Solar panels atop Galen Center are a big step in USC’s move toward sustainability. (USC Photo/Gus Ruelas)
ASSIGNMENT EARTH
Little things can make a big difference — especially when they’re done on a grand scale. Check out these ways USC is working toward a sustainable tomorrow.
Emily Hsu finds that business and music are in harmony.
Doubling Up
Trojans embrace a Renaissance mindset, blending their creative and artistic passions with entrepreneurship, medicine and more.
Cuddly, expressive or functional, these bots aim to help their human keepers thrive. (Photos/Teri Weber)
Got bots?
USC researchers are testing next-generation droids that can clean, explore and play.
Century of Service
A campus cornerstone, the Trojan Knights mark 100 years of dedication to USC tradition and school spirit.
An individual's risk can be a combination of several things, and chemical pollution are high on that list. (Illustration/Jason Holley)
Alzheimers, TFM, air pollution
Research at USC is helping define the environment’s impact on the brain. Growing evidence links the long-term effects of dirty air to accelerated cognitive decline and dementia, and USC researchers hope to better understand environmental effects and gene-environment interactions on brain health.
School of Dramatic Arts alumnus and voice actor JP Karliak poses for a photograph outside USC’s Widney Alumni House, where he worked for several years after earning a bachelor's degree in theater from the School of Dramatic Arts at USC, May 4, 2022. (Photo/Gus Ruelas)
LGBTQ+ voice actor animation
Actor JP Karliak ’03 founded nonprofit Queer Vox to train LGBTQ+ voiceover actors and help them network and find mainstream roles in animation and video games.
2022 Alumni Awards winners pose with USC administrators: (Left to right) Associate Senior Vice President for Alumni Relations Patrick E. Auerbach, Beth Petak-Aaron, Adam Goldston, Alumni Awards Co-Chair Mary Tee, Ryan Goldston, Ramona Cappello, Mike Nyeholt, Alumni Awards Co-Chair Kevork Zoryan, President Carol Folt, Mary Bono, Jules Buenabenta, President, USC Alumni Association President John Iino. (Photo/Steve Cohn)
Alumni Awards
At the 88th annual Alumni Awards gala in April, the Trojan Family celebrated notable leaders who showcase the best of the Trojan spirit. The 2022 USC alumni awards recipients were recognized for bringing distinction to the university.
Commencement, life at USC
Four years ago, Nadia Filanovsky, Lauren Gilmour, Anthony Llamas, Neysa Sanghavi, Meg Schwartz and Leily Zhu were new Trojans. Now, these members of the Class of 2022 talk about how USC lived up to their expectations.
Niki Kawakami – "Us being here today, it’s a very reflective time. I used to share a lot of stories and I think that’s something that should be emphasized more, that connecting with your history, learning from the lessons and seeing how you can be better." (Photo/Damon Casarez)
Nisei, rock garden, Japanese American
USC rock garden, opened in April, creates a contemplative space for Trojan family of 1940s dental student Tadashi “Tad” Ochiai.
Cities are getting hotter, and that means dire consequences for our physical and mental well-being— more so for some. Trojan experts respond with community collaboration, climate curricula and cooling strategies.
Climate change
Cities are getting hotter, and that has dire consequences for our physical and mental well-being. The solutions? Community awareness and cooling strategies.
The Cicada synthesizer vibrates in the same way that insects produce a loud and recognizable sound in the wild. (Photo/Federico Chiesa)
Music, Innovation
Some people have a flair for playing instruments. Ho-Chun “Herbert” Chang PhD ’23 has a knack for inventing them. A trained violinist and scientist, Chang wanted to bring an “acoustic sound and feeling to electronic music.” So he created an electronic instrument that did just that: the Cicada synthesizer.
An online anthology showcases student work from a USC comics design course. (Illustrations/Isabella Melendez and Knox Lopez)
Comic Relief
USC art students pen graphic stories during their pandemic time apart that capture adventures in ancient Rome, futuristic robots and more.
