50 years ago, USC’s Information Sciences Institute was tapped to design and run the internet
From a three-person shop in 1972 to an institute of more than 400 today, ISI continues to lead the way in computing research.
Top Stories
Editor's Picks
Traditional incentives don’t offset COVID vaccine hesitancy
New study finds financial incentives and other behavioral nudges made little difference among certain groups.
USC’s Warrior Scholar Project puts service members on the front line in the classroom
The college preparatory program helps prepare veterans and transitioning service members to succeed in higher education.
In memoriam: Irving Biederman, 83, explored the brain’s role in vision, shape and face recognition
The longtime USC Dornsife professor was a voracious seeker of knowledge and a beloved mentor to countless students and postdoctoral researchers.
Newly discovered protein connected to Alzheimer’s Disease risk
A mutation in a microprotein is connected to a significant increase in the risk for Alzheimer’s and highlights a possible target for treatment, a USC Leonard Davis School of Gerontology study finds.
U.S. News & World Report
Candidates look to bypass debates amid pivot from substance to spectacle
Voters were turned off by the tenor of the 2020 debates between Joe Biden and Donald Trump, says USC Annenberg’s Tom Hollihan — who also notes that debates still matter.
Los Angeles Times
Student information remains at risk after massive cyberattack on Los Angeles Unified
LAUSD is an attractive target for cybercriminals because of the large number of people affected when district systems become unavailable, USC Viterbi’s Clifford Neuman says. “This makes the impacted organization potentially more willing to pay a ransom to recover their systems,” he says, “and encourages criminals to seek larger payments.”
Los Angeles Times
Like a breath of fresh air on a hot day, USC football feels like USC football again
“On a scorching Saturday afternoon at a Coliseum rollicking with a rebirth, with players bouncing on the sideline and fans pumping fists through the sweat, an old friend returned with a roar,” writes columnist Bill Plaschke. “USC football feels like USC football again.”
U.S. News & World Report
How USC helped This Is Us put Alzheimer’s care in the spotlight
When the wildly popular TV show wrapped up its final season this year, it did so with a storyline that showed one of the lead characters dealing with Alzheimer’s as her adult children disagreed over the type of care she should receive. The storyline was developed in close collaboration with the Hollywood, Health & Society program at the USC Annenberg Norman Lear Center.
The Conversation
Extreme heat plus air pollution can be deadly, with the health risk together worse than either alone
High heat and air pollution are each problematic for human health, particularly for vulnerable populations such as older adults. But when they hit at the same time, death rates spike, USC researchers found.
The Associated Press
At $249 per day, prison stays leave ex-inmates deep in debt
As prison populations ballooned, policymakers questioned how to pay for incarceration costs, says USC Dornsife’s Brittany Friedman: “So, instead of raising taxes, the solution was to shift the cost burden from the state and the taxpayers onto the incarcerated.”
ZME Science
How friendships between rich and poor kids could lift people out of poverty
USC sociologist Ann Owens notes that income segregation is growing: Rich families have become richer and more isolated from middle-class and low-income families.
WebMD
Using a blood pressure smartphone app doesn’t beat traditional home monitoring, study finds
The study is noteworthy for several reasons: its large size, the level of comfort with technology reported by participants, and representation of Black and Hispanic people, says USC internal medicine specialist Matthew Jung.
Los Angeles Times
Hate crimes in L.A. this year could again set records
An analysis by Crosstown, USC’s nonprofit data-driven news outlet, found that hate crimes against Black, transgender and LGBTQ Angelenos this year were all up significantly compared with the first six months of 2021.
HuffPost
1 in 2 Black teens experience racism online: What parents should know
In one study, USC Rossier’s Brendesha Tynes found that Black youths experienced more than five discriminatory experiences per day — mostly online racial discrimination.
The Hill
Bad news: COVID-19 numbers are pretty meaningless
Among the problems: With the widespread availability of self-testing, the real number of cases greatly exceeds the number of reported cases, notes Jeffrey Klausner of the Keck School of Medicine of USC.
Axios
Fake online reviews lead shoppers to overpay, new study says
Shoppers who use Amazon more frequently were more likely to be affected by phony ratings, USC Dornsife’s Robert Metcalfe says. You’d expect that more sophisticated participants would be less likely to be duped, but frequent Amazon users shop the platform faster and tend to trust it more, he says.
USC Gould incoming JD class sets records
The class is the school’s most academically accomplished, and marks the lowest acceptance rate on record. In addition, women comprise two-thirds of the entering class — another record at USC Gould.
