Tracking our aging brains
May 22, 2023, Megan Sexton
At the University of South Carolina’s Aging Brain Cohort, researchers from across the university are exploring how people’s brain health changes as they get older.
Stories for Parents
USC invests in SC's future with 5 new research institutes
May 12, 2023, Communications and Marketing
The University of South Carolina will invest $10 million over the next four years in five new interdisciplinary research institutes that will address some of the Palmetto State’s biggest challenges, including health, education and water quality.
Sarah Davis blazes trail for mothers pursuing Ph.D.'s
May 11, 2023, Abbey Smith
Sarah Davis’s endometriosis diagnosis spurred the NIH-funded researcher to pursue motherhood while completing her Ph.D. in pharmaceutical sciences. As she prepares to celebrate her first Mother’s Day, Davis reflects on what it means to have a successful academic career while starting a family.
Sullivan Award winner leaves legacy of giving back
April 17, 2023, Communications and Marketing
Honors College senior Robert William Pokora III drew on his family’s experience with organ transplant to restart an organization at the University of South Carolina that advocates for people to sign up to be donors. The Greer, South Carolina, native is one of two winners of the Algernon Sydney Sullivan Award — the university’s highest student honor.
Sullivan Award winner excelled despite pandemic limitations
April 17, 2023, Communications and Marketing
Honors College senior Charlotte Ann Pollack did not let the pandemic stop her from excelling even when the worldwide shutdown significantly altered her plans. The Fort Mill, South Carolina, native is one of two winners of the Algernon Sydney Sullivan Award — the university’s highest student honor.
Discover USC
April 13, 2023, Reagin von Lehe
The Discover USC event showcases student research at the university, especially the work of seniors, graduate students and postdoctoral scholars. These projects represent all disciplines in research, scholarship, leadership and creativity. Sponsored by the Office of the Vice President for Research, the annual, systemwide showcase will be held 8:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. April 21 at the Columbia Metropolitan Convention Center.
Mentoring program offers big assist to parents of children on autism spectrum
April 05, 2023, Chris Horn
Robert Hock, a USC's College of Social Work professor, is heading an NIH-funded study to assist parents of children recently diagnosed on the autism spectrum. The project deploys autism parent navigators experienced in finding and using resources for children on the autism spectrum to serve as guides for uninitiated parents.
Arnold School researchers study health, financial and security costs of military readiness
March 24, 2023, Megan Sexton
The struggle to find recruits who can meet physical fitness and weight requirements to begin military training is a costly dilemma – in terms of national security, military readiness and dollars needed to treat injured trainees.
AI-powered experimentation fuels energy research
March 07, 2023, Chris Horn
In their drive to develop new catalysts for energy production, Jochen Lauterbach's research team is using artificial intelligence to speed up and improve the process of finding novel combinations of catalyst materials.
David Banush looks to take University Libraries through digital transformation
March 01, 2023, Alexis Watts
David Banush took the helm as dean of University of South Carolina Libraries in November. He has seen his career come full circle from shelving books as a 17-year-old to leading the libraries into a new era.
Remember Columbia's Irish history and its influence on the city today
March 01, 2023, Reagin von Lehe
From building the city’s canal to founding St. Peter's Roman Catholic Church, Irish immigrants and their descendants have a rich history in Columbia dating back to the 19th century. Eric Friendly, research coordinator for Historic Columbia, the community from the first wave of immigrants that arrived in the 1820s.
USC researchers study how walking speed affects health
February 17, 2023, Megan Sexton
Researchers from the College of Engineering and Computing and the Arnold School of Public Health are studying how a person’s walking speed affects health and well being.
New age treasure hunters reveal lost stories of Black life in South Carolina
February 14, 2023, Alexis Watts
New age treasure hunters, part of the South Carolina Digital Newspaper Program, are saving crucial historical information buried in old publications that are being preserved and presented online. The newspapers reveal stories from the state’s Black residents and rural communities, often overlooked by larger news outlets.
USC researchers advancing transition to a new energy landscape
January 12, 2023, Megan Sexton
From policy-making surrounding cleaner energy technologies to researching better ways to make and store electricity to studying advanced nuclear materials for interplanetary space travel, University of South Carolina researchers are advancing the transition to a changing energy landscape.
