Recent Stories

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Michael J. Mungo Graduate Teaching Award: Julie Hubbert

October 03, 2025, Dan Cook

Julie Hubbert, recipient of the Michael J. Mungo Graduate Teaching Award, is particularly adept at teaching in the context of forging one's own path. That’s because her interests have always extended beyond music to include film, film music and the social, cultural and economic contexts in which music and film are created. With this broad outlook as a starting point, she helps students understand the wider context in which they operate and to develop the mindset they’ll need to thrive.

Topics: Faculty, Recognition, School of Music

Crop of hand unrolling yoga mat for a workout

Most of your actions are driven by habit, not thought

October 03, 2025, Amanda Rebar, co-author

A new study shows that the majority of actions people take in a day are carried out on autopilot. Habitual behavior is made up of the things that we do without thinking, prompted by our environment and learned through repeated enactment. Public Health professor Amanda Rebar writes for The Conversation about the power of habits on our behavior.

Topics: Research, Health Sciences, Arnold School of Public Health, The Conversation

Head shot of Guoan Wang in his engineering lab

Engineering prof named university's second-ever National Academy of Inventors fellow

September 30, 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.

Topics: Faculty, Research, Initiatives, Economic Engagement, Entrepreneurship, Careers, Molinaroli College of Engineering and Computing

Flood waters in Columbia fill street and business

Researchers and former students recall harsh lessons from historic 2015 Midlands flood

September 30, 2025, Chris Horn

It happened a decade ago, but lessons learned from the catastrophic flooding of Oct. 1-5, 2015, in the Midlands of South Carolina are still being reckoned by University of South Carolina researchers and former students who were involved in the flood’s aftermath.

Topics: Alumni, Faculty, Research, Initiatives, Philanthropy, Service, Careers, Student Voices, McCausland College of Arts and Sciences, Molinaroli College of Engineering and Computing, South Carolina Honors College

Curing Kids Cancer founders Clay and Grainne Owen present a check to Michael Wyatt from the USC College of Pharmacy

Curing Kids Cancer pledge fuels USC, Prisma Health pediatric cancer research partnership

September 24, 2025, Laura Morris

The University of South Carolina College of Pharmacy and Prisma Health Children’s Hospital announced a research collaboration on Sept. 24 aimed at redefining pediatric oncology care in South Carolina. The $5 million pledge from Curing Kids Cancer will fund research aimed at developing and providing access to innovative therapeutics for children with cancer.

Topics: Alumni, University Leadership, Research, Health Sciences, College of Pharmacy

Chris Rorden smiles for the camera with the MRI machine in the background.

Brain Trust: At USC, better brain health outcomes begin with cutting-edge neuroimaging equipment

September 24, 2025, Rebekah Friedman

The McCausland Center’s MRI scanner is a 3 Tesla, twice the strength of typical MRIs. Access to equipment of that caliber has enabled the center to bring in tens of millions in grant funding and has led to an explosion in research studies that have advanced our understanding of aphasia, stroke treatment and brain aging.

Topics: Faculty, Arnold School of Public Health, Carolinian, Breakthrough Research

path and building on the USC Horseshoe

US News: USC retains top rankings in international business, first-year student experience

September 23, 2025, Megan Sexton

USC retained its top ranking in international business and is home to the nation’s top first-year student experience among public institutions, while the College of Nursing BSN degree jumped 17 spots to No. 22 nationally, according to U.S. News and World Report’s annual undergraduate rankings released Sept. 23.

Topics: University Leadership, Undergraduate Admissions, Recognition, Darla Moore School of Business, College of Nursing

Head and shoulders photo of Zachary Winkelmann

Clinical practice teaching award: Zachary Winkelmann

September 12, 2025, Megan Sexton

Zachary Winkelmann, who teaches in the athletic training program in the Arnold School of Public Health, is the 2025 recipient of USC'sclinical practice teaching award, which recognizes a faculty member for outstanding clinical teaching, practice, advising and mentoring of health science students.

