The University of Southern California

Trojans find family link — and Underground Railroad connection USC student, longtime employee are descendants of trailblazing abolitionist.

History, rediscovered. USC Trojans uncover an ancestral link to Underground Railroad leader Mary Ann Shadd Cary — bringing a powerful legacy to light.

USC Venture & Innovation Summit: L.A.’s place in startup world More than 450 people attended daylong USC Venture & Innovation Summit.

Is L.A. ready to lead the startup world? Founders and scholars tackled that question at USC’s Venture & Innovation Summit.

Two USC Viterbi professors elected to engineering academy Shrikanth Narayanan and Amy Childress are honored.

USC @viterbischool.usc.edu professors Shrikanth Narayanan and Amy Childress were elected to National Academy of Engineering—one of the highest professional distinctions an engineer can receive!

National Girls and Women in Sports Day: Leaders, athletes gather at USC Trojans are inspired as women in professional sports share their stories of success.

Industry leaders and elite athletes shared stories and insights at USC’s National Girls & Women in Sports Day, offering inspiration and real-world advice to student attendees. today.usc.edu/industry-lea...

USC’s Beong-Soo Kim delivers State of the University addresses USC’s president shared his vision of the university’s future in two speeches.

Less than a week after the “interim” tag was removed from his title, Kim shared his vision of the university’s future with audiences at the University Park and Health Sciences campuses.

Bleaching event leaves two crucial corals 'functionally extinct' After a killer marine heatwave in Florida, two reef-building corals can’t do their ecological jobs — but experts aren’t giving up hope yet

Marine heatwaves are pushing coral beyond recovery. New @dornsife.usc.edu research finds two coral species are now functionally extinct after extreme ocean warming—underscoring how quickly climate impacts can reshape marine ecosystems.

USC again named a top producer of U.S. Fulbright students Meet the 19 Trojans who have been awarded the prestigious grants this academic year.

USC is once again a top producer of U.S. Fulbright students, underscoring the global reach of Trojan scholarship! ✌️

USC Student-Athletes Set New Academic Marks in Fall 2025 - USC Athletics LOS ANGELES — USC Athletics enjoyed another record-setting academic performance in Fall 2025, posting a department-best cumulative GPA of 3.247 and a semeste...

USC student-athletes set new academic benchmarks in Fall 2025—raising the bar in the classroom while competing at the highest level. Excellence on the field and beyond.

Daniel J. Epstein has spent decades making a difference in research, teaching and athletics at USC “Where I am now is ‘give-back’ time,” the Half Century Trojan says.

For decades, Daniel J. Epstein has helped shape USC through his support of research, teaching, and athletics—leaving a lasting mark on the university and the Trojan community.

In Memoriam: Norah Ashe-McNalley, director of The Writing Program Under Ashe-McNalley’s leadership, the program grew significantly in both scope and prestige.

Across her more than two decades at @dornsife.usc.edu, Ashe-McNalley taught countless undergraduates how to think critically and articulate ideas in their own voice. As the first faculty director of The Writing Program, she deftly navigated change and significant expansion.

In this episode of Trojan Talks, President Kim speaks with USC Professor Eileen Crimmins – a global aging expert and AARP Chair in Gerontology – about the biology of aging, early-life influences, and what research (not hype) shows about extending healthspan. Watch now: youtu.be/LbAXhq2XMzY

Martin Luther King Jr.’s Mission in Los Angeles The civil rights leader visited USC and its surrounding neighbors often in his quest to improve the lives of Black Americans. Here are a few of highlights of his enduring legacy.

Did you know that the civil rights leader visited USC and its surrounding neighborhoods throughout the late ’50s and ’60s?

New USC degree connects data science with legal applications | USC Gould School of Law Interdisciplinary collaboration between USC Gould, USC Viterbi prepares grads for careers at the intersection of data, policy and legal analysis.

Law and data are increasingly intertwined—and USC is preparing students for what’s next! A new degree from @uscgould.bsky.social connects data science with real-world legal applications, equipping graduates to navigate technology-driven challenges across law, policy, and industry.

USC study reveals hidden cellular layers in the brain’s memory center Researchers at the Mark and Mary Stevens Neuroimaging and Informatics Institute (Stevens INI) at the Keck School of Medicine of USC have identified a previously unknown pattern of organization in one of the brain’s most important areas for learning and memory. The study, published in Nature Communications, reveals that the CA1 region of a mouse’s hippocampus, a structure vital for memory formation, spatial navigation, and emotions, has four distinct layers of specialized cell types. This discovery changes our understanding of how information is processed in the brain and could explain why certain cells are more vulnerable in diseases like Alzheimer’s and epilepsy.“Researchers have long suspected that different parts of the hippocampus’ CA1 region handle different aspects of learning and memory, but it wasn’t clear how the underlying cells were arranged,” said Michael S. Bienkowski, PhD, senior author of the study and assistant professor of physiology and neuroscience and of biomedical engineering.

USC researchers have discovered previously hidden cellular layers in the brain’s memory center—offering new insight into how memory works and why certain cells may be more vulnerable in disease.

New year, same you? USC professors offer research-based tips for sticking with your New Year's resolutions Whether you’re trying to quit smoking or lose weight, USC experts offer tips on how to stick to your New Year's resolutions in 2020.

Why do most New Year’s resolutions fail before February? USC researchers break down the science of habits and how to actually stick to goals like quitting smoking and getting fit.

