Four incoming freshmen share their stories of perseverance
A quartet of new Trojans discuss how they overcame personal challenges and found themselves at USC.
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Predicting drought in the American West just got much more difficult
A new, USC-led study of more than 1,000 years of North American droughts and global conditions found that forecasting a lack of precipitation is rarely straightforward.
Steven Grossman named cancer physician in chief of USC Norris Comprehensive Cancer Center
The renowned oncologist and cancer researcher will join USC in this newly created position in September.
Climate change could make toxic algal blooms even more deadly
Research funded by USC Sea Grant has found that these increasingly toxic blooms can poison marine mammals and contaminate seafood.
John Hamilton, 78, key figure behind USC Athletic Hall of Fame
The USC alumnus also helped establish the Newport Sports Museum and the Lott IMPACT Trophy, which honors the nation’s top defensive college football player.
USCTrojans.com
USC’s revised 2020 football schedule announced; UCLA is season opener
The Pac-12-only lineup features five home games in the Coliseum, with visits from California, Colorado, Washington State, Arizona State and Washington.
Inside Higher Ed
Why Black students might prefer online learning
Many Black students experience microaggressions and sterotyping in traditional classrooms, says Shaun Harper of the USC Race and Equity Center: “It very well could be that some Black Americans view virtual classrooms as spaces where they might encounter less anti-Blackness.”
KABC-TV
How to protect your children from cybercrime as online learning resumes
When using apps for school or testing for sports, many people dont’ realize that a main revenue source for those digital platforms is collecting data on users and selling it, USC Annenberg’s Karen North notes.
Fast Company
Working moms always battled shame — the pandemic just made it worse
Combining responsibilities at work with caregiving, working mothers are experiencing growing shame for not living up to anyone’s expectations — including their own, notes USC Bovard College’s Tiffany Danko and colleagues.
Inside Higher Ed
Convincing college students to practice social distancing
Institutions have to empathize with what students are being asked to give up, says Sarah Van Orman, chief health officer for USC Student Health: “These measures themselves are not without consequences: disrupted education, emotional and social isolation.”
The Washington Post
Amid COVID-19, the eyes have it: Here’s how to safely apply makeup these days
Make sure to honor expiration dates so your cosmetics are not harboring bacteria and wash your brushes on a regular basis, says Nada Elbuluk, a dermatologist with Keck Medicine of USC. And, of course, wash your hands thoroughly before touching your face.
The Washington Post
What persuades Southerners to take down Confederate symbols? Hearing it’s good for business
Many in the South have come to see Confederate symbols as economic liabilities, according to an analysis by USC Dornsife’s Christian Grose and a college. One example: This year Mississippi’s Economic Council chamber of commerce backed removal of the Confederate emblem from the state’s flag.
The New York Times
How skateboarding can help fight racism
Research at USC by Zoë Corwin and Neftalie Williams found that skateboarding is how many young skaters first come in contact with the police or security guards — and it may lead to their first questions about who gets to use public space and why.
Today
When are you most fertile? How to tell when you’re more likely to get pregnant
Whether you’re trying to get pregnant or trying to make sure you don’t, Director Richard Paulson of USC Fertility says that understanding a few fertility basics is key.
CalMatters
How to bridge the digital divide: Take action to give everyone broadband access
It’s the only way to resolve the disparity in which 1 in 5 California students lack computers and Wi-Fi, argues Martha Escutia, USC vice president of government relations.
The Hill
Amid COVID-19, states need practical solutions to address health care costs
The pandemic will further exacerbate already strained state budgets, particularly as millions of Americans shift from commercial insurance to Medicaid, writes USC’s John O’Brien in an op-ed. That shift puts the onus on states to find savings without cutting benefits.
Los Angeles Times
How should L.A. be redesigned for coronavirus?
COVID-19 has changed everything about the way we live; it is bound to change architecture, too. And while many architects agree that needs L.A. to move forward on increasing density, Dean Milton Curry of the USC School of Architecture says, “We need to do it smartly.”
From the Italian Renaissance to the stars, an exciting approach to fulfilling GEs
Two new USC Dornsife general education courses offer students a richer, broader way to learn and to acquire diverse academic skills.
USC Annenberg alum Esmeralda Bermudez to be recognized by the National Association of Hispanic Journalists
The Los Angeles Times staff writer will receive the Sí Se Puede Award for her persistence and tenacity as a journalist.
