Recent Stories

Hudsonian Godwit

Biologist searches for environmental tipping points in marathon migratory species

July 26, 2021, Chris Horn

As a population biologist at the University of South Carolina, Nate Senner studies migratory bird species whose feats of endurance make his own look almost puny by comparison. What interests him most is not just the extremes that different bird species can endure but the many environmental variables to which they must adapt — with the long-term survival of their species population hanging in the balance.

Topics: Students, Faculty, Research, College of Arts and Sciences

xiaoming li

Breakthrough Leader: Xiaoming Li

July 14, 2021, Chris Horn

If Xiaoming Li was a professional athlete instead of a public health professor, he would make the All-Star team every year. Since joining the university in 2015 as director of the South Carolina SmartState Center for Health Care Quality, Li has authored or co-authored 179 scholarly publications and instituted an interdisciplinary campuswide Junior Scholar program that has successfully trained 41 doctoral students from different disciplines.

Topics: Faculty, Research, Recognition, Arnold School of Public Health

UofSC faculty experts list on the Summer Olympics

June 25, 2021, Tenell Felder

Japan will host the Summer Olympic Games July 23 to Aug. 8. Though the Olympics will be taking place in 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, they will continue to be officially branded as the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. To help journalists report on the Tokyo games, the University of South Carolina has compiled a list of faculty experts.

Topics: Faculty, Research, College of Arts and Sciences, College of Hospitality, Retail and Sport Management, Arnold School of Public Health

graphic depicting eyeball

SmartSight project unleashes power of AI to assist blind, visually impaired

June 18, 2021, Chris Horn

Pooyan Jamshidi, an assistant professor of computer science and engineering, is a principal investigator on a three-year $500,000 NSF collaborative grant to develop the intelligence and computing capabilities for a smart device dubbed SmartSight. The platform will enable on-device artificial intelligence to improve real-time perception for blind and visually-impaired users.

Topics: Students, Research, Health Sciences, College of Engineering and Computing

Yi Wang

Breakthrough Star: Yi Wang

June 15, 2021, Chris Horn

Simulation and computing is a mainstay in engineering design, a mathematical modeling process that allows engineers to predict the behavior of a machine or system in real-world conditions. But if the datasets are huge and complex, modeling can take days or even weeks to sort out. That’s why Yi Wang is using a method called reduced-order models to speed things up.

Topics: Faculty, Research, Recognition, College of Engineering and Computing

Film character Lady of Guadalupe in pink and lace dress and blue shawl over her head

'Lady of Guadalupe' avoids tough truths

June 14, 2021, Rebecca Janzen

The film “Lady of Guadalupe” available on many streaming services, mixes a fictional retelling of the 16th-century appearance of the Virgin Mary to a Mexican peasant named Juan Diego with the tale of a wholly fictional 21st-century reporter. Professor of Spanish and comparative literature Rebecca Janzen writes in The Conversation although the film portrays the story of the Virgin of Guadalupe for a broad audience, ultimately itsanitizes the real-life brutality of the Church toward Indigenous peoples in the 16th century.

Topics: Faculty, Research, History, College of Arts and Sciences

Allie Trice will attend graduate school at Oxford thanks to the Barry Scholarship

English, history graduate is first UofSC recipient of Barry Scholarship to study at Oxford

June 14, 2021, Page Ivey

Allie Trice was an outstanding undergraduate student at the University of South Carolina, excelling in class and conducting publishable research. But a dedication to the pursuit of truth is even more important for the university’s first recipient of the Barry Scholarship, which opened the door to graduate school at the University of Oxford.

Topics: Students, Alumni, Faculty, Academics, Research, Scholarships, graduate-studies, History, Recognition, Student Voices, College of Arts and Sciences

damaged beach house

Climate change, coastlands and the most vulnerable who live there

June 03, 2021, Chris Horn

A rising tide might lift all boats, but not everyone fares the same with rising seas. Monica Barra has documented that fact extensively in her studies of coastal land loss among communities of color in the bayous of Louisiana. With a focus on the ways that residents, scientific knowledge and the coastal landscape intersect, the assistant professor of race and environment is bringing a similar research perspective to the South Carolina coastline.

Topics: Faculty, Research, College of Arts and Sciences

Ten soldiers pose beside a plane in a World War II archive photo.