Year in review '22: In with the old, in with the new
December 14, 2022, Communications and Marketing
Did campus feel just a little bit livelier this year? A touch more spirited? A tad more optimistic? We thought so, too — and not only because we named a new president back in January. Yeah, that was one heck of a way to ring in the new year, and it set the tone for the months ahead, but in the end, 2022 was about all of us, from the President’s House to Russell House, from Colonial Life to Williams-Brice. It was about respecting tradition, rediscovering our identity, remembering our past and reimagining our future. In 2022, the University of South Carolina reminded us all what it means to be USC.
Graduating engineering student looks ahead to career in coastal conservation
December 02, 2022, Chris Horn
Maggie Kemp grew up a five-minute drive from windswept Assateague Island National Seashore on the Maryland coast, and that locale inspired her undergraduate research pursuits and plans for graduate school at USC.
Prohibition-era beer laws persist to the present
December 02, 2022, Téa Smith
Craft beer is big business but that doesn’t necessarily mean business is booming.In fact, for many of the nation’s smaller brewing operations, competing with established large-scale “macrobreweries” is a David and Goliath story — and the laws are stacked in Goliath’s favor. But Scott Taylor Jr.. and his colleagues at the Wine and Beverage Institute at USC School of Hotel, Restaurant and Tourism Management are working on the first of three papers exploring the negative impact of Prohibition-era laws on competition within the alcoholic beverage industry.
'They broke down the barriers so I could be here'
November 29, 2022, Aïda Rogers
The university’s second Black woman student body vice president, Hannah White, is sharing the influential stories from 21 of Carolina’s Black women leaders who broke down barriers in her award-winning documentary.
Chemistry research fellow explores ways to protect watershed of coastal communities
October 26, 2022, Laura Erskine
Gwen Hopper’s research takes her to rivers, drainages and stormwater ponds throughout Horry and Georgetown Counties. She collects water samples to examine the amounts and types of dissolved organic matter in each system.
Honors alumna fights to save endangered species
October 19, 2022, Aïda Rogers
Honors college and Marine Sciences alumna Ana Bishop’s senior thesis and passion for protecting marine ecosystems grew into a two-year project and a mission to save endangered whales.
Queasy to easy: 10 hacks to enjoy thrill rides
October 13, 2022, Alexis Watts
Scott Smith, assistant professor at the University of South Carolina College of Hospitality, Retail and Sports Management and coaster enthusiast, has 10 tips that can help calm the squeamish stomach and get back to the hair-raising fun.
New agreement with National Park Service advances UofSC's role in telling civil rights history
September 28, 2022, Alexis Watts
Under a five-year agreement with the National Park Service, the center will receive $3.4 million to expand the center’s existing work in civil rights education and scholarly research, including support for exhibits and programming at South Carolina sites in the African American Civil Rights Network. The center will help to grow the network in South Carolina by serving as a resource to property owners, community leaders and organizations interested in joining the network.
UofSC partners with Verizon to establish Innovation Experience Hub
September 15, 2022, Jeff Stensland
The University of South Carolina is partnering with Verizon to launch the new Innovation Experience Hub, a showcase for applying Verizon 5G Ultra-Wideband Internet technology to cutting-edge discoveries in health care, manufacturing and civil infrastructure.
U.S. News rankings: UofSC retains top spot in international business, first-year student experience
September 09, 2022, Megan Sexton
The University of South Carolina has the top first-year student experience of any public college in the country and the best international business program, according to U.S. News & World Report’s annual undergraduate rankings.
Many drugs have mirror image chemical structures - while one may be helpful, the other may be harmful
August 16, 2022, Sajish Mathew
Many drugs have the same atoms and bonds but are arranged differently in space. These drugs are called chiral compounds — meaning they exist as two mirror images. Sajish Mathew writes for The Conversation on how these compounds are arranged in space can drastically change the effects they have in the body.
Old age isn't a modern phenomenon - many people lived long enough to grow old in the olden days, too
August 10, 2022, Sharon DeWitte
There is a common misperception that long life spans in humans are very recent, and that no one in the past lived much beyond their 30s before now. This is not true. There is physical evidence that plenty of people in the past lived long lives — just as long as some people do today. Anthropology professor Sharon DeWitte writes for The Conversation on the evidence that proves old age isn't a modern phenomenon.
