of Nursing, which has initiatives in place to address rural health disparities, improve mental health access and respect cultural differences in health care decision making.
Gamecocks in the Galápagos
October 16, 2017, Allen Wallace
For the second year in a row, UofSC is taking students to one of the rarest classrooms in the world: the Galapagos Islands. The cross-disciplinary study abroad program offers diverse lessons, but the overarching theme is sustainability.
Garnet Apple Award winner: Shelley Jones
October 13, 2017, Page Ivey
Shelley Jones says teaching is not only in her blood — both parents were educators — but has been a part of her life since childhood.
Advancing educational equity for African-American children
October 11, 2017, Kathryn McPhail
Rapping the words to the U.S. Constitution might seem odd — unless you’re a student in one of Brandon Harrison’s classes. Harrison, and other public school teachers, are collaborating with education professors here at Carolina to identify which methods work best when teaching African-American students.
Setting a foundation
October 11, 2017, Jalesa Cooley
Ross Lordo knew he wanted to be a leader from the moment he completed high school. Now, after four years of serving in student government, the Fort Mill native is spending his senior year serving at the highest student government position — student body president.
French fries, Ferris wheels ... and physics
October 11, 2017, Megan Sexton
For the 21st year, faculty and students at the University of South Carolina will spend a day at the fair with 2,500 high school students from every corner of the state, helping them understand more about physics – while learning to be better teachers themselves.
Garnet Apple Award winner: Leslie Hendrix
October 06, 2017, Megan Sexton
Leslie Hendrix, a first-generation college student who earned a bachelor’s degree in mathematics and a doctorate in statistics from the University of South Carolina, works to make sure the students in her classroom have the support and guidance they need to succeed. Hendrix was awarded the university’s Garnet Apple Award for Teaching Innovation this spring.
Reversing a national health trend
October 05, 2017, John Brunelli
A pediatric researcher whose life work involves reducing obesity in children will be the keynote speaker at the second annual Gerry Sue and Norman J. Arnold Childhood Obesity Lecture.
Art of change
October 03, 2017, Mary-Kathryn Craft
The Ford Foundation recognized professor and acclaimed poet Nikky Finney as a visionary artist driving social change in the United States.
Time travelers
October 03, 2017, Chris Horn
USC astronomy professor Steve Rodney and doctoral student Justin Roberts-Pierel are part of a NASA-funded project that could locate stellar explosions so far away that their light has taken more than 13 billion years to reach us. That means those stars exploded — give or take a few million years — near the dawn of time.
Law of the land
October 03, 2017, Megan Sexton
Public policy conversations on climate change, coastal development and renewable energy are happening more and more in University of South Carolina School of Law classrooms, led by three Carolina law professors who focus on environmental law.
Garnet Apple winner: Peter Duffy
September 29, 2017, Craig Brandhorst
A recipient of the 2017 Garnet Apple award from the Center for Teaching Excellence, Peter Duffy has developed a reputation for innovation in the undergraduate classroom.
Pushing musical boundaries
September 28, 2017, Peggy Binette
Pushing boundaries is intrinsic to music. That’s what audiences can expect in the Freeman Sundays @3 concert series, which merges traditional and contemporary classical music to create a bold, new way to experience world music.
Meet new faculty member Kimberly Becker
September 26, 2017, Chris Horn
Kimberly Becker joined the psychology department this year with a research focus of evidence-based treatment for a variety of problems that youth and families face. She's particularly interested in innovations in treatment design.
USC Symphony Orchestra gears up for epic season
September 25, 2017, Taylor Evans
The USC Symphony Orchestra is gearing up for an exciting season filled with ambitious pieces and award-winning guest artists that include the university’s renowned music faculty. The season opener is Thursday, Sept. 28.
A Smart Start to a nursing career
September 25, 2017, Megan Sexton
Starting this fall, a cohort of nursing majors in the South Carolina Honors College will start on the path to a career that might include research and academia — along with clinical nursing practice. The Smart Start Nursing Program allows Honors College students to be automatically accepted into the upper division of the College of Nursing.
Mungo Teaching Award winner: David Wethey
September 22, 2017, Page Ivey
David Wethey came to Carolina with a mandate to design a graduate program for ecology. That was 37 years ago. Today, Wethey can rattle off the accomplishments of students from the ’80s, the ’90s and just a few years ago. Many of those students were responsible for nominating and supporting him for a Mungo Teaching Award.
UofSC receives $500,000 NSF grant to accelerate entrepreneurship
September 20, 2017, Mike Ettlemyer
The University of South Carolina has been named the first Innovation Corps (I-Corps) Site in the state with a $500,000 grant from the National Science Foundation (NSF) to accelerate entrepreneurship.