USC welcomes newest Trojans with virtual convocation
President Carol L. Folt, student leaders, USC’s deans and more greeted this year’s new students and urged them to embrace this transformative opportunity.
Two new studies explore how pollution affects the brain
USC researchers are investigating the impact of fine particle pollution on child brain growth and in older women who aren’t eating enough fish.
Fall 2020 update: Semester to begin with fully remote instruction
Fall semester classes will begin with fully remote instruction, with limited exceptions for clinical education. Read Wednesday’s announcement for details including housing information.
Don’t want federal agents in your city or town? Then protect federal property
A USC Price policy expert examines how today’s federal intervention in American cities can be reconciled with well-established precedents on state sovereignty and local police powers.
Three clients freed from California prisons thanks to USC’s Post-Conviction Justice Project
Allen, Celia and Charles all received life sentences for crimes they committed as teens and spent 84 years combined in prison. Through their dedication and the project’s advocacy, they are now free.
Finding community through tragedy: Incoming freshman chronicles his path to USC
From starting nonprofits to overcoming personal adversity, Marcus Lo has experienced more at 19 years old than many do in a lifetime. He’s excited to add “being a Trojan” to that list.
Improv-based chatbot aims to turn commands into conversations
Scientists from the USC Information Sciences Institute are using improvised dialogue as data to build a wittier, more engaging conversational agent.
USC and Children’s Hospital researchers make breakthrough in understanding rare genetic disorder
Artificial intelligence helped uncover new details about congenital adrenal hyperplasia, a genetic condition that affects hormone levels in the body.
COVID-19 pandemic may delay college graduation for students of color
According to USC’s ongoing coronavirus study, the pandemic has increased the perceived value of a college education among students of color while also likely reducing their course loads.
A trio of faculty members explore how VR can help combat neurological diseases
USC’s Sook-Lei Liew, Judy Pa and James M. Finley are researching the benefits of virtual reality for patients with Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease or stroke.
Looking ahead (far ahead): What our world might look like in 2050 and 2100
From environment, family and transportation to what we’ll eat and how we’ll age, USC faculty share how they think our future world might look.
Remote monitoring of lung transplant patients decreases hospital readmissions
USC researchers believe their monitoring technology could easily be used with other types of transplant or critical care patients, fulfilling a major need during the COVID-19 pandemic.
USC Welcome Experience features weeks of special events for new Trojans
Kicking off this week, the schedule — with everything from ceremonies and seminars to concerts and a spirit rally — continues well into September. Check out the events, because you won’t want to miss out.
When does life end? World Brain Death Project seeks clarity and consensus
When families struggle with the decision to end life support for a loved one, these findings — led by a USC researcher — could provide reassurance.
Students from across USC keep kids of front-line medical workers on track in school
With support from three schools on two campuses, children from Keck Medicine-affiliated families — and from university-adjacent neighborhoods — are being tutored by USC students living around the world.
L.A. high school student shares her Annenberg Youth Academy experience during COVID-19
Kymia Freeman and 25 of her peers all logged on every weekday to learn from USC Annenberg faculty and alumni via the school’s newly virtual summer program.
Shock waves might offer the jolt needed to reach Mars
USC researchers find that applying shock waves can improve fluid mixing in supersonic combustion engines, paving the way for flights at speeds five times the speed of sound.
USC Thornton names first recipient of Victor McElhaney Memorial Jazz Drumming Endowed Scholarship
Dominic Anzalone, a student in USC Thornton’s Popular Music Program, has a background in jazz drumming and shares McElhaney’s belief that music can be a tool for social activism.
Targeting these 12 risk factors could prevent or delay almost half of dementia cases
“It’s never too early or too late to take action,” says Lon Schneider of the Keck School of Medicine of USC, co-director of the USC Alzheimer Disease Research Center’s clinical core.
Mike Gillespie, played on and coached USC College World Series champion teams, 80
As USC head coach from 1987 to 2006, he led the Trojans to five Pac-10 titles.
New Alzheimer’s treatments won’t be widely accessible without changes to national health systems
USC research shows how several major countries could prepare their health systems to ensure patients can get Alzheimer’s treatments once they hit the market.
For hundreds of years, the mysteries of Mars have fascinated humans
From the authors of classic literature to ancient astronomers, Earthlings have been captivated by Mars for as long as we can remember. USC experts help dissect our attraction to the red planet.