Taking certain opioids while on commonly prescribed antidepressants may increase the risk of overdose
August 01, 2022, Ismaeel Yunusa
While doctors prescribe the opioid oxycodone to treat moderate to severe pain after surgeries and injuries, it can also become a common drug of abuse. Professor Ismaeel Yunusa writes for The Conversation on how taking oxycodone at the same time as certain antidepressants can increase the risk of opioid overdose.
UofSC hospitality and tourism management program leads SEC, makes national top 10
July 26, 2022, Allen Wallace
For the fourth consecutive year, the University of South Carolina is among the top 10 in the country in hospitality and tourism management and No. 18 worldwide, according to the ShanghaiRanking’s 2022 Global Ranking of Academic Subjects.
HRSM professor researches topic outside his field, but inside his heart
June 28, 2022, Page Ivey
Khalid Ballouli knows first-hand what life is like for an aspiring professional ballplayer. It was his personal experience, which included six years as a pitcher in the minor leagues after playing for the Southeastern Conference’s Texas A&M University, that led him to his 10-year research project interviewing young players and their families about their experiences in travel baseball.
Should you get a COVID-19 booster shot now or wait until fall?
June 28, 2022, Prakash Nagarkatti, Mitzi Nagarkatti
As COVID-19 vaccines continue to be effective in preventing hospitalizations and deaths, many people have found themselves unsure whether to wait on new, updated formulations of the COVID-19 vaccines or to mix and match combinations of the original vaccine strains. School of Medicine Columbia professors Prakash Nagarkatti and Mitzi Nagarkatti write for The Conversation on whether you should get a COVID-19 booster now or wait until fall.
Gamecock alumna helps spearhead South Carolina's attack on Alzheimer's
June 28, 2022, Kyndel Lee
UofSC alumna Taylor Wilson is playing a major role in advancing South Carolina's efforts in advocacy for support of the Alzheimer's cause at both the state and federal levels.
Octavia E. Butler mined her curiosity to forge a new vision for humanity
June 22, 2022, Alyssa Collins
In an interview for The Conversation, Alyssa Collins, assistant professor of English Language and Literature, explains how science fiction author Octavia Butler’s boundless curiosity inspired her work and how Butler’s experiences as a Black woman drew her to “humans who must deal with the edges or ends of humanity.”
Grant advances UofSC's efforts to create destination for preserving, teaching civil rights history
June 20, 2022, Carol J.G. Ward
The University of South Carolina’s Center for Civil Rights History and Research will receive $500,000 in federal funding to further its mission to preserve civil rights history and tell critical stories of the movement. The African American Civil Rights grant administered by the National Park Service will be used to continue rehabilitation and preservation of the historic Booker T. Washington Auditorium Building.
Letters from Anne Frank's father, Otto Frank, donated to UofSC Anne Frank Center
June 08, 2022, Alexis Watts
The Anne Frank Center located at the University of South Carolina is now home to 100 letters and cards written by Otto Frank, the father of Holocaust victim and world-renowned diarist Anne Frank. The donation comes as the world honors her life and legacy on the 75th anniversary of the publication of her diary and her birthday on June 12.
Student shares sex trafficking story to raise awareness, help victims
May 16, 2022, Kyndel Lee
UofSC Beaufort student shares her story as a sex trafficking survivor as part of her healing process and to raise awareness. The human services major hopes to become a counselor to help other survivors.
How to brainstorm brilliant ideas in teams - without sliding into 'group think'
May 16, 2022, Sabrina Habib
Sharing ideas can get messy when colleagues don't understand or support novel concepts - or if they shut them down altogether. Visual communications professor Sabrina Habib writes for The Conversation on concrete ways to facilitate idea generation, both individually and in groups.
Countries with lower-than-expected vaccination rates show unusually negative attitudes to vaccines on Twitter
May 10, 2022, Jungmi Jun
With the tone of social media conversations regarding the COVID-19 vaccine are varying around the world, this research team wanted to understand if these tones matched differing country-level vaccination rates. Journalism and mass communications professor Jungmi Jun writes for The Conversation on the influence emotions toward vaccines may have on whether a person decides to get a COVID-19 vaccination or not.
Sullivan Award winner focuses research, leadership efforts on sustainability
April 21, 2022, Communications and Marketing
Geography major Claire Windsor has turned a passion for creating a sustainable world into action throughout her four-year career at South Carolina. The Travelers Rest, South Carolina, native and Honors College student received the university's top leadership award, the 2022 Algernon Sydney Sullivan Award.