Clinical approach
September 19, 2017, Chris Horn
The School of Law is launching two new legal clinics this academic year. A medicolegal clinic will team law students with medical students, medical residents and physicians to improve health outcomes for pediatric patients, while a domestic violence clinic will focus on protection, advocacy and community education.
Advancing SC workforce
September 19, 2017
The University of South Carolina has been preparing students for the workforce for generations. As the state has attracted more high-tech manufacturing operations, the need for more skilled workers has grown rapidly. The university can now increase its reach to help even more South Carolinians take advantage of these opportunities with a $20 million National Science Foundation grant.
Call it a calling
September 18, 2017, Megan Sexton
Many instructors in University 101, Carolina’s seminar for incoming freshmen, are using the First-Year Reading Experience book in their classrooms this semester. “Callings: The Purpose and Passion of Work,” by StoryCorps founder Dave Isay, is filled with stories of people who have found their path to doing what they believe they were meant to do.
Transforming health
September 17, 2017, Alyssa Yancey
This fall, the School of Medicine Columbia is launching a new center aimed at improving the health of South Carolinians by changing the way faculty and physicians think about research.
Mungo Undergraduate Teaching Award winner: Ralf Gothe
September 15, 2017, Chris Horn
At the tender age of 11, Ralf Gothe got his first taste of tutoring students at the elementary school where his father was principal. That early exposure to pedagogy paid off. Gothe is one of four faculty members to receive the 2017 Michael J. Mungo Undergraduate Teaching Award.
Meet new faculty member Michelle Bryan
September 14, 2017, Megan Sexton
Michelle Bryan is the new associate dean for diversity, equity and inclusion in the College of Education
Duffy Excellence in Teaching Award: Jill Castiglia
September 08, 2017, Craig Brandhorst
A University of South Carolina Lancaster chemistry instructor and the Lancaster chemistry department’s lab manager, Jill Castiglia teaches the full complement of introductory chemistry courses at the campus, which sometimes means blowing things up.
Get ready for a Cocky weekend
September 07, 2017, Megan Sexton
On Sept. 15, a 6-foot-5, 773-pound bronze statue of the beloved mascot will be dedicated in front of Davis College, just off Greene Street next to the Melton Observatory. Cocky is seated on a bench, with one hand raised high with a spurs-up sign. His other hand rests on a stack of books, a nod to Cocky’s role as a literacy leader around the state.
Creating a way
September 06, 2017, Jalesa Cooley
Nursing student Shannon Eichorst has been crafting ceramics since her freshman year of high school. Now, as a junior, she is reaping the benefits of her creations as a way to send local students to Young Life summer camp.
Revamping a campus tradition
August 30, 2017, Jalesa Cooley
The introduction of Carolina Food Co., the new food service contractor, left many students wondering about the new changes to the dining halls on campus. Carolina Food Co. has rebranded many favorites, but the most striking is what they've done to Chicken Finger Wednesday.
Estuary investigators
August 29, 2017, Mary-Kathryn Craft
Research at the Belle W. Baruch Institute for Marine and Coastal Sciences shows a decline in estuarine small animal populations with implications for the S.C. fishing and seafood industries.
A journey toward understanding
August 29, 2017, Megan Sexton
The South Carolina Collaborative for Race and Reconciliation brings its signature program, the Welcome Table SC, to campus this fall. Students, faculty and staff will work with facilitators to address racism by building stronger relationships across racial lines.
Mungo Teaching Award winner: David Barbeau
August 25, 2017, Page Ivey
David Barbeau doesn’t seek to teach students geologic fact so much as he wants them to learn how to learn and how to open their minds to new possibilities and perspectives. For his efforts, he has been awarded a 2017 Mungo Undergraduate Teaching Award.
Going dark
August 20, 2017, Chris Horn
Naturalist-in-residence Rudy Mancke has never witnessed a total solar eclipse, so he’s especially looking forward to the Aug. 21 event, not only to see what’s happening in the sky but to learn how it affects the animal life he’s studied for so long
Day in the sun
August 17, 2017, Allen Wallace
Experts hope solar eclipse will have a positive effect on South Carolina's economy now and in the future.
Q&A: New information and communications dean Tom Reichert
August 17, 2017, Megan Sexton
Tom Reichert is the new dean of the College of Information and Communications. The college includes the School of Library and Information Science and the School of Journalism and Mass Communications. Reichert comes to Carolina from the University of Georgia, where he was head of the advertising and public relations department in the Grady College of Journalism and Mass Communication.
A career well spent
August 16, 2017, Chris Horn
Since 1963, Joe and Neva Gibbons have made it their mission to befriend and help Joe's chemical engineering students in any way they could. That legacy continued even after Joe Gibbons retired in 2006.