Science denial isn't new - but we may have new ways to tackle it. (Photo/© M. Cody Pickens Photography)
What to do About Science Denial
Professor Gale Sinatra, an expert on climate science education, explains the divide between belief and doubt and answers the question: Is it possible for us to come together on science education?
With the help of USC law students, a woman wins a 16-year case to remain in the U.S. (Illustration/iStock/SiberianArt)
A Wait Rewarded
Pro bono teaching clinics like the USC Immigration Clinic are a lifeline for people without resources to navigate America’s complex legal system; it also gives USC Gould students real-world experience working with clients who have undergone trauma.
Muralist Paul Botello’s imagery aims to increase vaccination rates among Latinos as part of the “Stay Connected Los Angeles” public health campaign supported by USC. (Illustration/Paul Botello)
An Equal Shot
When COVID-19 hit Southern California, Keck Medicine of USC mobilized to protect the hardest-hit, highest-risk communities.
At Keck Medicine of USC, keeping both organ transplant recipients and their donors healthy is all part of the plan. (Illustration/Simone Noronha)
Medical innovation
The shortage of organs for transplants is an issue for patients. Living donors are one key. Another: Helping them get healthier to ensure successful outcomes for the donor and the patient.
Trojans filled trash bags with cans, bottles, face masks, cigarette butts and more during a USC Alumni Day of SCervice event. (Photo/Michael Owen Baker)
Pitching In
Volunteers clean up a Santa Monica beach in one of scores of service projects worldwide.
USC School of Architecture alumna Ida Clair is the first woman to serve as California's state architect. (Photo/Courtesy of Ida Clair)
A Blueprint for Change
As California state architect, Ida Clair ’87 helps set the standard for building sustainability, accessibility and safety.
Mark Cunningham feels right at home with robotic surgical devices, less invasive procedures and new high-tech medical tools. (Photo/Richard Carrasco III)
Change of Heart
An engineer-turned-surgeon advances next-generation tools.
Many companies seek cheaper manufacturers, even if they are thousands of miles away from end users. (Illustration/Raymond Biesinger)
Supply and Demand
COVID-19 revealed the fragility of our complex supply chain logistics. Expert Nick Vyas believes we can make it strong, sustainable and pandemic proof.
A retinal prosthesis for people with vision loss is only one example of the groundbreaking bionics research happening at USC. (Illustration/Mike McQuade)
Body Builders
Electronic eyes, robotic arms and exoskeletons? USC experts meld man (and woman) with machine.
The changing climate’s effect on caribou comes to life in a unique student-led project. (Photo/Courtesy of Robert Hernandez)
Reality Check
Think caribou in the arctic tundra have nothing to do with you? USC students use immersive technology to explain their urgent message for us all.
USC alums David Meniane and Lev Peker turned CarParts.com from financially troubled to wildly successful. (Photo/Courtesy of CarParts.com)
Up to Speed
USC alums put a once-struggling automotive parts company on the fast track. Here’s how they made it work.
Century of Service
A campus cornerstone, the Trojan Knights mark 100 years of dedication to USC tradition and school spirit.
Can virtual reality and interactive media help us find common ground and embrace healthy behaviors? (Painting/Sally Deng)
Walk in my Shoes
Meet the digital creators who are using tech to make us feel a little more human.
(Photo/Ed Carreon)
Chill Out
The Trojan Family shares favorite hidden gems and secret study nooks on the University Park Campus.
(Photo/iStock)
Setting a New Bar
Two longtime friends pair up to create a scholarship for future lawyers following their dreams at the USC Gould School of Law.
Taylor Donsker draws on his architecture background to design furniture inspired by nature. (Photo by Jack Strutz)
Against the Grain
An architect-turned-woodworker draws inspiration from the natural world.
(Photo/Steve Cohn)
Alumni Aces
The university honors outstanding Trojans at the 87th USC Alumni Awards ceremony.
The USC Arts in Action program helps students flex their creative skills to advance inclusivity. (Illustration/Antonio Rodriguez)
Arts in Action
USC students use podcasts, performances and workshops to open public platforms for kids and adults.
