USC chemists create greener research labs
Professors are implementing sustainable processes and using equipment that generates less heat — and that’s just the start.
Liquid magic: Scientists reveal why water is one of the most remarkable substances in the universe
We can’t live without water, of course. But the H20 molecule itself is quite remarkable. Find out why.
Alums’ 3D imaging software could help scientists beat COVID-19 from home
USC grads Kyle McClary and John Paul Francis are bringing imaging technology out of the lab and onto researchers’ laptops and cellphones.
USC-educated CEO aims to revolutionize the future of cool
A chemist by training and an entrepreneur by trade, Tony Atti has transformed a discarded 200-year-old invention into cutting-edge technology that could change the cooling world.
A doctoral student’s suggested experiment may rewrite chemistry textbooks
Professor Stephen Bradforth took a chance on Ryan McMullen’s expensive and potentially dangerous student proposal. It’s led to a new understanding of what defines a metal — and the cover of Science magazine.
Scientists discover how a protein that calms brain activity works
The findings from USC researchers provide a clear path to uncovering new drugs to control addiction, pain and neurological disorders such as epilepsy and muscle spasticity.
New flow battery could help unleash renewable energy
USC scientists may have solved the storage problem that has long slowed the spread of renewables.
USC Dornsife PhD graduate feels a responsibility to others
Deeply affected as a child by the Rwandan genocide, Robert Nshimiyimana volunteers to help the underserved, works to make compounds that may reduce harmful inflammation — and hopes one day to help his home nation reach its full, unified potential.
Pioneering USC chemist named to prestigious engineering academy
USC Dornsife’s Mark Thompson, a leader in organic LED displays and photovoltaic technologies, has been elected by his peers to the National Academy of Engineering.
Polluted river sparks first-gen student’s dreams of environmental change
Juan Pablo de los Rios grew up on both the Mexican and American sides of the Rio Grande, which became a dumping ground for toxic waste. As a chemistry grad student at USC Dornsife, he hopes to one day clean that river and others like it.
Creating a better plastic bottle — and a more supportive environment for female scientists
Megan Fieser of USC Dornsife wants to solve the world’s plastic pollution problem while also making it easier to be a woman in science.
New nanotechnology will make it easier to detect blocked arteries
USC Viterbi researchers have discovered how to pinpoint arteries that are partially blocked by symptomless, rupture-prone plaque.
Brush with cancer inspires chemist as a researcher and a communicator
After being diagnosed with treatable lymphoma, USC Dornsife’s Michael Inkpen adopted a new philosophy on life: don’t get hung up on the small things.
How Trash Turns into Treasure in Labs at USC
Waste salvaged from dumpsters and airplane graveyards finds a sustainable second life.
Four USC professors selected as fellows of renowned scientific society AAAS
The USC scientists join 36 other faculty members as fellows of the American Association for the Advancement of Science.
The Better Batteries That Will Power Your Phone — and a Green Future
As the world’s energy demands grow, batteries could be key to storing sustainable energy.
Arieh Warshel’s vision led to the future of biochemistry — and a Nobel Prize
The chemistry professor figured that the dawning computer revolution in the late ’60s and ’70s might push biochemistry beyond the limits of the lab. It led him on a trail to the Nobel Prize, awarded five years ago Monday.
From refugee to researcher, chemist Jahan Dawlaty is a catalyst in the lab and classroom
The scientist’s path to USC was paved with challenges, beginning with his childhood in Soviet-occupied Afghanistan.
How to help the environment: Turn cooking oil into renewable fuels
Chemistry startup founded at USC takes on two of the world’s biggest environmental challenges — greenhouse gases in the air and plastic waste in oceans.
Meet the Man Who Might Have the Key to Cost-Effective Solar Energy
A USC chemist looks to nanomaterials to help us unlock the power of the sun.
For this Los Angeles student, USC offered the path to a better life
Chemistry whiz Ryan Lopez wants to become the role model he never had growing up in South Los Angeles.
Low-cost science kits help African students conduct experiments
USC chemistry student joins an international team that supplies easily shipped equipment for lab work.
Tiny probe developed at USC detects cancer
USC team’s work could lead to noninvasive detection and treatment of the disease at the level of a single cell.
Climate change game-changer? USC scientists find more efficient way to convert methane into useful chemicals
The researchers have found a catalyst that converts methane to olefin, a compound made up of hydrogen and carbon, in a single step.