Amanda Fairchild named faculty director of Capstone Scholars program
May 18, 2026, Delaney Freistuhler
Amanda J. Fairchild has been named faculty director of the Capstone Scholars Program, effective May 16.
Stories for Faculty and Staff
USC inks licensing agreement for prostate cancer screening tool
May 12, 2026, Andy Shain
The University of South Carolina has agreed to license an algorithm developed by a renowned cancer and nutritional epidemiologist to 20/20 BioLabs, a health sciences company that offers home cancer screening tests.
Carolina Band records for video game, masters Metallica
May 08, 2026, Craig Brandhorst
The University of South Carolina marching band won the 2025 EA Sports Metallica Collegiate Edition Marching Band Competition, a one-time chance to record a new arrangement of an iconic Metallica song for the next iteration of EA Sports popular College Football video game.
Physicist Frank Avignone has fed his scientific curiosity with a steady pursuit of new ideas
May 07, 2026, Chris Horn
Frank Avignone has been fascinated by physics longer than most people have been alive, an intense curiosity that began in the waning days of World War II. Now, more than six decades after being recruited to the faculty of USC’s Department of Physics and Astronomy, Avignone continues to conduct particle physics research with renowned scholars, some of them at international laboratories he helped build decades ago.
The nuclear afterlife of the Cold War in the Eurasian Steppe has become the cornerstone of anthropologist Magdalena Stawkowski's research
May 04, 2026, Craig Brandhorst
USC anthropologist Magadalena Stawkowski spent years interviewing the people who live near the Semipalatinsk nuclear test site in rural Kazakhstan. Her 2025 book, “Atomic Collective”, examines culture and community in one of the most toxic places on Earth.
A moment to slow down: USC poets on why poetry matters
April 27, 2026, Delaney Freistuhler
USC poets describe poetry as a powerful, accessible way to slow down, process experiences, and connect through language and shared human emotions, regardless of one’s background or path to it.
USC trustees approve contracts, stadium bond financing
April 23, 2026, Andy Shain
The University of South Carolina Board of Trustees met Friday (April 24) at Gateway 737 and approved several contracts and stadium bond financing.
USC expert on molecular plant genetics named AAAS Honorary Fellow
April 23, 2026, Kristine Hartvigsen
Award-winning professor Beth Krizek has been named an American Association for the Advancement of Science Honorary Fellow. Learn more about her research in plant biology.
Celebrating Earth Day: Inside how Carolina Food Co. is advancing sustainability at USC
April 21, 2026, Hunter Mutherspaw
This Earth Day, Carolina Food Co. highlights its efforts to advance sustainability at USC through food waste reduction, recovery, and composting.
Associate vice president and vice provost for AI strategy announced
April 10, 2026, Delaney Freistuhler
Building on the University of South Carolina’s early adoption of ChatGPT and its continued commitment to responsible AI use, Provost Mary Anne Fitzpatrick has appointed Mark Uline as the university’s first associate vice president and vice provost for AI strategy.
Mutual aid and self-sufficiency are key to life near USSR's contaminated nuclear test zone in Kazakhstan
April 08, 2026, Magdalena Stawkowski
Writing for The Conversation, associate professor Magdalena Stawkowski describes her field research at a Soviet-era nuclear test site in Kazakhstan. Thousands still live around its cratered perimeter and stay because of their collective refusal to reject systems that had abandoned them and instead create their own terms for survival.
School of Medicine scientist explores new approach to treating blood clot-induced lung tissue damage
April 02, 2026, Chris Horn
Blood clots in the lungs are a leading cause of cardiovascular-related deaths. But what if gene editing, made possible through ultra-small nanoparticles, could effectively treat clot-induced tissue damage? For USC School of Medicine Columbia scientist Colin Evans, the question is no longer hypothetical.
Making her voice heard: Researcher Peiyin Hung strives to improve rural health disparities
April 01, 2026, Laura Erskine
When Peiyin Hung talks about her path to public health, she comes back to the day her grandmother told her to study hard so her voice will be heard. That seed of passion, planted in a hospital hallway in Taiwan, eventually led Hung to the Arnold School’s Rural Health Research Center, where she continues to grow her research efforts.