The Rev. Cecil ‘Chip’ Murray retires from USC
Since his arrival at USC in 2004, Murray trained about 1,000 faith leaders in the “Murray Method,” equipping them to transform their communities as he had helped transform South L.A. in his first career as a pastor.
Julia M. Ritter installed as dean of the USC Kaufman School of Dance
The accomplished public artist and academic leader promises to be a “partner in dance to do things that matter.”
Book bans reflect outdated beliefs about how children read
USC Dornsife’s Trisha Tucker notes that nearly 1,600 books were targeted in 2021 — the highest number of attempted book bans since tracking began more than 20 years ago.
Governor names USC’s Erroll Southers to Commission on the State of Hate
The panel will review data on hate crimes in California, provide resources for victims and make policy recommendations to better protect people’s civil rights.
Some forms of elder abuse worsened during the COVID-19 pandemic
A study led by the Keck School of Medicine of USC — the first direct comparison of elder abuse data before and during the pandemic — found increased reports of physical and emotional abuse.
USC business, engineering schools launch joint undergrad degree: AI for Business
The innovative degree program will launch in fall 2023.
First-of-its-kind media studies lab launches at USC to amplify Black social change makers on West Coast
Journalism instructor and scholar Allissa V. Richardson will lead the Charlotta Bass Journalism & Justice Lab at USC Annenberg.
Celebrate Constitution Day 2022 with USC
Congress designates Sept. 17 as a day to recognize the value and history of the guiding document.
In memoriam: Charlotte Furth, 88, was among first U.S. scholars to enter China after communist revolution
During her 30-year career at USC Dornsife, the trailblazing historian’s achievements include a groundbreaking book on the history of Chinese women’s reproductive care.
USC kicks off Latinx Heritage Month: ‘As individuals we are strong, but as a community, we are powerful’
Unity is celebrated during a virtual kickoff event and live viewing party. Latinx Heritage Month runs from Sept. 15 through Oct. 15.
Early Action admission offers a timely alternative for would-be Trojans
It may be a good choice for those who are set on USC and like to get a jump on things. For others, the standard process remains the way to go.
Iran, U.S. appear unlikely to reach a new nuclear deal, leaving everyone more unsafe
A USC nuclear nonproliferation expert explains why Iran was always unlikely to return to the 2015 international agreement that limited its nuclear weapon development.
Keck Medicine of USC names Shannon Bradley as health system’s first chief diversity and inclusion officer
Bradley will develop strategies and initiatives to foster an equitable and inclusive environment and ensure culturally sensitive care for patients.
Mindy Kaling to receive inaugural Multihyphenate Award from USC School of Dramatic Arts
Colman Domingo kicks off the school’s Multihyphenate Masterclass Series with Franklin Leonard, Paula Wagner and Sean San José.
Moral values explain differences in COVID-19 vaccination rates across U.S. counties
Research from USC Dornsife shows that moral values predict regional differences in COVID-19 vaccination rates beyond structural, demographic and political barriers to vaccination.
USC-LADWP agreement taps into offsite solar power for the university and its neighbors
The agreement will provide a quarter of USC’s electricity with power from a solar farm in Mojave. It also brings new opportunities for residents in nearby communities to gain access to affordable solar power.
Cold shutdown reduces risk of disaster at Ukraine nuclear plant — but combat around spent fuel still poses a threat
USC nuclear safety expert Najmedin Meshkati explains cold shutdown, what it means for the safety of the nuclear power plant, and the ongoing risks to the plant’s spent fuel.
COVID-19 mutations are accelerated by virus-fighting enzyme in human cells
The findings by a team of USC researchers could help scientists predict new coronavirus variants and subvariants and give them a leg up on producing effective vaccines.
Title IX contributed to gains in entertainment fields, USC School of Cinematic Arts dean says
TITLE IX: Elizabeth M. Daley is grateful for landmark federal law that helped girls and women to pursue their dreams.
USC, Hebrew Union College celebrate 50 years as partners — and look ahead
Leaders of the two institutions note that the unique partnership is a national model.
What’s in a photo? The potential to change the planet
A paid internship program offered by USC Dornsife’s Wrigley Institute for Environmental Studies trains students to communicate scientific research to the public.
USC Latinx Heritage Month to celebrate inclusivity starting Thursday
“This is a great opportunity to come together as family,” says La CASA supervisor Leticia Delgado.
President Folt touts USC’s role in a more sustainable and equitable L.A. at annual Business Council summit
Event featuring UCLA Chancellor Gene Block and L.A. Mayor Eric Garcetti examines the city’s clean energy future, water resources and drought, revitalizing buildings with carbon-free power and more.