Talking through thin air
August 14, 2017, Mike Ettlemyer
David W. Matolak, electrical engineering professor and researcher in the College of Engineering and Computing, is the principal investigator in a new NASA-funded $4.4 million research project to address limitations in aircraft communication networks to improve operations and increase safety.
Mungo Undergraduate Teaching Award winner: Mindi Spencer
August 11, 2017, Megan Sexton
In her nine years at the University of South Carolina, Mindi Spencer has focused on adapting her teaching to better serve students’ needs. During that time, the Michael J. Mungo Undergraduate Teaching award winner says she has grown from an instructor into a teacher in the classroom, and from a teacher into a mentor outside the classroom walls.
Countdown to totality
August 10, 2017, Jalena James
Solar eclipses have long captured people’s imaginations throughout the ages, and the university will host special events dedicated to exploring the historical fascination surrounding such astronomical events Aug. 17-21.
Mungo Undergraduate Teaching Award winner: Sourav Banerjee
August 04, 2017, Chris Horn
When Sourav Banerjee talks about teaching numerical and mathematical methods to engineering students, his enthusiasm is nearly palpable. The Calcutta, India, native is one of four recipients of the 2017 Michael J. Mungo Undergraduate Teaching Award.
Age of discovery
August 01, 2017, Craig Brandhorst
Study abroad can be a revelatory experience, and the rewards only increase with the passage of time. USC Times tracked down several USC faculty and staff members who studied abroad when they were students and asked them to reflect on what they learned — not just about the world but about themselves.
Night and day
July 29, 2017, Mary-Kathryn Craft
Geography professor April Hiscox and her team will launch weather balloons Aug. 21 to study what effects the eclipse might have on the near-surface atmosphere.
Clinical Teaching Award winner: Julie Ann Justo
July 28, 2017, Melinda Waldrop
Julie Ann Justo, assistant professor of clinical pharmacy, is a 2017 Clinical Teaching Award winner. Her demanding but fun classes are structured to emphasize patient participation and produce excellent providers.
Foot soldiers in the classroom
July 28, 2017, Mary-Kathryn Craft
The inaugural South Carolina Civil Rights Teacher Institute was launched this summer to connect social studies teachers with primary sources and ultimately improve classroom learning and community engagement.
UofSC community unites to welcome eclipse
July 27, 2017, Joshua Burrack
Columbia is one of the best places to experience America's first coast-to-coast total solar eclipse since 1918 — and the University of South Carolina is ready to welcome it.
The hunger game
July 25, 2017, Chris Horn
Hunger is one of our basic urges. To better understand it and the implications for obesity, School of Medicine researcher Claudia Grillo is using a National Science Foundation grant to study an obscure neural circuit that drives hunger.
When tracking math students doesn't add up
July 21, 2017, Kathryn McPhail
Education professor Rhonda Jeffries and graduate student Hope Reed wanted to close the achievement gap for underrepresented students, specifically those tracked to be in remedial classes. So, they took a risk with a group of freshman students at Blythewood High School and conducted a secret experiment of sorts that proved to be powerful.
Mungo Distinguished Professor of the Year: Cliff Leaman
July 21, 2017, Megan Sexton
Clifford Leaman's love of teaching and performing is obvious to Leaman’s students and colleagues, who describe him as a master performer and teacher. This year, the university presented Leaman, who has taught saxophone at Carolina for the past 17 years, with its highest teaching honor: the Michael J. Mungo Distinguished Professor of the Year Award.
Einstein vs. Newton, revisited
July 20, 2017, Megan Sexton
A total solar eclipse – when the moon orbits directly in front of the sun – is the perfect time to test Einstein’s theory of general relativity. A University of South Carolina professor will do that in August, using modern technology, high-powered telescopes and cameras to record the sky over South Carolina.
'If I can help spare one family...'
July 19, 2017, Page Ivey
After watching Alzheimer’s disease rob her and her husband of their golden years, Patricia Beckler is supporting research efforts at the University of South Carolina School of Medicine in Columbia to find a treatment or a cure for the devastating disease.
If you build it, they will come
July 18, 2017, Page Ivey
South Carolina’s tourism industry has seen rapid growth in the past 20 years. UofSC researchers want it to grow even more by appealing to African-American tourists and retirees.
Keeping Cool in "Famously Hot" Columbia, S.C.
July 18, 2017, Jalesa Cooley
Columbia got its “famously hot” nickname for a reason and summertime is it. Exercising or working outside this time of year can be dangerous if you don’t take proper precautions to avoid heat exhaustion or a heat stroke.
Chocolate fix
July 14, 2017, Allen Wallace
Two University of South Carolina professors are working on interdisciplinary research to help improve life in one of the most poverty-stricken countries in Latin America.
