Freshman class sets records for diversity, academic achievement
More students say “yes” than ever before; 1 in 4 have perfect grade-point averages and 17 percent are first-generation.
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New USC Student Health doctor helps shape young adults’ well-being
Erin Jones wants to be a vigilant sounding board for students in need of counseling.
Air pollution affects thyroid development in fetuses, USC research finds
Particle pollution is the culprit, raising concern about health impacts later in life.
Los Angeles magazine
How proper urban planning can cure what ails L.A.
Milton Curry, dean of the USC School of Architecture, believes big issues like race, gentrification, and housing can be tackled through planning and design. “I think we need to have the courage as architects to put ourselves in the middle of some of these debates,” he says.
Smithsonian
USC art display makes nationwide ‘10 must-see fall exhibits’ list
The remarkable Earth Works: Mapping the Anthropocene, a joint exhibition between the USC Fisher Museum of Art and the Natural History Museum of L.A. County, focuses on the current geologic age, the impact of humans on the planet and climate change.
Futurism
We’re drinking so much water that we’re actually making the ocean saltier
Desalination produces drinkable water, but most methods leave behind a concentrated brine about twice as salty as regular ocean water — brine that usually gets dumped back in the sea. That worries USC researcher Amy Childress.
The Chronicle of Higher Education
What a new professor learned after his first class
Astronaut Garrett Reisman, who joined the USC Viterbi School of Engineering faculty this summer, describes his first experience in the classroom: “It went well, but it was exhausting.”
The New York Times
What’s to blame for the out-of-control cost of health care?
In an op-ed, USC’s Glenn Melnick argues that a little-known set of regulations allows emergency rooms to charge basically whatever they want.
The New York Times
Here’s the conversation we really need to be having about bias at Google
USC’s Safiya Noble argues that search engines aren’t neutral; they’re made by humans who have preferences, opinions and blind spots.
Forbes
5 steps to reinvent your job (or career) in the era of artificial intelligence
USC Marshall’s John Boudreau and a colleague provide a roadmap on preparing and getting the best out of the increasing trend toward automation and AI. Remember, ATMs didn’t wipe out bank tellers.
NPR
Need to track a submarine? A harbor seal can show you how
USC Viterbi’s Eva Kanso and colleagues have developed a new way to use artificial intelligence to track submarines, inspired by harbor seals’ behavior.
The Huffington Post
Therapy dogs ease the stress of transition for college students
USC has had a campus facility dog since 2016. The black golden doodle known as Professor Beauregard Tirebiter — you can call him “Beau” — has office hours at the student health center.
The Washington Post
Will voters punish embattled lawmaker Duncan Hunter in November?
New research from USC’s Abby Wood and a colleague indicates that campaign finance violations do shape voters’ views of an elected official’s character.
USA Today
New Oscar category for best popular film marks a long overdue change
USC Marshall’s Gene Del Vecchio notes the best picture Oscar has evolved: From the ’40s into the ’70s, the award went to a top 10 box office blockbuster nine out of 10 times. But since 2004, no top 10 box office film won best picture.
ScienceDaily
A milestone for forecasting earthquake hazards
A team including USC researchers has simulated nearly 500,000 years of California earthquakes. It’s a leap forward for everything from setting insurance rates to developing building design standards.
Air Force security forces specialist recalls her path to military social work
Aimee Bravo discusses her time in the military and her vision for curbing substance use among service members by increasing access to mental health resources on military bases.
New chief of professionalism and ethics wants to instill culture of fairness, integrity
Michael Blanton will oversee a new office dedicated to handling complaints and sensitive investigations across the university.
Celebrate Constitution Day 2018 with USC
Congress designates Sept. 17 as a day to recognize the value and history of the guiding document.
Top USC teachers reveal ways to inspire students
Two of the university’s most popular professors embrace a tough-but-fair approach in the classroom.
L.A. sixth-graders start their path to college on a red carpet at USC
The USC McMorrow Neighborhood Academic Initiative’s newest participants take the first steps on their demanding seven-year trek toward higher education.
USC Stem Cell scientist D’Juan Farmer earns prized fellowship
He is awarded Howard Hughes Medical Institute fellowship supporting researchers from underrepresented groups in life sciences.
Keck Hospital of USC helps a widower heal during his darkest days
An occupational therapist goes above and beyond, providing the urgent care and daily encouragement that lifts her patient over a long recovery.
Promoting equity in graduate-level STEM education, with USC leading the way
USC Rossier joins new network focused on issues that hinder the success of underrepresented students in science, tech, engineering and math.
Suicide among men — and the myth of impulsive acts
USC social worker talks about the cultural stigma that may be tied to a higher suicide rate among males, offering techniques for helping at-risk individuals.
USC, Mexican business school create international lecture series
Signature event will alternate between Los Angeles and Mexico City.
USC ranks No. 17 nationally in Wall Street Journal/Times Higher Education survey
The university posted especially strong scores for engagement, which measures student interaction with faculty, and environment, a measure of diversity and inclusion.
The U.S. energy system uses a lot of water — but exactly how much?
Two researchers crunch the numbers to determine the enormous amount of H2O withdrawn from the environment.
USC students devise creative ways to revitalize New Orleans
Trojans propose turning an abandoned building into a hotel, among other economic developments that could help generate $6.1 million over five years.
Josh Gad (Olaf from Frozen) inspires drama students with tales of career missteps
Actor shares stories with students, faculty and Dean David Bridel at first USC School of Dramatic Arts Spotlight@SDA event of the year.
USC Annenberg dean has advice for aspiring journalists: Get used to change
Willow Bay notes that the shifting media landscape means journalists — and USC’s communications school — need to adapt and be flexible.
USC research could change robotic surgery in the future
Keck School of Medicine of USC researchers look to technology as they decode surgical skills and create a training journal.
Patient living with rheumatoid arthritis rebounds with help from therapy at USC
Sandra Robles learns to look beyond her diagnosis and gets a new outlook on life.
Breakthrough brain research could yield new treatments for depression
Findings may yield new therapies for depression and anxiety among millions of patients.
First-generation workshops help students settle into college life
USC is increasing resources for students in their family’s first generation to attend college, including support with academic planning and making social connections.
USC-China pacts aim to reduce poverty, boost research
Agreements will look at how local governments, private companies and universities can bring about tech improvements.
Improving the health of L.A. County’s rural Latinos
By teaming with community health workers, the 16-week study ¡Vivir Mi Vida! connects underserved with lifestyle-based occupational therapy.
Osteoarthritis research effort works to understand cartilage development
USC stem cell researchers and others outline a potential way to repair joint cartilage.
Nanoparticle developed at USC could be key to addressing kidney disease
Tiny particle engineered by researchers at two schools could change millions of lives.
Scientists develop new way to identify breast cancer tumors
Potentially lifesaving breakthrough for women devised by USC-led research team takes big step forward from biopsies and microscopes.