Why we can't 'boost' our way out of the COVID-19 pandemic for the long term
April 19, 2022, Prakash Nagarkatti and Mitzi Nagarkatti
As mRNA vaccines used in the U.S. against COVID-19 have been successful at preventing hospitalization and death, the vaccines have failed to provide long-term protective immunity to prevent breakthrough infections. School of Medicine Columbia professors Prakash Nagarkatti and Mitzi Nagarkatti write for The Conversation on the COVID-19 booster and retooling existing vaccines to increase the duration of protection.
UofSC alumna guides employer's gift to Center for Civil Rights History and Research
April 12, 2022, Megan Sexton
Alumna Kelly Adams, managing director of state government and regulatory affairs for the energy infrastructure company Williams, was instrumental in her employer’s gift of $1.5 million to the university's Center for Civil Rights History and Research.
Research project brings childhood curiosity about the 1970s full circle for UofSC junior
April 05, 2022, Carol J.G. Ward
UofSC junior combines curiosity about the 1970s, a love of history and an interest in culture and media into an undergraduate research project to assist history professor Lauren Sklaroff with research for a book proposal on 1970s popular culture.
Two UofSC honors students win Goldwater Scholarships
March 28, 2022, Abbey Smith
For two University of South Carolina students, earning a Goldwater Scholarship has turned childhood dreams into reality. Kirsten Fisher and Amanda Manea also have the honor of marking 30 years of Goldwater Scholars at UofSC.
What is the new COVID-19 variant BA.2, and will it cause another wave of infections in the US?
March 22, 2022, Prakash Nagarkatti and Mitzi Nagarkatti
The COVID-19 omicron variant has been the predominant source of rising infections around the world. BA.2 is the latest subvariant of omicron and is spreading quickly in many countries. School of Medicine Columbia professors, Prakash Nagarkatti and Mitzi Nagarkatti, write for The Conversation on this new strain, if there will be another surge in the U.S. and how to protect yourself.
'I wanted a professor like me' - a hip-hop artist explains his turn to academia
March 22, 2022, Jabari Evans
Hip-hop artist and School of Journalism and Mass Communications professor, Jabari Evans, interviews with The Conversation. He answers questions on his career, how he got to where he is today, what he enjoys most about what he studies, his motivations and what is next for his research.
Water-analyzing aerial drone could get bigger and better
February 28, 2022, Chris Horn
A new water sampling aerial drone developed by University of South Carolina professors has six motors, four pumps, two batteries, one six-foot-long collection hose and a zero-carbon footprint. But this proof-of-concept machine could become even more impressive if the team is able to secure NSF funding for a new level of capability.
Alumni make their mark in Mars exploration
February 15, 2022, Bryan Gentry
South Carolina graduate students have played instrumental roles in developing the technology used on Mars. Whether in research labs on campus or in NASA offices, they’ve made their mark on the Red Planet.
Is the omicron variant Mother Nature's way of vaccinating the masses?
February 01, 2022, Prakash Nagarkatti, Mitzi Nagarkatti
The characteristics of the COVID-19 omicron variant has many people wondering if it could act as a vaccine of sorts, inoculating enough people to effectively bring about herd immunity. School of Medicine Columbia professors Prakash Nagarkatti and Mitzi Nagarkatti write for The Conversation about immune response to COVID-19.
UofSC sport science programs continually rank No. 1
January 27, 2022, Allen Wallace
Many things have changed since the annual Global Ranking of Sport Science Schools and Departments debuted in 2016, but one constant remains: the University of South Carolina is No. 1 in the nation.
Gift of rare Third Folio enhances UofSC's Shakespeare collection
December 14, 2021, Carol J.G. Ward
Third Folio of Shakespeare’s plays printed in 1664 has a permanent home at University of South Carolina Libraries. The book, a gift from Chicago attorney Jeffery Leving, along with the university’s copies of the Second and Fourth folios, will provide a rare opportunity for students, faculty and other researchers.
Colorful sweets look tasty, but may pose health risks
December 09, 2021, Lorne J. Hofseth
Many of the colors that make up candy canes, sugar cookies and even cranberry sauce and roast ham are synthetic. Pharmacy professor, Lorne J. Hofseth, writes for The Conversation that there is evidence that these ultra-processed foods may trigger early-onset colorectal cancer.