Breakthrough Star: Frank Thorne
July 14, 2017, Melinda Waldrop
Mathematics professor Frank Thorne isn’t interested in neat answers. His work in analytic number theory and arithmetic statistics — complicated concepts that having their origins in counting things like prime numbers — bears out his belief that the process is just as fulfilling as the result.
Southern Lights
July 12, 2017, Mary-Kathryn Craft
Chris Robinson's Southern Lights laser installation, which will span across the Congaree River near the Blossom Street Bridge, is set to debut the weekend before the historic total eclipse on Aug. 21.
Polar Explorer
July 05, 2017, Melinda Waldrop
USC professor Lori Ziolkowski spent a month in Antarctica, looking for life in an extreme environment. The fruits of her journey may one day provide crucial clues for those venturing even further afield — to Mars, for instance.
Slowing cognitive decline
June 30, 2017, Page Ivey
Jim Fadel and fellow School of Medicine researcher Larry Reagan are looking at using a chemical already found in the body to treat age-related cognitive decline. The pair is researching whether a direct shot of insulin into the brain can prevent or event reverse damage.
Gardening and Literacy Education through the Arts
June 30, 2017, Jalesa Cooley
To provide local students with a first-hand look at the benefits of gardening, sustainability and wellness, the Office of Sustainability collaborates with the City of Columbia Parks and Recreation Department to host a two-week, interactive summer program.
Black Death's detective
June 28, 2017, Peggy Binette
Armed with a new NSF grant, anthropologist Sharon DeWitte is embarking on research that builds on nearly 15 years of studying the Black Death and will create a new approach to understanding a population’s vulnerability to infectious disease. UofSC caught up with DeWitte to discuss how she decodes death.
On the hunt for history
June 27, 2017, Melinda Waldrop
USC archaeology professor Steven D. Smith led a team of students to interesting finds this summer at the Revolutionary War site. The group thinks it found the edge of the palisade wall of a trading post established in the 1750s.
The hidden parents of South Carolina
June 26, 2017, Kathryn McPhail
Raised by a Cuban father and Colombian mother in Boston, Massachusetts, Julia López-Robertson experienced first-hand the challenges that come with being a member of an underrepresented population in America. Now as a professor in the College of Education, she is helping other Latino families through her research and outreach.
Breakthrough Star: Jessica Barnes
June 23, 2017, Melinda Waldrop
Complex cultural questions boil down to a pretty simple constant for Jessica Barnes: bread. The assistant professor in both the geography department and the School of the Earth, Ocean and Environment at Carolina focuses her extensive research on basic needs that shape societies.
Past and present
June 20, 2017, Frenché Brewer, African-American Studies Program
Earlier this year, 23 university faculty and staff embarked on a-once-in-a-lifetime trip to the continent of Africa as participants in the fifth annual International Perspectives on Higher Education program.
Dark side of the sun
June 19, 2017, Chris Horn
A shadow 60 miles wide and zooming 1,000 mph is headed for the U.S. — and the University of South Carolina is ready to welcome it.
Magical Maymester
June 19, 2017, Allen Wallace
University of South Carolina hospitality and tourism students kicked off summer early by spending an action-packed week exploring the most famous theme parks and attractions Orlando has to offer. But they weren’t on vacation.
Breakthrough Star: Christina Andrews
June 16, 2017, Page Ivey
Christina Andrews’s research on how the Affordable Care Act has affected substance abuse treatment could provide the first national scale data on the ACA’s impact on an area of treatment that has been neglected.
Reading the signs
June 14, 2017, Chris Horn
S.C. schools have no uniform protocol for identifying children with dyslexia. Scott Decker, an associate professor of psychology at Carolina, plans to help address that issue with a grant from the S.C. Department of Education.
South Carolina's premier piano festival celebrates 15th anniversary
June 13, 2017, John Brunelli
The 2017 Southeastern Piano Festival opens June 18 with a Piano Extravaganza concert. The region's only piano-focused arts event runs through June 24 with nightly concerts from world-class pianists and a competition of rising stars.
UofSC research means better roads coming to South Carolina
June 12, 2017, Mike Ettlemyer
The research team will receive $1.76 million in funding from the SC Department of Transportation/Federal Highway Administration to collect new data on the state’s roadways over the next four years. The research will determine how roads can better be constructed, fixed and maintained so that new pavement lasts longer.
Breakthrough Star: Chen Li
June 09, 2017, Chris Horn
If there’s a problem with too much heat in an electronic system, Chen Li probably has a plan to cool it down. The mechanical engineering associate professor has five patents related to heat dissipation technology for applications ranging from computer chips to power plants.
A conversation with Stanfield Gray might take you anywhere
June 07, 2017, Aïda Rogers
One minute he’s extolling the writings of Thomas Paine and Allen Ginsberg, the next he’s discussing the momentum of the digital economy in the South he so loves.