Give 4 Garnet reports nearly $1.3 million raised
March 26, 2026, Alexis Watts and Michaela Taylor
Thanks to the generosity of the USC community, Give 4 Garnet reports a preliminary total of nearly $1.3 million and counting raised from 6,250 donors, showcasing the collective power of giving back.
Board briefs: USC trustees approve projects, receive master plan update, honor US and university anniversaries
March 19, 2026, Andy Shain
What the USC Board of Trustees approved at their March meeting — including new construction and renovation projects, various contracts, academic changes, and housing and meal fees.
USC Board of Trustees receives master plan updates, formally approves hospital and other projects, honors US and USC anniversaries
March 19, 2026, Andy Shain
The USC Board of Trustees formally approved a number of new construction and renovation projects, including a neurological hospital and rehabilitation center, and received updates on the university’s master plan, including redeveloping the student union and developments on South Main Street. Trustees also adopted a resolution in recognition of the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence and the 225th anniversary of the founding of USC.
USC's new Brain Health Center brings leading-edge brain imaging, cognitive care under one roof
March 17, 2026, Gregory Hardy
USC marked a major milestone in providing specialized cognitive care at a ribbon cutting for its Brain Health Center on the Health Sciences Campus on Wednesday. The facility is designed to deliver exceptional diagnostic, treatment and support for patients living with cognitive conditions, including Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias.
USC, Prisma Health partner to improve neurological care in South Carolina
March 11, 2026, Jeff Stensland
The University of South Carolina and Prisma Health are partnering to provide specialized care for patients with complex neurological conditions at the new Brain Health Center in Columbia. The center will expand statewide access to advanced technology, expert care teams and innovative treatments.
Alyson McGregor aims to change how medical educators teach women's health
March 06, 2026, Laura Erskine
Medicine’s understanding of women’s health lags behind men’s. At USC, researchers in multiple fields are working to address the women’s health care gap. One of them is Alyson McGregor, an emergency medicine physician, professor and associate dean at the School of Medicine Greenville and an expert in sex and gender.
Learn how to amplify your expertise by writing for The Conversation
March 03, 2026, Gregory Hardy
University of South Carolina researchers can share their scholarship with national and global audiences through The Conversation, a nonprofit news outlet that pairs scholars with professional editors and syndicates stories worldwide. Learn how to get involved when their representatives visit campus March 25–26.
Hitting the slopes can boost your brain -- if you protect it
February 24, 2026, Gregory Hardy
Skiing can be both a thrill and a full-brain workout. USC exercise science chair Shawn Arent explains how downhill skiing sharpens cognition, why concussion risks are higher than many people realize and simple steps that can protect your brain before you hit the slopes.
Finding new uses for old drugs
February 19, 2026, Page Ivey
Longer lifespans mean more diagnoses of Alzheimer’s and other dementias. Researchers at USC’s College of Pharmacy are combining their expertise in data science, artificial intelligence and pharmacology to identify potential connections between existing treatments for chronic illnesses and neurocognitive disease.
Arnold School researcher studies how to improve food security through nutrition assistance programs
February 18, 2026, Megan Sexton
When a pediatrician told researcher Elizabeth Adams about the barriers patients faced while trying to access food, it sparked an idea. Now, Adams is leading a pilot study to test strategies for making healthy foods more accessible.
Video: What is inside a battery?
February 17, 2026, Hadley McCollester
Batteries are part of our everyday lives, but not many of us think about how they work or what they are made of. For researchers at the Lab for Materials Properties and Structures, these questions are a full time job. Golareh Jalilvand and her team at USC's Molinaroli College of Engineering and Computing are dedicated to testing alternative battery materials such as lithium iron phosphate that will help make batteries a part of the country's sustainable future. This documentary explains why for batteries, it's what's inside that counts.