Playbook for Career Success: A Q&A with Associate Dean of Career Services Jon Cleveland Cleveland is innovating the department and leveraging the Trojan Network to get results for students.

The job market is changing fast. One USC Marshall expert shares a playbook for career success—from the power of the Trojan Network to practical tips students and alumni can use at every stage of their journey.

New year, same you? USC professors offer research-based tips for sticking with your New Year's resolutions Whether you’re trying to quit smoking or lose weight, USC experts offer tips on how to stick to your New Year's resolutions in 2020.

It’s the day for some New Year's resolutions! But why do 88% of them fail? USC experts share science-backed ways to build habits that actually stick.

New Year’s Eve celebrates St. Silvester Historians may not know much about Silvester’s life, but the era in which he lived was pivotal for Christianity.

Did you know New Year’s Eve is also called St. Silvester’s Day? @dornsife.usc.edu explains how a 4th-century pope shaped church–state history.

Have you been naughty? Then beware: Krampus is coming With Krampus-based movies, comic books and festivities growing in popularity, the scary Alpine holiday legend has gained a firm foothold in America.

He’s not Santa, and he’s definitely not nice. @dornsife.usc.edu expert explains how Krampus, a dark Alpine folklore figure, became a growing American holiday tradition.

A Half-Century of Vision: 50 Years of the USC Leonard Davis School Faculty, alumni and supporters share how the USC Leonard Davis School of Gerontology shaped the aging field — and continues to lead into the future.

The USC Leonard Davis School of Gerontology at 50: old enough to reflect, wise enough to celebrate—and bold enough to treat itself to five decades of impact. From pioneering aging research to shaping healthier lives, this milestone is worth savoring.

Tricking Tumors into Marking Themselves for Destruction - USC Viterbi | School of Engineering New research from the USC Viterbi School of Engineering harnesses focused ultrasound to reprogram solid tumors, making them more effective targets for immune cells.

.@viterbischool.usc.edu researchers are developing a method to prompt tumors to mark themselves for immune attack, a potential step toward improved cancer detection and treatment—especially for hard-to-treat tumors. #CancerResearch viterbischool.usc.edu/news/2025/11...

2 brain scans are better than 1 in predicting teen anxiety Combined brain imaging methods helps forecast which adolescents are most at risk for anxiety disorders well before symptoms appear

What if we could identify who is at risk for anxiety earlier—and intervene sooner? USC researchers are using advanced brain imaging to better understand adolescent mental health, with the potential to guide earlier, more personalized support for teens and families.

Three USC Viterbi Professors Named Fellows of National Academy of Inventors - USC Viterbi | School of Engineering Shang-Hua Teng, S.K. Gupta and Massoud Pedram receive the prestigious honor in recognition of their contributions to innovation, invention and technology.

.@viterbischool.usc.edu continues to lead in innovation. Three faculty members have been named Fellows of the National Academy of Inventors, recognizing research that translates into real-world impact across technology, industry, and society.

GT This holiday season, join with the Trojan Family and be the spark that allows USC to solve the world's greatest challenges, develop scalable climate solutions, invest in new research and lifesaving health treatments, chart the course for human-centric AI, and support our next generation of Trojans.

Trojans, it’s time to come together and Fight on For Good! Today is #GivingTuesday, let’s come together and lift up the people and programs that make USC truly special.

Every gift makes a difference! Make your impact today: fightongiveback.usc.edu

#FightOnForGood

Got an expensive medical bill? Here’s what to do From financial assistance to bill cancellation, a USC Price School professor explains how consumers can get help with troublesome medical bills.

Got a medical bill you can’t afford or seems wrong? @priceschool.usc.edu research shows calling the billing office can lead to discounts, corrections or even cancellation!

Why California’s shifting population trends require a new “social contract” California has a shortage of young people who are needed to support the state’s aging population, says USC Price School Professor Dowell Myers.

California’s youth population is shrinking. @priceschool.usc.edu's Dowell Myers says the state must invest in education, housing, and affordability to rebalance.

LA’s shade gap: Many think their streets are covered – they’re not New LABarometer report: Half of Angelenos say their block has enough shade even though most live on tree-sparse streets

Only 16% of Angelenos live on well-shaded streets. But nearly half think they do. A study by @dornsife.usc.edu breaks down L.A.’s “shade perception gap.”

Study: Disadvantaged neighborhoods face barriers to access cultural institutions Less educated and lower income neighborhoods are consistently farther away from cultural institutions that can help advance one’s social mobility, according to a USC study.

How close you live to a museum or library can shape opportunity. A @priceschool.usc.edu study finds lower-income neighborhoods are farther from these cultural resources.

USC study links ultra-processed food intake to prediabetes in young adults Related News USC study links lack of diversity in Alzheimer’s disease clinical trials to differences in amyloid levels April 17, 2024 First genome-wide comparison of vapers and smokers finds similar […]

More than half the calories consumed in the US come from ultra-processed foods. A @keck.usc.edu study shows rising intake leads to a higher risk for prediabetes.

Among youth who vape, USC study finds rise in daily use and difficulty quitting Related News Few U.S. adults use nicotine pouches, study finds July 10, 2024 More than 11% of U.S. 12th graders used psychoactive delta-8-THC last year, study finds March 12, 2024 […]

Fewer teens are vaping, but addiction is deepening. Researchers at @keck.usc.edu found daily nicotine use among youth nearly doubled since 2020.