Documenting UofSC alumni who made the ultimate sacrifice

May 27, 2021, Megan Sexton

James Hull works in the Office of Veterans and Military Services at the University of South Carolina, certifying veteran education benefits for students. He also has taken on a project that combines both his love of history and his military service: Documenting every UofSC student or alumni who died while serving in uniform over the past 120 years.

Topics: Alumni, Research, History, Careers, College of Hospitality, Retail and Sport Management

A woman and a man make the Wakanda gesture. Man holds a photo of actor Chadwick Boseman.

Colorectal cancer screening recommended at age 45 instead of 50 - it's no fun, but it's worth it

May 25, 2021, Franklin G. Berger

Colorectal cancer remains a major source of cancer incidence and mortality worldwide. The American Cancer Society recently estimated that in 2021, there will be 149,500 new cases of colorectal cancer and 52,980 deaths in the U.S. alone. In The Conversation, Franklin G. Berger, professor emeritus in biological sciences, writes about two significant developments that could save lives.

Topics: Faculty, Research, Health Sciences, College of Arts and Sciences

UofSC experts: 2021 hurricane season

May 20, 2021, Tenell Felder

The Atlantic hurricane season officially begins June 1. Top researchers at the University of South Carolina are available to discuss multiple aspects of the 2021 hurricane season, including forecasting, disaster planning and historical perspectives.

Topics: Research

shelley Welton

Breakthrough Star: Shelley Welton

May 18, 2021, Page Ivey

Shelley Welton wanted no part of the law after watching her mother work tirelessly in children’s law and come up against structural issues that day-to-day lawyering couldn’t fix. But after getting a master’s degree in environmental policy work, she realized that she needed a better understanding of the law to make progress.

Topics: Faculty, Research, Recognition, School of Law

Jaeseung Kim in a suit and tie

COVID-19 Impact: Gender disparities in pandemic's effect

April 14, 2021, Page Ivey

Jaeseung Kim, assistant professor in the College of Social Work since 2018, studies work and caregiving challenges for low-income parents and how work-family policies, both private and public, can help address such challenges. We asked Kim about how the pandemic has affected men and women differently and how to help those suffering the effects.

Topics: Faculty, Research, Health Sciences, COVID-19, College of Social Work

woman with brown hair, white shirt and navy jacket with a man's hand on her shoulder

Women frequently experience sexual harassment at work, yet few claims ever reach a courtroom

April 14, 2021, Joseph A. Seiner

Sexual harassment at work is a very common occurrence for women, regardless of age or income level. Among women who have experienced unwanted sexual advances in the workplace, almost all reported that male harassers usually go unpunished. Law professor Joseph Seiner writes in The Conversation about the unfortunate reality that engaging in this conduct will result in no real consequences.

Topics: Faculty, Research, Diversity, School of Law

UofSC home to 60 ranked programs

UofSC med school leads nation for grads practicing in underserved areas

March 30, 2021, Megan Sexton

The School of Medicine Columbia is the top medical program in the country for graduates who are practicing in areas where there is a shortage of health care professionals, according to the latest U.S. News & World Report’s Best Graduate School rankings. The rankings also show that UofSC is now home to more than 60 nationally ranked programs.

Topics: Academics, Research, graduate-studies, Recognition, College of Arts and Sciences, Darla Moore School of Business, College of Engineering and Computing, The Graduate School, College of Information and Communications, School of Law, Medicine (Columbia)

Woman wearing a yellow scarf with blurred background

Education professor fights status quo to make schools more equitable

March 22, 2021, Carol J.G. Ward

For three and a half decades, University of South Carolina education professor Gloria Boutte has dedicated her work to creating school experiences that are more equitable for students of color. Her scholarship, teaching, leadership and service have been recognized with the 2021 Legacy Award from American Educational Research Association.

Topics: Faculty, Academics, Research, Diversity, Recognition, Leadership, College of Education

empty dining room with the alps in the background

COVID-19 impact: Changes in tourism

March 18, 2021, Craig Brandhorst

A year into the COVID-19 pandemic, we asked members of the university community to share their expertise about how the coronavirus has affected all facets of life and offer insights on ways to move forward. Simon Hudson, a professor of tourism in the College of Hospitality, Retail and Sport Management, speaks about COVID-19’s economic impact on the tourism industry.