Public health researcher uses ArcGIS to map rural health disparities
February 16, 2026, Laura Erskine
On average, rural residents live farther away from hospitals compared to urban residents. Cassie Lewis Odahowski, assistant professor of public health, says those longer distances can lead to worse health outcomes. As a researcher for the Arnold School’s Rural Health Research Center, Odahowski studies access-to-care issues for rural communities using an advanced mapping tool available at USC.
Gamecock nurses lead the way in health care delivery
February 09, 2026, Megan Sexton
From faculty members inventing new tools to help students learn the intricacies of treating heart defects in infants to opening up pathways to nursing careers for people with disabilities, the University of South Carolina College of Nursing is stepping up every day.
Researchers find rare intestinal parasite could affect 1 in 20 South Carolinians
February 06, 2026, Rebekah Friedman
Strongyloides stercoralis is an intestinal parasite rarely seen in the U.S. University of South Carolina researchers Dr. Melissa Nolan and Dr. Matthew Haldeman wondered if these worms might still be lingering under the radar in South Carolina. What they found surprised them.
Focus on the Fair!
February 05, 2026, Craig Brandhorst
Students in instructor Renée McManus’ photojournalism course test their skills and capture the thrills at the South Carolina State Fair.
Anatomy of a Career: 50 years on, School of Medicine faculty member Jim Augustine continues to lay a foundation of knowledge
February 05, 2026, Chris Horn
With a career quickly approaching the 50-year mark, Jim Augustine has taught the vast majority of physicians who have graduated from USC’s School of Medicine in Columbia. Even after retiring from full-time service a few years ago, he continues to teach.
Data centers told to pitch in as storms and cold weather boost power demand
February 04, 2026, Conor Harrison
The government directed data centers to turn on backup generation in parts of the U.S. Conor Harrison, an associate professor of geography in the School of Earth, Ocean and Environment, co-authors this story for The Conversation on how expanding distributed generation could improve grid resilience.
USC School of Music professor wins 2026 Grammy
February 03, 2026, Marlena Crovatt-Bagwell and Brandon Pugh
Bassoon professor Michael Harley and his new-music ensemble Alarm Will Sound snared top honors in Best Chamber Music/Small Ensemble Performance for Land of Winter, a collaborative piece that was also nominated for Best Contemporary Classical Composition. Harley's nomination and another for fellow professor Mak Grgic were the latest of several Grammy nominations for musicians with USC connections.
2026 heart health faculty experts list
February 01, 2026, Gregory Hardy
February is American Heart Month. The University of South Carolina is home to many faculty members who are available to offer their expertise in cardio care and research.
USC earns Carnegie redesignation for community engagement
January 27, 2026, Collyn Taylor
The University of South Carolina has earned 2026 Carnegie Classification for Community Engagement and is one of less than 100 public institutions nationally with Carnegie designations in community engagement and as an R1 research institution.
Video: Center for Civil Rights History and Research Celebrates 10 Years of Impact
January 26, 2026, Hadley McCollester
The Civil Rights movement in South Carolina has long been overlooked and overshadowed. The Center for Civil Rights History and Research has spent the last decade working to document and bring awareness and scholarship to South Carolina's role in the movement. In this documentary, Bobby Donaldson, executive director of the center, takes us through the amazing work done over the past 10 years and what is on the horizon.
Engineering researchers are studying next-generation materials to improve SC infrastructure
January 22, 2026, Rebekah Friedman
Fabio Matta’s next-generation building materials include fiber-reinforced plastic bars — essentially, glass fibers immersed in a strong polymeric resin. They are stronger than steel, don’t corrode and are lighter than traditional materials — all qualities that make them ideal for bridge and infrastructure rehabilitation.
TEDxCongaree Vista set for March 14
January 21, 2026, Chris Horn
A group of University of South Carolina students has planned and organized TEDxCongaree Vista, featuring speakers whose topics are likely to spark conversation and inspire action.