Topics: Faculty, Academics, Graduate Studies, Recognition, Health Sciences, Leadership, Careers, Arnold School of Public Health

woman wearing safety goggles stands in a lab

Chemical engineering faculty member demonstrates breakthrough technology for blue phase liquid crystals

September 10, 2025, Chris Horn

Since they first appeared on wristwatches in the early 1970s, liquid crystal displays have made the leap to TVs, smartphones, household appliances and automobile dashboards. Now an even more responsive type of LCD technology, called blue phase liquid crystals, is getting closer to commercial use, and a USC chemical engineering professor’s research in that field is attracting notice.

Topics: Faculty, Research, Molinaroli College of Engineering and Computing

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Remembering the Days -- The story of McBryde Quad

September 10, 2025, Evan Faulkenbury

Built in the 1950s as USC's first fraternity dorms, the McBryde Quad saw its share of keg parties and frat boy shenanigans back in the day. McBryde's reputation for rowdiness eventually gave way to more serious conversations among its residents in later years. Now, as the last of McBryde's buildings are slated for replacement, it's an auspicious time to consider the long arc of McBryde's story.

Topics: History

An abstract, cubist illustration of a human brain.

Brain Trust: USC has prioritized its efforts to improve brain health across the Palmetto State

September 08, 2025, Rebekah Friedman

Cognitive decline is a significant problem for South Carolina’s aging population. That’s one reason the University of South Carolina has prioritized its efforts to improve brain health across the Palmetto State. In USC’s Arnold School of Public Health, researchers are leading the charge to better understand how diet, exercise and intervention factor into the solution.

Topics: Research, Arnold School of Public Health, Breakthrough Research

Hand holding small brown shrimp

Video: Snapping shrimp could hold the key to protecting human brains from shockwaves

September 05, 2025, Hadley McCollester

Snapping shrimp can create shockwaves strong enough to stun prey. But how do they survive each other’s blasts? USC biologist Dan Speiser and his team discovered that a special “orbital hood” — a helmet-like shield around the shrimp’s eyes and brain — protects them from these powerful shockwaves. Collaborating with biomedical researchers at the Molinaroli College of Engineering and Computing, the team is now studying the hood’s structure to design next-generation helmets that could protect human brains from shock waves and even reduce the risk of PTSD in military personnel.

Topics: Faculty, Research, Health Sciences, McCausland College of Arts and Sciences, Molinaroli College of Engineering and Computing

A man standing in front of a garden

Michael J. Mungo Undergraduate Teaching Award: Brett Robertson

September 05, 2025, Téa Smith

Associate professor Brett Robertson believes education goes beyond content delivery — it should challenge students to think critically, empower them to engage with real-world problems and inspire tangible impact. And the best way to do that? Appeal to students’ individual interests, abilities and learning styles. He was awarded the Michael J. Mungo Undergraduate Teaching Award for his commitment to quality classroom instruction.

Topics: Faculty, Recognition, College of Information and Communications

Headshot of Jaelyn Souza

Neuroscience student finds connection, purpose in pursuing special education

September 04, 2025, Laura Erskine

If Jaelyn Souza could give just one piece of advice to this year’s incoming students at USC, it would be this: “Keep an open mind, because me as a freshman and me as a senior are two very different people.” The neuroscience major says all of her beyond-the-classroom experiences helped her decide on her career path.

Topics: Students, Experiential Learning, Student Voices, McCausland College of Arts and Sciences

Researchers in field examine data collected

Kazakhstan studies affirm imperative to secure nuclear storage solutions

September 03, 2025, Kristine Hartvigsen

The pleasing pastoral landscapes across the former Semipalatinsk Nuclear Test Site in Kazakhstan hardly reflect its dark history. Generations of locals have lived near the site since it opened in 1949, and many remain today. USC researchers Timothy Mousseau and Magdalena Stawkowski are studying the impact of radioactive isotopes on the people, animals and plants of Semipalantinsk.

Topics: Faculty, Research, McCausland College of Arts and Sciences

Researchers lower nets into coastal waters.