Topics: Faculty, Research, COVID-19, College of Hospitality, Retail and Sport Management

students walk in building on campus

VIDEO: Team effort allowed students to return to campus in fall

March 18, 2021, Joshua Burrack

From the classroom to the research lab to the front lines of testing and tracing, the University of South Carolina community has taken extraordinary steps over the past year to safeguard its students, faculty and staff in the face of COVID-19. As we mark the one-year point of the pandemic, here’s the third in a three-part video series documenting the resilience, ingenuity and commitment that have guided us through this period.

Topics: Students, Faculty, Research, Initiatives, Safety, Health Sciences, COVID-19, Service, Leadership, Arnold School of Public Health

researchers sample wastewater

COVID video series: Tracking wastewater

March 15, 2021, Joshua Burrack

From the classroom to the research lab to the front lines of testing and tracing, the University of South Carolina community has taken extraordinary steps over the past year to safeguard its students, faculty and staff in the face of COVID-19. As we mark the one-year point of the pandemic, here’s the second in a three-part video series documenting the resilience, ingenuity and commitment that have guided us through this period.

Topics: Students, Faculty, Research, Initiatives, Safety, Health Sciences, COVID-19, Service, Careers, Arnold School of Public Health

researchers work with test tubes

Resilience, ingenuity define UofSC's COVID response

March 11, 2021, Joshua Burrack

From the classroom to the research lab to the front lines of testing and tracing, the University of South Carolina community has taken extraordinary steps over the past year to safeguard its students, faculty and staff in the face of COVID-19. As we mark the one-year point of the pandemic, here’s the first in a three-part video series documenting the resilience, ingenuity and commitment that have guided us through this period.

Topics: Faculty, Research, Initiatives, Safety, Health Sciences, COVID-19, College of Pharmacy

Woman with gray hair, gray shirt and black mask standing at a table, displaying health items. Man and woman at table with back to viewer.

Researchers to help LGBTQIA+ populations navigate barriers to health information

March 09, 2021, Rebekah Buffington Friedman

Health disparities are common in LGBTQIA+ populations, in part because discrimination makes health information harder to come by. Over the next two years, a team of researchers from the University of South Carolina’s School of Information Science and Arnold School of Public Health will collaborate to recruit, learn from and develop specialized training for LGBTQIA+ community health workers.

Topics: Faculty, Research, Diversity, Partnerships, Health Sciences, College of Information and Communications, Arnold School of Public Health

An artist's concept of NASA's Mars 2020 rover

UofSC chemistry professor works with NASA in search of Martian life

February 12, 2021, Bryan Gentry

NASA’s Mars 2020 Perseverance Rover will land on the Red Planet on Feb. 18 and begin to study rocks and soils in search for evidence of past Martian life, which might be anything from biogenic organic compounds to ancient fossils. University of South Carolina professor Mike Angel is one of hundreds of scientists who will work together to direct the rover.

Topics: Faculty, Research, College of Arts and Sciences

Technicians in a lab wearing gloves and safety goggles.

University of South Carolina to help lead Savannah River National Laboratory research innovation and workforce development

February 10, 2021

The University of South Carolina and the Battelle Savannah River Alliance are partnering to conduct critical research at one of the country’s premier national laboratories – the Savannah River National Laboratory. The partnership will contribute to workforce development and provide cutting-edge advancements in national security, energy and environmental research.

Topics: Research, Health Sciences, College of Engineering and Computing

colorful graphic with the words fact and myth

UofSC faculty work to counteract the emotional power of misinformation

January 14, 2021, Carol JG Ward

Misinformation and disinformation circulated, consumed and believed by the public have a powerful influence on public opinion — often in a harmful way. Faculty members in the College of Information and Communications have conducted research to help improve media literacy, to teach people how to evaluate quality sources and to recognize clues for misinformation.

Topics: Faculty, Research, College of Information and Communications

old gravestone for an enslaved person named Cicely

How history memorializes those who die from COVID-19 will reflect our values

December 03, 2020, Nicole S. Maskiell

As COVID-19 affects frontline workers and communities of color far more than other demographic groups, and protesters agitate for racial justice, American society is wrestling with its racial memory and judging which monuments and memorials deserve a place. In The Conversation, history professor Nicole S. Maskiell looks back at how a few marginalized and oppressed people who served on the front lines of prior epidemics have been treated and remembered.