The Carolina Agency: 20 years of student development, community impact
January 14, 2026, Catherine Pruitt
For 20 years, The Carolina Agency has been the student-run public relations and media agency giving College of Information and Communications students real-world experience in a professional setting. In addition to offering students an internship credit and an authentic work experience in a professional setting, The Carolina Agency also prides itself on its service to community clients.
5 recognized for social justice work
January 13, 2026, Kristine Hartvigsen
The University of South Carolina has recognized students, faculty and staff members for their work on campus and in the larger community with 2026 Martin Luther King Social Justice Awards. The awards recognize individuals who have exemplified the philosophies of the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. through acts of community service, social justice or racial reconciliation.
USC leads the nation in fragile X research and education
January 08, 2026, Bryan Gentry
A new grant from the National Institutes of Health will help USC faculty study fragile X-associated health conditions, which may affect thousands of people in South Carolina, and identify new ways to diagnose and treat the conditions.
USC Rice Law professor David Sella-Villa studies cause and effect of modern privacy policy
December 19, 2025, Kristine Hartvigsen
No area of government, business, industry or law goes untouched by the latest technologies, whose benefits also come with risk. David Sella-Villa, assistant professor at the Joseph F. Rice School of Law, says the current system of privacy laws demands that a sense of “caveat emptor” accompany the choices we make with our data.
USC professor's trailblazing sport entertainment career earns national recognition
December 19, 2025, Kristine Hartvigsen
Sports Business Journal recently named USC senior instructor Susan O’Malley one of the top 125 influential sports business figures of the past quarter-century. Follow her path to stardom.
USC team identifies new class of disinfection byproducts in water treatment systems
December 12, 2025, Chris Horn
An environmental chemistry research lab at USC at the forefront of efforts to find and identify disinfection byproducts in U.S. water treatment systems has discovered a new, highly toxic class of byproducts.
Serving the scientific community
December 12, 2025, Chris Horn
USC chemistry professor Linda Shimizu has a long list of accomplishments, including recently being named a fellow of the American Chemical Society, one of only 36 chemistry professors worldwide to receive the honor in 2025 for scientific and professional accomplishments.
Carolina Trustees Professorship: Robert McCormick
December 12, 2025, Thom Harman
Spend any time talking to Robert McCormick, and his love of history and passion for teaching it to others is readily apparent. This year he was recognized for that lifelong passion by being named the 2025 Carolina Trustees Professorship for System Campuses.
A chemistry professor's quest to make perfectly homogeneous nanocrystals
December 11, 2025, Chris Horn
Millions of times smaller than a grain of salt, nanocrystals have become extraordinarily useful in electronics, drug delivery, biological imaging and beyond.
School of Music faculty members nominated for Grammy awards
December 10, 2025, Marlena Crovatt-Bagwell
Ensembles led by School of Music bassoon professor Michael Harley and guitar assistant professor Mak Grgić are nominees for the 68th Annual Grammy Awards to be presented Feb. 1 in Los Angeles. Theirs are the latest of several Grammy nominations for musicians with USC connections.
2025: Year in review
December 10, 2025, Dan Cook
Heading into 2025, the field of higher education faced significant challenges. But at the University of South Carolina, all signs point to dynamic growth and institutional strength.
Engineering professor named National Academy of Inventors fellow
December 09, 2025, Collyn Taylor
Biomedical engineering professor Ehsan Jabbarzadeh became the University of South Carolina's fourth National Academy of Inventors fellow.
Engineering prof named university's third-ever National Academy of Inventors fellow
December 05, 2025, Chris Horn
Electrical engineering professor Guoan Wang got his first U.S. patent while in graduate school and now has more than 60 patents and more than 50 additional patents pending. He was elected to the National Academy of Inventors’ 2024 Class of Fellows, the highest professional distinction awarded to inventors.
Civil engineering study tests effectiveness of biopolymers in slowing flood-related soil erosion
December 04, 2025, Chris Horn
A common food additive used as a thickener in soups, salad dressings and ice cream has demonstrated high potential for another use — slowing dangerous erosion on overtopped dams and levees.