Baruch researchers investigate impacts of warming waters on shrimp populations

September 03, 2025, Kristine Hartvigsen

Project investigators from USC’s Baruch Marine Field Lab have been collaborating on a study into the impacts of warming coastal ocean waters on shrimp populations. They found that shrimp populations have been largely stable, and warmer water temperatures have led to longer seasons for shrimpers, often through January.

Topics: Faculty, Research, SC Impact, McCausland College of Arts and Sciences

woman standing in front of the Joseph F. Rice School of Law

From chemistry labs to courtrooms: Honors College senior finds new path at USC

August 28, 2025, Téa Smith

Honors College senior Luci Green initially decided to study chemistry in college, but after taking a course taught by a visiting law professor, she began considering a new path. Now, she’s pursuing a pre-law concentration in conjunction with her chemistry major in hopes of becoming a patent lawyer.

Topics: Students, Academics, Student Voices, McCausland College of Arts and Sciences, South Carolina Honors College

woman standing in a football stadium giving the

USC experience paved the way for Pulitzer finalist Mary Ramsey

August 27, 2025, Page Ivey

When Mary Ramsey arrived at the University of South Carolina, she was already certain of two things: she wanted to be a Gamecock, and she wanted to be a journalist. After earning her bachelor's degree in journalism, she has made stops at newspapers in Arizona, Kentucky and now at the Charlotte Observer, where one of her stories was part of the paper's Pulitzer Prize finalist package for covering Hurricane Helene.

Topics: Alumni, Faculty, Experiential Learning, Careers, College of Information and Communications

3 young men point at the camera, getting excited at a football game

A guide to Gamecock gameday

August 27, 2025, Catherine Pruitt

It’s that time of the year again when Gamecocks flock to Williams-Brice Stadium decked out in their garnet and black. For many students, this will be your first “Saturday in South Carolina” as a Gamecock. We understand this annual rite of passage can be a bit daunting for first-timers, so here are some tips to make the most of your gameday.

students at Williams-Brice waving white towels

Useful campus apps

August 26, 2025, Collyn Taylor

From getting tickets to sporting events to navigating campus, a few key apps for Gamecocks as the Fall 2025 semester begins.

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Remembering the Days - A Conversation with Tommy Suggs

August 21, 2025, Chris Horn and Evan Faulkenbury

He was a star quarterback for the Gamecocks more than 50 years ago, and for most of the years since then Tommy Suggs has been the color commentator for radio coverage of USC football games. He recently sat down with Remembering the Days co-hosts Evan Faulkenbury and Chris Horn to look back on his career and look ahead to the fall 2025 football season. 

Topics: History

Two college-aged athletes run in competition in an open field in the heat.

Health Watch: 6 Dangerous Heat Stroke Myths That Could Put Your Health at Risk

August 20, 2025, Gregory Hardy

Rising temperatures are making heat stroke a serious risk in South Carolina and beyond, especially during outdoor activities such as youth sports, yardwork, recreation and even work. At USC’s Arnold School of Public Health, associate professor of athletic training Susan Yeargin debunks dangerous myths about treating this life-threatening condition.

Topics: Students, Alumni, Faculty, Research, Health Sciences, Arnold School of Public Health

three female students smiling and cheering on the Horseshoe

The USC student experience offers myriad routes to the perfect path

August 19, 2025, Megan Sexton

USC students are members of a supportive Gamecock family that will help them succeed — inside the classroom and out. Through study abroad trips and undergraduate research, student organizations and SEC sports, Carolina students have myriad opportunities for finding their life’s passion.

Topics: Students, Academics, Experiential Learning, Undergraduate Admissions, Signature Events, Service, Student Voices

AI-created image of a comet hurtling toward Earth, with some pieces making impact

Researchers find evidence for Younger Dryas comet-impact theory in ocean cores

August 13, 2025, Kristine Hartvigsen

Christopher Moore, research professor with the Institute for Archaeology and Anthropology at the University of South Carolina, recently led a team that analyzed sediment from the ocean floor in Baffin Bay, Greenland. Their efforts produced the first evidence — sourced directly from ocean cores — that a comet impact could have triggered an abrupt cooling of the atmosphere during a period known as the Younger Dryas 13,000 years ago.