Topics: Faculty, Research, Diversity, College of Arts and Sciences

Darla Moore School of Business economist Joey Von Nessen speaks at the University of South Carolina's 2018 Economic Outlook Conference

UofSC economic forecast for 2021: Palmetto State's economy largely rebounded, but significant gaps still remain

November 25, 2020

With a current unemployment rate of 4.2 percent — less than two percentage points away from its pre-pandemic low of 2.5 percent — South Carolina’s economy has largely recovered from the pandemic-induced recession of 2020, but UofSC economists caution that a COVID-19 vaccine will be required to return to full strength across all sectors in 2021.

Topics: Faculty, Research, Economic Engagement, Darla Moore School of Business

Image of megaphone

COVID-19 and the retail sector

October 29, 2020, Chris Horn

Retail sales in the U.S. account for about one-half of personal consumer spending and nearly one-third 
of the country’s gross domestic product. But COVID-19 and its accompanying ripples — social distancing, 
lockdowns, layoffs and changes in consumer behavior — have unleashed turmoil in the retail sector. 
Jeff Campbell, an associate professor and chair of the retailing department in the College of Hospitality, 
Retail and Sport Management, offers his perspective on the current landscape in retailing and what 
lies ahead.

Topics: Faculty, Research, College of Hospitality, Retail and Sport Management

woman sneezing

UofSC scientists model how the COVID-19 virus might travel, settle in indoor environments

October 15, 2020, Chris Horn

In this age of COVID-19 concerns, what’s the safest indoor environment? One without humans, of course. In a practical world the answer lies partly in understanding how the virus moves and where it lands in indoor spaces because air ow and surfaces are important routes for transmission of COVID-19.

Topics: Faculty, Research, Health Sciences, College of Arts and Sciences, College of Engineering and Computing

Several empty test tubes used for the Salivir Test lined up in a tray. They have the UofSC logo and barcodes on them.

Behind the scenes of SAFE Testing

October 09, 2020, Caleigh McDaniel

By now most students have heard about the university’s free Saliva Assay Free Expedited (SAFE) testing program, but we wondered what happens behind the scenes. We spoke with Carolyn Bannister, who serves as the manager for the College of Pharmacy’s Diagnostic Genomics Lab, to gather insights on what happens to your saliva sample between getting tested for COVID-19 on campus and receiving your results.

Topics: Students, Faculty, Research, Initiatives, Safety, Healthy Carolina, COVID-19, College of Pharmacy

Actor Chadwick Boseman at the GQ Men of the Year party in 2015.

Boseman's death underscores an alarming increase in from colorectal cancer among younger adults

September 02, 2020, Franklin G. Berger

The tragic death of Chadwick Boseman at age 43 following a four-year battle against colorectal cancer reminds us it is a difficult and emotional disease for people at any age. Franklin G. Berger, distinguished professor emeritus of biological sciences, writes for The Conversation that awareness of signs and symptoms, along with screening, will lead to the eventual eradication of the disease as a major form of cancer.

Topics: Faculty, Research, College of Arts and Sciences

instructor and students perform an experiment at a summer camp

Camp will highlight Gullah/Geechee culture to spark students' interest in science

August 17, 2020, Carol J.G. Ward

A summer camp for fifth- and sixth grade-students in South Carolina’s Gullah/Geechee community will introduce Gullah/Geechee students to STEM content from their own community and provide opportunities to interact with professionals who look like them, working in the fields of science, technology, engineering or mathematics.

Topics: Alumni, Faculty, Research, Experiential Learning, Diversity, College of Arts and Sciences, College of Education, Arnold School of Public Health

woman sits in front of computer screen

New library system makes it easier for users to find, access resources

August 15, 2020, Carol J.G. Ward

University of South Carolina Libraries partnered with more than 50 other academic libraries in South Carolina to launch a new shared library services platform this summer. The transition to the new system is an example of a trend in academic libraries nationwide to leverage technology, work more collaboratively and strategically, improve the user experience, and maximize the benefits of collections and limited resources.

Topics: Faculty, Research, University Libraries

women with banners stand by a monument in Washington D.C. in 1918 to advocate for women's suffrage

100 years of suffrage

August 06, 2020, Page Ivey

The month of August marks 100 years since the ratification of the 19th amendment giving women the right to vote in the United States. South Carolina women were a part of the fight for suffrage that started here in the years after the Civil War. Historians and librarians at the University of South Carolina have played a major role in documenting and preserving their stories.