Fingerprints to the past
June 05, 2017, Mary-Kathryn Craft
Researchers at the University of South Carolina are working to create a software program that will automatically match prehistoric pottery with whole designs, which will help uncover how Native Americans interacted more than 1,500 years ago.
Breakthrough Leader: Julius Fridriksson
June 02, 2017, Craig Brandhorst
Julius Fridriksson, director of the University of South Carolina’s Aphasia Laboratory and the SmartState Endowed Chair of Memory and Brain Function, has helped bring in more than $20 million in federal grants to the university to research ways to help stroke victims regain their speech.
Avoiding the life of the starving artist
June 01, 2017, John Brunelli
The School of Music's SAVVY Arts Venture Challenge explores how a variety of business lessons are applicable to all arts disciplines. Musicians, dancers, actors, visual artists and even mimes learn what it takes to create a business.
Breakthrough Leader: John Weidner
May 29, 2017, Melinda Waldrop
John Weidner, a professor of chemical engineering, concentrates his research in electrochemistry. What he’s really after is the hydrogen made by adding electricity to water — specifically, the renewable kind.
USMC Film Repository's new home opens
May 26, 2017, John Brunelli
University President Harris Pastides and Thomas McNally, dean of University Libraries dedicate the John S. Davis Scanning Center and the Lt. Col. James H. Davis Film Vault at the Libraries' Moving Image Research Collections. The MIRC facility is the new home of the U.S. Marine Corps Film Repository that chronicles the corps from the 1940s to the 1970s.
Solving the cold case
May 23, 2017, Chris Horn
Established about three years ago in the Children’s Law Center with funding from the Casey Family Programs, Cold Case goes to bat for S.C. children who have lingered in foster care for years. The goal is to help them to be adopted or to establish meaningful contact with a family member or adult friend who will be there for them down the road.
Reducing crime through reading
May 22, 2017, Kathryn McPhail
For three weeks each May, English education master’s students head to the Department of Justice's Birchwood High School to help youth improve their reading.
Breakthrough Star: Gabriel Terejanu
May 19, 2017, Craig Brandhorst
Running sophisticated computer models to analyze large sets of data and identify meaningful trends is the world of Gabriel Terejanu, an assistant professor of computer science and engineering. His knowledge of uncertainty is attracting collaborators from the cornfield to the classroom.
Dirk Brown to direct new UofSC entrepreneur institute
May 17, 2017, Peggy Binette
The University of South Carolina has tapped tech entrepreneur, marketer and educator Dirk Brown to lead its recently established McNair Institute for Entrepreneurism and Free Enterprise.
Breakthrough Star: Nathan Hancock
May 12, 2017, Craig Brandhorst
Nathan Hancock, assistant professor of biochemistry at USC Aiken, studies the biochemical and genetic mechanisms of transposable elements, known “jumping genes.”
Breakthrough Star: Jan Eberth
May 05, 2017, Melinda Waldrop
Public health professor Jan Eberth’s research measures access to and quality of cancer prevention and treatment services with a goal of reducing health disparities.
Columbia campus awards nearly 6,800 degrees
May 05, 2017
The University of South Carolina Columbia campus awarded nearly 6,800 degrees Friday and Saturday (May 5-6), including 4,921 bachelor’s degrees.
USC researchers land $1.3 million grant to enhance STEM education
May 03, 2017, Kathryn McPhail
Researchers from the School of Medicine and College of Education recently received a $1.3 million National Science Foundation grant to study the best ways to encourage students to pursue careers in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) through participation at informal learning sites.
Journalism school wins Historic Columbia award
May 03, 2017, Abigayle Morrison
The Kennedy Greenhouse Studio at the School of Journalism has won the award for New Construction in Historic Context from the Historic Columbia Foundation.
'Round the Mulberry
May 02, 2017, Craig Brandhorst
The Hicks mulberry all but vanished more than 100 years ago. English professor David Shields wants to bring it back.
Breakthrough Leader: Victor Giurgiutiu
April 28, 2017, Page Ivey
Victor Giurgiutiu has spent the past 20 years creating processes to better monitor the health of roads, bridges and tunnels, as well as planes, trains and automobiles.
Outdoor learning
April 24, 2017, Megan Sexton
Senior Andrew O’Flaherty used a Magellan grant to construct a temporary outdoor classroom and study the effect of outdoor learning on students.
From Carolina to ... anywhere
April 21, 2017, Dan Cook
Last year, some 1,700 undergraduates studied abroad — a 15 percent increase. The quick jump is just one aspect of the increasing internationalization of the University of South Carolina, a coordinated effort led by Global Carolina, a strategic initiative launched two years ago.