Topics: Faculty, Research, McCausland College of Arts and Sciences

Headshot of Amy Taylor-Perry

Michael J. Mungo Undergraduate Teaching Award: Amy Taylor-Perry

August 11, 2025, Laura Erskine

For nearly 14 years, Amy Taylor-Perry has taught general chemistry classes and labs at USC. Hundreds of students take these courses each semester, and Taylor-Perry has designed them to provide a solid foundation. She has now received the Michael J. Mungo Undergraduate Teaching Award, with her nomination endorsed by the entire Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry.

Topics: Faculty, Academics, Recognition, McCausland College of Arts and Sciences, South Carolina Honors College

Susan Elkins sits on a bench on USC's historic Horseshoe with a vase of yellow, lavendar and white flowers over her left shoulder

Elkins receives Order of the Palmetto

August 08, 2025, Thom Harman / photo by Kim Truett

Susan Elkins, the founding chancellor of USC’s Palmetto College, is being awarded the Order of the Palmetto after a career of service in education. The award is South Carolina’s highest civilian honor. Elkins announced that she was stepping down from her role in May. As chancellor, Elkins oversaw tremendous growth at Palmetto College's four campuses around the state as well as in its online offerings.

Topics: Faculty, University Leadership, Recognition, University System

girl pulling box full of move-in items in a rolling cardboard box

What you need to know for move-in 2025

August 07, 2025, Collyn Taylor

Move-in is quickly approaching, and soon the Class of 2029 will be on campus at USC. With a large freshman class coming to Columbia, this is a one-stop shop for the information students, faculty and staff need to know during move-in week.

Icon of how an artificial intelligence brain connects to concepts of technology, transportation, vision, the brain, ideas and health care.

2025 artificial intelligence faculty experts list

July 31, 2025, Gregory Hardy

University of South Carolina researchers explore how artificial intelligence can be used for advancements in health care, education, manufacturing, energy, disaster management and transportation. They are also helping shape and inform the ethics and policies surrounding these emergent solutions.

Topics: Faculty, Research, Health Sciences, McCausland College of Arts and Sciences, Molinaroli College of Engineering and Computing, Joseph F. Rice School of Law

Woman lifts kettle bell in a gym setting.

Brain Health Fitness program uses exercise to fight cognitive decline

July 30, 2025, Nicole Carrico

Integrating physical movement into a patient’s daily routine is an essential strategy to combat chronic illness and ensure a healthier future for South Carolinians. A new collaborative research study from USC Brain Health and the Arnold School of Public Health goes one step further by examining how consistent, physical exercise can also help combat cognitive decline and improve overall neurological health.

Topics: Faculty, Research, Health Sciences, Medicine (Columbia), Arnold School of Public Health

Baby hand in adult hand

Study finds many women who give birth at home feel empowered

July 24, 2025, Kristine Hartvigsen

As the birth of their baby approaches, women often turn to their mothers, sisters or close female friends for comfort and advice — a trusted and time-honored support system. Recent research conducted through the Women’s and Gender Studies Department at the University of South Carolina views this phenomenon through an anthropological lens, confirming the relevance of this bonded group and examining childbirth choices women typically face.

Topics: Research, McCausland College of Arts and Sciences

three students smiling in class

Interdisciplinary initiative teaches medical students how to use AI productively and safely

July 24, 2025, Chris Horn

The University of South Carolina’s School of Medicine has begun preparing its students to understand AI’s potential — and its shortcomings. The medical school in Columbia partnered last year with the Molinaroli College of Engineering and Computing to launch the AI in Medicine Extracurricular Track.

Topics: Students, Faculty, Graduate Studies, Initiatives, Health Sciences, Leadership, Careers, Molinaroli College of Engineering and Computing, Medicine (Columbia)

Female nurse leans over exam table to check on male child.

USC expands nursing pathways for people with disabilities

July 22, 2025, Nicole Meares

The University of South Carolina College of Nursing is launching a multi-year, Duke Endowment–backed initiative to expand nursing career pathways for people with disabilities. The program aims to close critical workforce and care gaps through summer immersion experiences, professional development and inclusive training.