Topics: Alumni, Faculty, Research, History, College of Arts and Sciences, University Libraries

man wearing a face covering walks in Paris with the Eiffel Tower in the background

Covid-19: Tourism update

July 16, 2020, Craig Brandhorst

As the coronavirus threatens health and upends daily life throughout the world, UofSC Today is turning to our faculty to help us make sense of it all. While no one can predict exactly what will happen in the coming months, our faculty can help us ask the right questions and put important context around emerging events. Simon Hudson, a professor of tourism in the College of Hospitality, Retail and Sport Management and author of the new book "COVID-19 and Travel: Impacts, Responses and Outcomes," keeps us up-to date on the pandemic’s travel sector impact.

Topics: Faculty, Research, COVID-19, College of Hospitality, Retail and Sport Management

Breakthrough Leader: Rob Ployhart

Breakthrough Leader: Rob Ployhart

July 13, 2020, Chris Horn

Ask any Fortune 500 company what it takes to get ahead in today’s marketplace, and you’ll probably hear something about workforce training and recruitment — the fundamentals of human resources. Rob Ployhart has made it his business to understand exactly how those factors translate into competitive advantage, and in the process he’s become one of the country’s most-cited scholars on the topic.

Topics: Faculty, Research, Recognition, Darla Moore School of Business

Overlooking the fountain outside Thomas Cooper Library looking at the smokestack near the Horseshoe

UofSC among top universities granted U.S. utility patents

July 08, 2020, Communications and Public Affairs

For the eighth-consecutive year, the University of South Carolina stands among the top 100 universities in the world, based on the number of U.S. utility patents faculty members received in 2019. South Carolina ranks 90th worldwide, named as the lead on 31 patents last year.

Topics: Faculty, University Leadership, Research, Recognition, Economic Engagement, College of Arts and Sciences, College of Engineering and Computing, Medicine (Columbia), Arnold School of Public Health

1960s civil rights protestor carries signs denouncing segregation

Carving a path toward justice: Part 3

June 05, 2020, Chris Horn

Bobby Donaldson is an associate professor of history and African American Studies and director of the Center for Civil Rights History and Research at the University of South Carolina. In a three-part question-and-answer series, Donaldson presents both his scholarly insights and his personal perspective as they relate to protests over the death of George Floyd.

Topics: Faculty, Research, History, College of Arts and Sciences, University Libraries

Bobby Donaldson

Carving a path toward justice: Part 2

June 05, 2020, Chris Horn

Bobby Donaldson is an associate professor of history and African American Studies and director of the Center for Civil Rights History and Research at the University of South Carolina. In a three-part question-and-answer series, Donaldson presents both his scholarly insights and his personal perspective as they relate to protests over the death of George Floyd.

Topics: Faculty, Research, History, College of Arts and Sciences, University Libraries

Martin Luther King speaks in Charleston in 1967

Carving a path toward justice: Part 1

June 05, 2020, Chris Horn

Bobby Donaldson is an associate professor of history and African American Studies and director of the Center for Civil Rights History and Research at the University of South Carolina. In a three-part question-and-answer series, Donaldson presents both his scholarly insights and his personal perspective as they relate to protests over the death of George Floyd.

Topics: Faculty, Research, History, College of Arts and Sciences, University Libraries

Jeremy LaPointe in a science lab

Psychology major finds his passion through research

May 28, 2020, Page Ivey

Jeremy LaPointe has been interested in learning more about why people behave in certain ways since he was in high school. He has been able to pursue that interest at the University of South Carolina in the classroom and in research labs as an undergraduate majoring in experimental psychology with a minor in neuroscience.

Topics: Students, Academics, Research, Scholarships, Health Sciences, Careers, Student Voices, College of Arts and Sciences, South Carolina Honors College

plasma donation

COVID-19 response: UofSC partners with The Blood Connection to collect plasma donations from recovered patients

May 11, 2020

A national study sponsored by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and the Mayo Clinic is examining the use of plasma from recovered COVID-19 patients, known as convalescent plasma, to treat patients who are currently suffering from the virus. Physicians hope the antibodies in the donor plasma will neutralize the virus in these ill patients and improve outcomes.

Topics: Faculty, Research, Health Sciences, COVID-19, Medicine (Columbia)

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