(Illustrations/Josh Cochran)
Marvelous Machines
USC scientists use smart machines to treat and cure disease, build safer cars and much more.
Cuddly, expressive or functional, these bots aim to help their human keepers thrive. (Photos/Teri Weber)
Got bots?
USC researchers are testing next-generation droids that can clean, explore and play.
USC's free community programs put Los Angeles students and residents on the path to health care careers.
Field Guide
USC offers workforce development programs to help kids, teens and adults find their future in the medical industry.
From left: USC alumni Angelo Reyes, Manuel Carmona, Kellee O'Rourke, Matthew Feaster and Adrienne Kung helped Pasadena achieve one of the highest COVID-19 vaccination rates in the state.
Their Best Shot
Five Trojan public health experts share their personal stories about facing down a global health crisis.
Rev. Najuma Smith-Pollard, founding pastor of the Word of Encouragement Community Church in Los Angeles, has seen Black churches drive social change in the city.
Acts of Faith
Pastors advocate for their people from the pulpit and on the streets — and training at USC gives them the tools to take their work further.
In this picture taken on Dec. 17, 1941, USC students volunteered to support the war effort 10 days after the attack on Pearl Harbor. (Photo/Courtesy of USC University Archives)
A Call to Duty
Nearly every corner of campus life transformed as students joined the war effort at home and abroad.
Mike Washington fell into a mental health crisis after the loss of his son, Michael T. Washington, who died in combat at the age of 20. (Photo/ Erika Schultz/The Seattle Times)
Call of Duty
Burdened by tragedy and pain, USC alumnus Michael Washington almost gave up on life. Now he helps other first responders find hope and healing.
Bar Exam
COVID-19 got people drinking — a lot. USC experts are looking for solutions to the long-term effects of alcohol and their harmful impact.
Emily Hsu finds that business and music are in harmony.
Doubling Up
Trojans embrace a Renaissance mindset, blending their creative and artistic passions with entrepreneurship, medicine and more.
Solar panels atop Galen Center are a big step in USC’s move toward sustainability. (USC Photo/Gus Ruelas)
ASSIGNMENT EARTH
Little things can make a big difference — especially when they’re done on a grand scale. Check out these ways USC is working toward a sustainable tomorrow.
A century of service: The Helenes have a proud history of volunteering their time for the betterment of the university and the community.
UNBROKEN BONDS
The group supports all manner of initiatives that improve life on campus and off, but its members also benefit, often establishing lifelong friendships that continue long after they have graduated.
In a Landscape concerts have taken place largely in Oregon and the West, but Noack hopes to expand his geographic boundaries. “I get so excited and want to go everywhere,” he says. (Photo/ Ed Schmidt)
MOVING TO A DIFFERENT BEAT
USC alum and classical pianist Hunter Noack performs BYOS—bring your own Steinway—concerts at some of the most stunning outdoor sites in the U.S. The results? Pure magic.
The FAME Church of Los Angeles and the Cecil Murray Center for Community Engagement at the USC Center for Religion and Civic Culture contributed VHS recordings of sermons by Rev. Cecil “Chip” Murray capturing pivotal moments in U.S. life, including the acquittal of police officers who beat Rodney King. (Photo/Courtesy of USC University Archives)
A MORE INCLUSIVE HISTORY
More than 15,000 documents that chronicle the lives of underrepresented communities in L.A. The materials are available to the public through several websites, including the USC Digital Libraries.
Untitled (2021) by Listy Gao ’25 portrays her concern over the dismal state of today’s oceans: overfishing, microplastics and waste pollution. The large-scale tuna is composed of recyclable, unrecyclable, and combustible materials: paper, cardboard, and plastics. (Photo courtesy of Listy Gao)
SUSTAINABILILTY
Students from USC Roski School of Art and Design use their creative talents to reflect on nature, how it has endured, how it struggles, and most important, how humankind has used—and misused—it.