Topics: Students, Faculty, Academics, Experiential Learning, Health Sciences, SC Impact, College of Nursing

Headshot of Josh Dawsey

Alumnus Josh Dawsey publishes best-selling book on 2024 election

July 17, 2025, Laura Erskine

Josh Dawsey works at the forefront of U.S. politics. He has covered the White House extensively and has twice won the Pulitzer Prize for his reporting with teams from The Washington Post. His new book "2024: How Trump Retook the White House and the Democrats Lost America" tells the story of the tumultuous election season.

Topics: Alumni, Careers, College of Information and Communications, South Carolina Honors College

Gloved hands working with batteries and wires

Phase 1 construction of Battery Center set to begin

July 09, 2025, Chris Horn

In about 18 months, the Carolina Institute for Battery Innovation at the University of South Carolina plans to open the first phase of its Battery Center, a research, manufacturing and teaching facility in partnership with several commercial battery manufacturers.

Topics: Faculty, University Leadership, Research, Initiatives, Economic Engagement, Campus Construction, SC Impact, Entrepreneurship, Careers, McCausland College of Arts and Sciences, Molinaroli College of Engineering and Computing

A person holds a phone next to audio recording equipment in a studio.

Worth a listen: podcasts by USC faculty and staff

June 27, 2025, Laura Erskine

USC faculty and staff members produce a variety of podcasts that will keep you coming back for another episode. From deep dives into Southern history and campus life to engaging conversations with experts in business, pharmacy and public health, we’ve rounded up selections to give you a sample of what USC podcasters have to offer.

Topics: Faculty, McCausland College of Arts and Sciences, Darla Moore School of Business, College of Information and Communications, College of Pharmacy, Arnold School of Public Health

A background of empty plastic water bottles with a blue tint.

USC chemist leads new NSF center focused on developing sustainable, eco-friendly plastics

June 23, 2025, Chris Horn

By 2050 plastic manufacturing around the world is projected to total 1 billion tons, and more than half of all that plastic is expected to end up in landfills and the ocean. It’s an industry that relies on petroleum as a key ingredient and produces products that can’t easily be recycled without generating additional waste. But USC's Chuanbing Tang has a game-changing idea for the world’s plastic crisis.

Topics: Faculty, Research, Entrepreneurship, Leadership, Careers, McCausland College of Arts and Sciences

Various worshippers sit in pews in a German Church

Germany's young Jewish and Muslim writers are speaking for themselves

June 18, 2025, Agnes Mueller

The consequences of Hamas’ Oct. 7, 2023, attack and Israel’s war in Gaza have reverberated far beyond the zones of conflict. Debate about the war in Gaza feels fraught in Germany, where concerns about rising antisemitism have been used to criticize some Muslim communities. The Holocaust looms over discussions about Israel, with many claiming the country’s sense of historical guilt has made it, until recently, reluctant to criticize Israeli politics.

Topics: Research, McCausland College of Arts and Sciences, The Conversation

Satellite image of an Atlantic hurricane

2025 hurricane faculty experts list

June 13, 2025, University Communications

The Atlantic hurricane season officially began June 1. Researchers at the University of South Carolina are available to discuss multiple aspects of the 2025 hurricane season, including preparation and communication, environmental impact and historical perspectives.

Topics: Faculty, Academics, Research, Health Sciences, McCausland College of Arts and Sciences, Darla Moore School of Business, Molinaroli College of Engineering and Computing, College of Hospitality, Retail and Sport Management, College of Information and Communications, Joseph F. Rice School of Law, College of Pharmacy, College of Social Work

College of Nursing assistant professor Lori Vick

Shaping a smarter, more compassionate sickle cell nursing workforce

June 12, 2025, Gregory Hardy

College of Nursing assistant professor Lori Vick is advancing national efforts to train nurses to better understand and treat patients living with sickle cell disease. At the heart of that effort is the Sickle Cell Nursing Boot Camp, an initiative that promotes specialized knowledge in treating this chronic and often misunderstood condition.

Topics: Faculty, Research, Health Sciences, College of Nursing

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