Innovation is constant. From studies focusing on AI discoveries to inspiring commencement stories about USC graduates whose postgrad steps include working for Meta or training for the Olympics, there were several enlightening discoveries made in the month of May. With so much research and innovation taking place, there’s a reason why USC is considered one of the nation’s top universities.
Below is a compilation of the USC news and research that has been released in May, with Commencement stories being listed first in honor of graduation season.
Commencement Stories:
- USC Price Student landed a job at Meta while studying online: USC Price School’s former MPA candidate, Hannah Will, landed a job with Meta’s global policy campaigns and programs team, all while moving states, getting married, and having a baby.
- Trojan engineer unlocks memories with a fragrance: USC Viterbi graduating senior, Aidan Niswender, turned his COVID lockdown hobby into a passion, which could lead to a career in perfumery.
- USC Viterbi senior shines on the track: Civil engineering major and sprinter Chioma Okonkwo hopes to medal in the NCAA Women’s Track and Field Championships and perhaps even run in the Olympics.
- This year’s ISE award winner is a fierce advocate for mental health: Claire Barbrack successfully overcame a difficult sophomore year to be named the 2023 Daniel J. Epstein Department of Industrial and Systems Engineering Student of the Year.
- