June 02, 2023, Page Ivey
Steve Benjamin, former mayor of Columbia and two-time graduate of USC, is director of the Office of Public Engagement and a senior adviser to the president and the White House. Benjamin sat down with USC Today earlier this year to discuss the job and how his experiences as a political science major and law school student prepared him for his 12 years as Columbia mayor and for his new role in the White House.
May 22, 2023, Megan Sexton
At the University of South Carolina’s Aging Brain Cohort, researchers from across the university are exploring how people’s brain health changes as they get older.
May 17, 2023
Mani Sockalingam’s research supports the development of advanced composite material systems that could find application in the production of lightweight structures for the aerospace, automotive and defense sectors. He seeks to address fundamental scientific challenges at the intersection of materials-mechanics-manufacturing while mentoring students to conduct meaningful research.
May 17, 2023, Megan Sexton
Ashley Poston, who earned her English degree from USC, has published nine books across multiple genres. Her first adult novel, "The Dead Romantics," was a Good Morning America Book Club selection and a N.Y. Times bestseller. Her latest book, "The Seven Year Slip," will be published June 27.
May 05, 2023, Craig Brandhorst / Illustrations by Dré Lopez
Evolutionary biologist Tim Mousseau has been studying the ecological effects of radiation at Chernobyl for decades, even during wartime.
May 01, 2023, Hannah Cambre
For many, reaching the age of 65 means slowing down and enjoying retirement. Aliza Burton, an English major at the University of South Carolina, has chosen a less traditional path.
April 27, 2023, Craig Brandhorst
Poet Ray McManus won a 2023 Governor’s Award for the Arts, but the USC Sumter English professor’s impact stretches beyond the page.
April 21, 2023, Hannah Cambre
The Center for Integrative and Experiential Learning is celebrating the Graduation with Leadership Distinction Program's tenth anniversary. Take a look at some of the earliest graduates with leadership distinction.
April 19, 2023
Ralf Gothe is part of a group of scientists exploring quantum chromodynamics at the Thomas Jefferson National Accelerator Facility in Virginia. His work focuses specifically on the strong interaction between quarks and gluons, two elementary particles essential to quantum field theory.
April 19, 2023, Laura Kammerer
William C. Hubbard, dean of the School of Law, has been elected to the American Academy of Arts and Sciences which is a prestigious fellowship of scholars and leaders. Distinguished members include Benjamin Franklin and Colin Powell, and current members include more than 250 Nobel and Pulitzer Prize winners.
April 18, 2023, Jeff Stensland
David Beasley, former South Carolina governor, head of the United Nations World Food Program and 2020 Nobel Peace Prize winner, visited the University of South Carolina campus on April 18 to speak with a group of students about the challenges and opportunities in combating hunger around the globe.
April 02, 2023, Erin Newman
To help you prepare for fall registration on the horizon, we have put together a list of 12 off-the-beaten-path classes to consider to fill that last elective gap.
March 31, 2023, Megan Sexton / Photos by Kim Truett
Blue Sky begins a conversation about his six-decade career as an artist this way: “I should have been an engineer.” He swears he’s not joking. But think what Columbia would have lost if Blue Sky had not filled the public arena with color and whimsy and boldness and giant pieces of art that have become Capital City landmarks.
March 24, 2023, Rose Cisneros
McCausland Fellow Besim Dragovic has a favorite mineral —it’s garnet, of course. Garnet is a mineral that carries a wealth of information about unique locations on Earth and their history as well as element-containing rocks hold several possibilities for sustainability.
March 22, 2023
Cultural anthropologist Monica Barra studies how racial inequalities are shaped by scientific practices, racial histories and climate change in the U.S. South.
March 21, 2023, Grace Farrar
Assistant professor of sociology Jaclyn Wong's book "Equal Partners?" dives into relationship inequality within dual-professional couples.
March 15, 2023, Alexis Watts
The Columbia-Richland Fire Department is now equipped with unexpected tools to battle blazes: maps, graphs and statistics. A University of South Carolina geography graduate lead the way in bringing these tools that calculate and cut off many fire risks before they even occur.
March 14, 2023, Rebekah Friedman
As a tribute to the Black alumnae featured in the student-produced documentary The Backbone, USC’s Office of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion installed 18 personalized bricks on the Horseshoe. The honorees' stories span seven decades of university history.
March 08, 2023, Michaela Taylor
Poetry has been ingrained in Jennifer Bartell Boykin’s life since she was young, and it’s followed her through adventures as a student, journalist, teacher, advisor and more. Now, it’s empowering her as Columbia’s new poet laureate.
March 03, 2023, Hannah Cambre
Jahleel Johnson gains confidence and insight as part of a prestigious youth exchange program between the U.S. State Department and the German congress.
February 27, 2023, Dan Cook
Former Columbia mayor Steve Benjamin, a two-time alumnus of the University of South Carolina, has been named as a senior advisor to the White House and director of the Office of Public Engagement.
February 22, 2023, Carol J.G. Ward
As a respected scholar of Southern history and African American culture, Bobby Donaldson has served as a consultant for museum exhibitions, archival collections, oral history initiatives, documentary films and historic preservation projects. He also has been recognized for his teaching and community outreach. He credits his parents and educators — from his elementary school librarian to a “drill sergeant” professor at Wesleyan University to his mentors and colleagues at USC — for inspiring his career.
February 14, 2023
The University of South Carolina is focused on the brain. From autism and aphasia to Alzheimer’s and other related dementias, university researchers are working across several academic disciplines to better understand how the brain works and to develop solutions that will improve people’s health.
February 13, 2023, Carol J.G. Ward
The University of South Carolina’s Moving Image Research Collections in a partnership with the History Division of the Marine Corps is digitizing films shot by more than 50 Marine combat cameramen during the Battle of Iwo Jima, which began Feb. 19, 1945. The goal is to provide public access to the video and expand historical understanding.
February 07, 2023, Ian T. Adams
Assistant professor of criminology and criminal justice Ian T. Adams and others write for The Conversation on staffing issues on the Memphis police force.
February 07, 2023, Rebecca Janzen
Associate professor of Spanish and comparative literature Rebecca Janzen writes for The Conversation on persistent crime trends in Mexico despite criminal justice reform.
February 06, 2023, Ian T. Adams and Seth W. Stoughton
Assistant professor of criminology and criminal justice Ian T. Adams and professor of law Seth W. Stoughton write for The Conversation on the issues surrounding specialized police units.
February 03, 2023, Alexis Watts, Grace Farrar
With only a few short months until summer, it’s time for parents to find summer activities for their children. USC offers a wide variety of summer camps for all interests from music to soccer and dance to engineering.
January 30, 2023, Megan Sexton
Hope Rivers, a first-generation college student who earned three degrees from USC, is inspiring a new generation of students as the president of Piedmont Technical College.
January 27, 2023, Craig Brandhorst
Physics Professor Timir Datta was recently named a 2022 American Academy of Arts and Sciences Fellow for his research on “high-temperature” superconductors. But it’s the puzzling nature of electromagnetism that has pulled at his imagination for the last half a century.
January 24, 2023, Grace Farrar
International business graduate students took part in an immersive experience from the university’s Rule of Law Collaborative, a whodunnit game designed to help in federal anti-corruption training efforts.
January 18, 2023, Craig Brandhorst
First Lady Ero Aggelopoulou-Amiridis holds two graduate degrees from USC — a master’s in art history and a Ph.D. in philosophy. Her intellectual curiosity is how she makes sense of the world.
January 17, 2023, Rebekah Friedman
Indigo is tightly woven into South Carolina history, but few have worked with the rich natural dye since it fell out of favor nearly 150 years ago. Alumna Caroline Harper is bringing it back.
January 13, 2023, Craig Brandhorst
English professor and heirloom foodways expert David Shields introduces us to South Carolina seed saver Carold Wicker, whose Newberry County freezer chest is the stuff of legend among farmers, gardeners and heirloom produce detectives like Shields.
January 12, 2023, Megan Sexton
From policy-making surrounding cleaner energy technologies to researching better ways to make and store electricity to studying advanced nuclear materials for interplanetary space travel, University of South Carolina researchers are advancing the transition to a changing energy landscape.
January 10, 2023, Chris Horn
Amy Taylor-Perry discovered her knack for teaching while earning a Ph.D. in chemistry at UofSC. The university recognized Taylor-Perry’s teaching prowess and recruited her immediately.
January 09, 2023, Page Ivey
Four faculty members and a student have been recognized for their work on campus and in the larger community with 2023 Social Justice Awards. The University of South Carolina created the Social Justice Awards to recognize individuals who have exemplified the philosophies of the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. through acts of community service, social justice or racial reconciliation.
January 09, 2023, Barry Markovsky
Distinguished Professor Emeritus of sociology Barry Markovsky writes for The Conversation about the superstition around the number 13.
January 04, 2023, Rose Cisneros
Archaeologists with the South Carolina Institute of Archaeology and Anthropology at USC have studied the Camden Battlefield for decades, but their most recent finding is the discovery of a lifetime.
January 03, 2023, Page Ivey
Sheryl Wiskur knows how hard organic chemistry is. She has been teaching at the University of South Carolina for 15 years. But more importantly, she struggled with it herself as an undergraduate.
January 03, 2023, Rebekah Friedman
Art professor Sara Schneckloth found herself in uncharted territory when COVID-19 abruptly shut down in-person instruction and she faced the challgenge of connecting with students over the internet instead of in a studio classroom. But she put technology to work to help students in her drawing graduate seminar mimic the classroom experience and create "a network of satellite studios."
December 15, 2022, Craig Brandhorst
Whenever possible, Andy Schumpert likes to start the workday with a loop around the Horseshoe. Strolling the historic campus grounds gives the biological sciences instructor and lab coordinator time to reflect. What’s he doing right? What could he do better?
December 14, 2022, Communications and Marketing
Did campus feel just a little bit livelier this year? A touch more spirited? A tad more optimistic? We thought so, too — and not only because we named a new president back in January. Yeah, that was one heck of a way to ring in the new year, and it set the tone for the months ahead, but in the end, 2022 was about all of us, from the President’s House to Russell House, from Colonial Life to Williams-Brice. It was about respecting tradition, rediscovering our identity, remembering our past and reimagining our future. In 2022, the University of South Carolina reminded us all what it means to be USC.
December 14, 2022, Rebekah Friedman
Garnet Apple award-winning professor Morgan Stefik uses an advertising trick — the memorable jingle — to help his students remember complex chemistry formulas.
December 13, 2022, Jeff Stensland
The University of South Carolina will launch a first of its kind interdisciplinary certificate program in Digital Studies, giving students the opportunity to gain in-demand digital skills that prepare them for careers in every field.
December 07, 2022, Megan Sexton
Charlotte Grover has known since she was in high school that she wanted to pursue a career as a counselor or therapist. She will graduate this month with a degree in psychology and plans to attend graduate school to earn her master’s in social work.
December 06, 2022, Page Ivey
Cory Schnell has always wanted to be a teacher, but he says his favorite part about teaching is just guiding his students through conversations that help them understand concepts of criminology and the criminal justice system.
December 02, 2022, Chris Horn
Maggie Kemp grew up a five-minute drive from windswept Assateague Island National Seashore on the Maryland coast, and that locale inspired her undergraduate research pursuits and plans for graduate school at USC.
November 16, 2022, Craig Brandhorst
Longtime University of South Carolina geography professor Kirstin Dow has devoted much of her career to understanding climate impact, vulnerability and adaptation. In other words, she recognizes the problems posed by our warming planet and is determined to help mitigate them, most recently by mapping heat islands so that urban planners can make better decisions about where to plant trees, generate more shade or support investment in affordable renewable energy and energy efficiency.
November 14, 2022, Laura Erskine
Nicole Maskiell is an associate professor of history and affiliate faculty in African American studies at the University of South Carolina. Her book, “Bound by Bondage: Slavery and the Creation of a Northern Gentry” (2022 Cornell University Press), examines the institution of slavery in the early American Colonies and how it created lasting ties between families of the elite classes, even across cultural lines, as well as ties among the enslaved people.
November 09, 2022, Chris Horn
Students get more than an education in political geography in Meredith DeBoom’s courses. They become better informed and more articulate citizens of the world.
November 04, 2022, Megan Sexton
There is no typical first-generation college student. Some come from immigrant families, some from households where family members didn’t graduate from high school. But all add energy and variety to the University of South Carolina campus.
October 26, 2022, Rebekah Friedman
Mathematics professor Matthew Ballard has developed a teaching style that promotes student effort over innate abilities. His goal is to usher more students through the funnel of introductory STEM classes.
October 26, 2022, Alexis Watts
This year marks the 200-year anniversary of the massive 1822 storm that hit Horry and Georgetown Counties. Cary Mock, professor of geography and a climatologist, says the storm transformed future development in the lowcountry. It also marked the first sighting of a legendary ghost.
October 26, 2022, Laura Erskine
Gwen Hopper’s research takes her to rivers, drainages and stormwater ponds throughout Horry and Georgetown Counties. She collects water samples to examine the amounts and types of dissolved organic matter in each system.
October 25, 2022, Madeline Steiner
Postdoctoral fellow of history Madeline Steiner writes for The Conversation on the origins of the modern creepy clown.
October 20, 2022, Abe Danaher
The Boeing Co. has provided the University of South Carolina with a $1.5 million gift to establish the James E. and Emily E. Clyburn Endowed Chair of Public Service and Civic Engagement Fund. This endowed chair, awarded to associate professor Bobby Donaldson, will allow the university’s Center for Civil Rights History and Research to further its programming and outreach initiatives within the university community and across the state.
October 20, 2022, Megan Sexton
Researchers from across the University of South Carolina are working together to find answers to the many pieces of the autism puzzle. A new center takes a multidisciplinary approach to better understand neuro-developmental disorders.
October 20, 2022, Franklin G. Berger
A recently published study in a high-profile medical journal appeared to call into question the efficacy of colonoscopy, a proven and widely utilized strategy for the screening and prevention of colorectal cancer. Distinguished professor emeritus of biological sciences Franklin G. Berger writes for The Conversation about the utility and need for colonoscopies.
October 19, 2022, Aïda Rogers
Honors college and Marine Sciences alumna Ana Bishop’s senior thesis and passion for protecting marine ecosystems grew into a two-year project and a mission to save endangered whales.
October 18, 2022, Megan Sexton
Claire Jiménez is a new assistant professor of English language and literature and African American Studies at the University of South Carolina. Her debut novel will be published this spring by Grand Central Publishing.
October 04, 2022, Megan Sexton
Tammi Richardson, a marine biologist who studies phytoplankton, received the university’s top teaching award the Michael J. Mungo Distinguished Professor of the Year for 2022.
October 04, 2022, Matthew Wilson
When someone mentions a “banana republic,” they’re referring to a small, poor, politically unstable country that is weak because of an excessive reliance on one crop and foreign funding. Associate professor of political science Matthew Wilson writes for The Conversation about the use of the term over time.
September 28, 2022, Alexis Watts
Under a five-year agreement with the National Park Service, the center will receive $3.4 million to expand the center’s existing work in civil rights education and scholarly research, including support for exhibits and programming at South Carolina sites in the African American Civil Rights Network. The center will help to grow the network in South Carolina by serving as a resource to property owners, community leaders and organizations interested in joining the network.
September 28, 2022, Megan Sexton
Meena Khalili’s work spans multiple mediums — including print design, animation, pen-and-ink illustration, moving images and augmented reality. As an associate professor who teaches design and interaction in the School of Visual Art and Design, she uses many technologies and devices to create art.
September 19, 2022, Northrop Davis
Media arts professor Northrop Davis writes for The Conversation about Hayao Miyazaki’s animated feature “Spirited Away,” which premiered in the U.S. 20 years ago.
September 09, 2022, Cecilia Dore
Rebecca Rebl shares the inspiration behind the "Biased" book cover and the challenges she experienced in the process.
September 08, 2022, Jeff Stensland
University of South Carolina faculty members in the liberal arts, humanities and social sciences can now apply for a new grants program that will provide up to $25,000 for scholarship and creative work in the arts.
September 01, 2022, Laura Erskine
On Aug. 1, Jack Sadle became the first University of South Carolina student to graduate with a Bachelor of Science in Cyber Intelligence — a field where issues of cyber and national security meet.
August 10, 2022, Sharon DeWitte
There is a common misperception that long life spans in humans are very recent, and that no one in the past lived much beyond their 30s before now. This is not true. There is physical evidence that plenty of people in the past lived long lives — just as long as some people do today. Anthropology professor Sharon DeWitte writes for The Conversation on the evidence that proves old age isn't a modern phenomenon.
July 21, 2022, Megan Sexton
Katelyn Stauffer, an assistant professor of political science, studies how gender shapes American political behavior and what it means to have women in positions of power. It’s a topic of particular interest in today’s political climate. And it’s a field she came to almost by accident.
July 12, 2022, Megan Sexton
As a psychology professor and co-director of the university’s McCausland Center for Brain Imaging, Chris Rorden has made his mark with the open-source software he has developed to assist in brain visualization, image processing and statistics.
June 22, 2022, Alyssa Collins
In an interview for The Conversation, Alyssa Collins, assistant professor of English Language and Literature, explains how science fiction author Octavia Butler’s boundless curiosity inspired her work and how Butler’s experiences as a Black woman drew her to “humans who must deal with the edges or ends of humanity.”
May 24, 2022, Stanley Dubinsky, Anyssa Murphy, Harvey Starr, Michael Gavin
There are many instances around the world of people who speak different languages living alongside each other, or those living near an international border to speak the language of the neighboring country. College of Arts and Science faculty write for The Conversation on conflicts over language and how it is used as a tool of politics and power.
May 24, 2022, Craig Brandhorst
Ed Madden is well known on the University of South Carolina campus as the director of the Women’s and Gender Studies program and as a dynamic classroom instructor. He is just as well-known as a creative writer and arts advocate in Columbia, South Carolina, where he is wrapping up his term as the capital city’s inaugural poet laureate.
May 05, 2022, Craig Brandhorst
Kev Roche has turned his artistic talent and quick wit into a lucrative "hustle" drawing illustrations for ESPN's Sunday Night Baseball. The 2005 studio art major also has illustrated a book by two former Gamecock football players as well as given UofSC's beloved mascot Cocky a cartoon makeover.
May 03, 2022, Erica Tobolski
As Gilbert Gottfried developed his comic persona, his distinctive voice made its way into his performances in stand-up comedy, advertising, television and film. However, his voice did not naturally sound this way. He figured out how to create a character that perfectly synched a personality with a voice. Theatre and dance professor Erica Tobolski writes for The Conversation on developing a character voice.
May 02, 2022, Chris Horn
President-elect Michael Amiridis isn’t the only Gamecock returning to the roost this summer. His wife, Ero Aggelopoulou-Amiridis, has just as deep a Carolina connection. In addition to her bachelor’s degree in math from the University of Wisconsin-Madison, the university’s new first lady holds two advanced degrees from USC — a master’s in art history, ’97, and a Ph.D. in philosophy, ’12.
April 27, 2022, Page Ivey
Spanish and comparative literature professor Rebecca Janzen has checked all the North America boxes: She is from Canada, works in the U.S. and her field of study is Mexican literature and culture. And, nine years removed from her Ph.D., she has published four books that all look at some aspect of Mexican culture or government and certain populations inside the country.
April 25, 2022, Craig Brandhorst
A lot happens over the course of an academic year, and there’s absolutely no way to highlight everything. So, no, don’t think of this as a Best Of list. This is merely a smattering of the achievements and memorable moments that defined 2021-22, a small taste of the year that was. Trust us, there’s plenty more where this came from — and plenty more to come.
April 25, 2022, Carol J.G. Ward
Alumna Lorri Unumb's journey to becoming an advocate for families affected by autism began when she and her husband Dan noticed their son Ryan wasn’t behaving and developing like other children. Ryan was diagnosed with autism shortly before his second birthday. Today, Unumb is internationally known for her advocacy.
April 25, 2022, Abe Danaher
Since the early 1990s, Twiss has been at the forefront of the molecular neurobiology field. His excellence across research, teaching and mentorship has now led to him being named the 2022 SEC Faculty Achievement Award recipient for the University of South Carolina.
April 21, 2022, Communications and Marketing
Geography major Claire Windsor has turned a passion for creating a sustainable world into action throughout her four-year career at South Carolina. The Travelers Rest, South Carolina, native and Honors College student received the university's top leadership award, the 2022 Algernon Sydney Sullivan Award.
April 12, 2022, Megan Sexton
Alumna Kelly Adams, managing director of state government and regulatory affairs for the energy infrastructure company Williams, was instrumental in her employer’s gift of $1.5 million to the university's Center for Civil Rights History and Research.
April 12, 2022, Allen Wallace
On April 9, nearly 2,000 University of South Carolina students spent the day dancing together, closing more than a year of work with a huge success as they raised $931,016 to support the Child Life program at Prisma Health Children's Hospital.
April 06, 2022, Chris Horn
Ninety-seven percent of climate scientists agree that Earth’s rising temperatures and related phenomena — more frequent and severe drought, flooding and wildfires — are a result of human-caused climate change. Scientists who earned their Ph.D.s from South Carolina are applying their expertise to help corporations adopt more eco-friendly approaches to doing business and developing more equitable policies for coastal land use.
April 05, 2022, Elinore Armstrong
Jane Armstrong’s experience in creating art pieces for the Type Hike exhibition at Thomas Cooper Library fuels her passion for graphic design and illustration.
April 05, 2022, Carol J.G. Ward
UofSC junior combines curiosity about the 1970s, a love of history and an interest in culture and media into an undergraduate research project to assist history professor Lauren Sklaroff with research for a book proposal on 1970s popular culture.
March 31, 2022, Rose Cisneros
Film and media studies alumnus Herman Phillips talks about his work on award-winning productions and co-developing a revolutionary production management app.
March 31, 2022, Savannah Bennett
Photography students focus on University Libraries' collections to create a gallery for a blank canvas.
March 29, 2022, Megan Sexton
Art education professor Olga Ivashkevich oversees workshops for adolescent girls in the Juvenile Arbitration Program of Lexington County, using art to help keep them out of the formal criminal justice system.
March 28, 2022, Abbey Smith
For two University of South Carolina students, earning a Goldwater Scholarship has turned childhood dreams into reality. Kirsten Fisher and Amanda Manea also have the honor of marking 30 years of Goldwater Scholars at UofSC.
March 22, 2022, Chris Horn
Scientists who earned their Ph.D.s from South Carolina are looking at how changing weather patterns can help predict alternative energy production and how wildfires spawned by these climate changes are affecting plant ecosystems.
March 14, 2022, Chris Horn
Three scientists who earned their graduate degrees from South Carolina are studying how climate change — particularly sea level rise, drought and flooding — affect the state’s coastal resources.
March 09, 2022, Chris Horn
Global warming is increasing the saltiness and temperature of the oceans, which adversely affect coral reefs and could worsen other aspects of marine ecosystems. Two scientists who earned their Ph.D.s from the University of South Carolina are gathering data on marine problems linked to climate change.
March 08, 2022, Rose Cisneros
As a forensic scientist and president of an international science academy, Carl McClary uses creativity in the way he approaches his scientific work.
March 04, 2022
The University of South Carolina has a number of faculty members who are available to offer their expertise on environmental protection, climate action, biodiversity and conservation.
March 04, 2022, Timothy Mousseau
Timothy Mousseau, biological sciences professor, writes for The Conversation on the impacts and possible outcomes of the war in Ukraine on the Chernobyl nuclear disaster site.
February 28, 2022, Chris Horn
A new water sampling aerial drone developed by University of South Carolina professors has six motors, four pumps, two batteries, one six-foot-long collection hose and a zero-carbon footprint. But this proof-of-concept machine could become even more impressive if the team is able to secure NSF funding for a new level of capability.
February 23, 2022, Megan Sexton
The African American Studies program celebrates 50 years of commitment to sharing a deeper understanding of the Black experience.