Breakthrough Leader: Roger Dougal
April 21, 2017, Craig Brandhorst
Roger Dougal, chair of electrical engineering department in the College of Engineering and Computing, is an expert on power electronics, focusing his research primarily on modeling the dynamic behavior of large, complex electrically driven systems.
Soy milk, soy flour ... soy plastic?
April 20, 2017, Chris Horn
University of South Carolina chemistry professor Chuanbing Tang is using the versatile soybean as the primary ingredient in plastic film and molded plastic. He has a patent pending for a chemical formula to convert soybean oil into “green” plastic.
Top students honored at annual Awards Day ceremony
April 20, 2017, Mary-Kathryn Craft
Three graduating seniors received the university's highest honors at the annual Awards Day ceremony. Jory Mackenzie Fleming and Megan Patricia O’Brien received Algernon Sydney Sullivan awards, the university’s top honor for undergraduates, and Cory Cambridge Alpert received the Steven N. Swanger award, the university’s second-highest undergraduate honor.
Calling all flute aficionados
April 19, 2017, Melinda Waldrop
Want to tune out that annoying co-worker while learning something new? You could try visiting A Flutist’s Book of Days, the YouTube site where flute professor Jennifer Parker-Harley is compiling 365 days of flute music.
Breakthrough Star: Lori Ziolkowski
April 14, 2017, Melinda Waldrop
The things earth and ocean sciences professor Lori Ziolkowski discovers at the edge of Antarctica might one day provide a detailed roadmap to assist explorers probing for life on Mars.
Paging all readers
April 13, 2017, Mary-Kathryn Craft
Jonathan Franzen, a critically acclaimed and sometimes controversial author, will discuss his 2001 National Book Award winner “The Corrections” April 19 as part of the popular Open Book series.
Rehabilitation through robotics
April 13, 2017, Erin Bluvas
Professor's robotics-driven SMART Lab measures progress of stroke patients as they rehabilitate.
The maestro's grand finale
April 11, 2017, Melinda Waldrop
Donald Portnoy conducts his last concert as conductor of the USC Symphony Orchestra, which he has led for 31 years.
Breakthrough Star: Dan Fogerty
April 07, 2017, Craig Brandhorst
Dan Fogerty, assistant professor of communication sciences and disorders at the Arnold School of Public Health and director of the Speech Perception Laboratory, leads a research team trying to fine tune hearing aid technology by applying a little extra brain power.
Researching new triage methods to save lives
April 05, 2017, John Brunelli
Nursing faculty and students participated in a mass casualty incident exercise as part of a study to determine new triage methods.
Carolina stargazing
April 05, 2017, Mary-Kathryn Craft
Astronomers at the Melton Memorial Observatory are ready to serve as your tour guide of the night sky on Mondays this spring and summer and will host a series events in connection with the August total solar eclipse.
'Divided We Stand'
April 03, 2017, Megan Sexton
In her new book, University of South Carolina history professor Marjorie Spruill traces the battle over women’s rights and family values in in American politics.
David Shields named 2017 SEC Faculty Achievement Award winner
March 31, 2017, Peggy Binette
David Shields, a Carolina Distinguished Professor at the University of South Carolina, has been named one of 14 SEC professors who have been honored with 2017 SEC Faculty Achievement Awards.
Breakthrough Leader: Hans-Conrad zur Loye
March 31, 2017, Page Ivey
How do we secure material that will be dangerous for more than one thousand years? That is the question Hans-Conrad zur Loye has been trying to answer for more than 20 years.
Out to lunch
March 29, 2017, Craig Brandhorst, Chris Horn, Megan Sexton and Melinda Waldrop
Out to Lunch, a longstanding program run by the Student Success Center in partnership with Carolina Dining Services, was started as a way to improve interaction outside the classroom by encouraging students to invite their instructors to a meal and then talk about — well, that’s up to them.
Fostering a passion for global health
March 28, 2017, Megan Sexton
University of South Carolina students travel to developing countries to understand and tackle global health issues
Breakthrough Star: Norma Frizzell
March 24, 2017, Chris Horn
If a key component in a car goes bad, the car won’t go for long. That’s roughly what happens in the human body when mutations and other insults disrupt the mitochondria, the essential energy-making components of human cells. Norma Frizzell has devoted much of her career to understanding how and why mitochondria go haywire and sometimes lead to fatal maladies.
The timely promise of telehealth
March 21, 2017, Chris Horn
Clinical faculty at the University of South Carolina are using technology and innovation to change the way health care is delivered and improve the wellbeing of the state’s rural population.
Honor for a Lifetime
March 20, 2017, Allen Wallace
HRSM professor Andy Gillentine recognized for decades of contributions to the sport management industry.
Breakthrough Star: Li Cai
March 17, 2017, Chris Horn
Li Cai is often teaching and conducting experiments — his expertise is in synthesizing rare sugars. When he’s not busy with those activities, he’s reviewing manuscripts for 31 scholarly journals and mentoring undergraduate students at USC Salkehatchie.
UofSC names Galen Health Fellows faculty principal
March 15, 2017, Peggy Binette
As part of a bold health sciences initiative, the University of South Carolina has named David Simmons as faculty principal of the Galen Health Fellows, a new living and learning community for undergraduates studying in the health sciences.
Seeking justice
March 14, 2017, Melinda Waldrop
Law professor Colin Miller examines controversial convictions with his popular podcast "Undisclosed."
Point of Entry
March 14, 2017, Craig Brandhorst
Wikipedia is an increasingly trusted reference resource, even among academics, but it’s not without biases, particularly when it comes to gender. “An Entry of Her Own: UofSC’s 2017 Wikipedia Edit-a-thon” is part of a larger effort to correct the imbalance.
Looking for the perfect match
March 13, 2017, Laura Kammerer
Ohood Alshareef's childhood dream came true when she graduated from pharmacy school in Saudi Arabia, but now the fourth-year Pharm.D. student at UofSC hopes to reach a new milestone in her pharmacy career: acceptance into a hospital-based post-graduate pharmacy practice residency program.
Breakthrough Star: Virginia Shervette
March 10, 2017, Page Ivey
Virginia Shervette gets some groans from her biology students at USC Aiken when she introduces a new fish species to her class with the phrase, “Oh, that’s a tasty one.” But she makes it very clear that a big part of her research is to focus on managing commercial fish populations.
UofSC discovery of widespread platinum may help solve Clovis people mystery
March 08, 2017, Peggy Binette
No one knows for certain why the Clovis people and iconic beasts -- mastodon, mammoth and saber-toothed tiger – living some 12,800 years ago suddenly disappeared. However, a discovery of widespread platinum at archaeological sites across the United States by three University of South Carolina archaeologists has provided an important clue in solving this enduring mystery. The research findings are outlined in a new study released Thursday (March 9) in Scientific Reports, a publication of Nature.
Breakthrough Leader: Sue Levkoff
March 03, 2017, Page Ivey
When Sue Levkoff came home to South Carolina seven years ago, she was tasked with helping establish interdisciplinary research that would help reduce health disparities in the Palmetto State.
Celebrate spring at Carolina
March 02, 2017, Peggy Binette
There’s no better place in Columbia to enjoy spring than the University of South Carolina and its iconic Horseshoe. To officially usher in the season, My Carolina Alumni Association is hosting two public events: A historic Horseshoe tour and reception with University Archivist Elizabeth West on March 9 and an evening of Southern heirloom foods and culture with Carolina Distinguished Professor David Shields on March 16.
South Carolina Law Review elects first black woman editor-in-chief
March 01, 2017, Peggy Binette
For the first time in its 69-year history the South Carolina Law Review has elected an African American to serve as its editor-in-chief. Chelsea Evans, a second-year law student from North Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, was elected by peers to lead the esteemed University of South Carolina School of Law publication.
Putting the pressure on bullies
February 28, 2017, Craig Brandhorst
Professor Kelly Lynn Mulvey and a team of her College of Education colleagues have embarked on a large-scale study of the relationships between peer group dynamics and intervention by individual students within those groups to a bully.
Getting physical
February 27, 2017, Kathryn McPhail
College of Education researchers are looking to see whether adding movement that was once reserved for PE class into the regular academic day improves not only a student’s health but also his or her academic performance.
Breakthrough Star: Natalia Shustova
February 24, 2017, Chris Horn
Natalia Shustova calls them smart sponges — hybrid, metal-organic materials than can capture light, convert it to energy and then catalyze a reaction.
Breakthrough Star: Carole Oskeritzian
February 24, 2017, Chris Horn
Carole Oskeritzian is making important discoveries about the human immune system that could lead to new prophylactic options, bringing hope to sufferers of asthma and other serious allergic diseases.
Opera at USC make artist's famous paintings come alive
February 23, 2017, John Brunelli
Five paintings by Edward Hopper are the inspiration for Opera at USC's spring production "Later the Same Evening." The show runs Feb. 24-26 at Drayton Hall.
Blogging professors
February 22, 2017, Melinda Waldrop and Dan Cook
Professors use blogs to communicate faster with a wider audience.
HRSM student finds opportunities for success
February 19, 2017, Allen Wallace
Ivan Carter has journeyed from high school dropout to husband and father to being less than a semester away from earning a bachelor of arts in Interdisciplinary Studies (B.A.I.S.) degree from the University of South Carolina College of Hospitality, Retail and Sport Management.
Fake news is real
February 14, 2017, Page Ivey
Fake news. You’ve heard about it, consumed it, probably even believed it — at least on occasion. But what is it? Why does it exist? How do we combat it and why can’t it just go away? USC Times invited two faculty members and an alumnus who serves as the attorney for the South Carolina Press Association to discuss one of the most vexing of 21st century media problems — the rampant spread of fake news, clickbait profiteering and outright propaganda.
Visual art and dance performance takes center stage
February 09, 2017, John Brunelli
Sculptor Naomi Falk and dance choreographer Tanya Wideman-Davis put their visual art and dance collaboration center stage in USC Dance Company's Spring Contemporary Concert, Feb. 15-18.
Meet the new boss
February 08, 2017, Melinda Waldrop
The process of picking a CEO might never be transparent, but researchers at the Center for Executive Succession are aiming to make it less mysterious — and more effective.
Rebooting an IT career
February 07, 2017, Melinda Waldrop
After more than 16 years as Carolina’s chief information officer and vice president for information technology, Bill Hogue is starting a new gig as a faculty member in the School of Library and Information Science.
Lean on me
February 06, 2017
There’s no question that having a good mentor can help shape an individual’s career — especially in the field of law. That’s why the University of South Carolina School of Law has devoted substantial resources to take its mentoring program to a new level.
Ad class chooses top spot in Super Bowl
February 05, 2017, Megan Sexton
About 100 students in Bonnie Drewniany’s Super Bowl of Advertising class gathered Sunday evening at the School of Journalism and Mass Communications, rating the best commercials to decide the winner of the coveted Cocky Award.
Rhodes Scholarship winner credits mom, UofSC for success
January 30, 2017, Page Ivey
South Carolina's most recent Rhodes Scholarship winner credits his mother and his UofSC experiences with helping him be successful.
Debt relief fund aids alumni working in public interest law
January 30, 2017
This year, the Public Interest Law Loan Fund celebrates 15 years of aiding University of South Carolina School of Law alumni who have chosen careers in public interest law and dedicated their practice to helping those who are often unable to help themselves.
Researcher aims to stifle dengue virus spread through mosquitoes
January 26, 2017, Melinda Waldrop
Tonya Colpitts’ profession is a real conversation-starter — or ender. Colpitts, a molecular virologist and assistant professor in the School of Medicine, spends her days surrounded by mosquitoes.
UofSC to celebrate legacy of Richard T. Greener
January 25, 2017, Peggy Binette
Monday (Jan. 30) marks the birthday of Richard T. Greener, the University of South Carolina’s first African-American professor. The university will commemorate Greener on his 173rd birthday at 4 p.m. in the program room of the Hollings Special Collections Library, where a 2-foot model of a statue of Greener will be unveiled. The memorial statue, which will be located outside the university’s Thomas Cooper Library, will be unveiled this fall.
UofSC honors social justice leaders
January 25, 2017, Madeline Thorn
A University of South Carolina student, faculty and staff member who exemplify Martin Luther King Jr.’s commitment to service, equality and social justice were honored at the university’s annual MLK commemorative breakfast Jan. 13.
Say yes to Carolina Day at the Statehouse
January 19, 2017, Peggy Binette
Inspired by his rural roots, Dr. Caughman Taylor believes in the power and purpose of advocacy. On Wednesday he'll join Carolina alumni, faculty, staff and students for Carolina Day at the Statehouse. That's when he and others will meet with legislators to share their stories in support of higher education as being vital to the economic health of the state and lives of its residents.
Tune in: UofSC, SCETV team up on new public affairs show
January 18, 2017, Megan Sexton
As a senior broadcast journalism major, Danielle Barilla says each of her internships has offered her new experiences and different challenges. This week, she starts a new job, helping to put together a weekly public affairs program produced by South Carolina ETV.
New surgeon, new techniques
January 17, 2017, Page Ivey
Daniel Clair brings innovation and expertise in vascular surgery to the state as the new chair of the surgery department at the University of South Carolina School of Medicine and the Palmetto Health-USC Medical Group.
Allison Marsh: Public History in 3D
January 06, 2017, Craig Brandhorst
If you want to break down the traditional classroom wall, look no further than public history, a discipline with one foot outside the academy already. Ask Allison Marsh, director of the University of South Carolina’s public history program, whose forays into the virtual world bring an added dimension to online learning and whose real world “classroom” stretches from the Carolina campus to Guantanamo Bay, Cuba.
Inspired teaching
January 03, 2017, Chris Horn
Helping faculty members build online and blended courses is only one aspect of the Center for Teaching Excellence, an initiative the university launched 10 years ago as part of a broader effort to enhance student learning by fostering a culture of effective and innovative teaching.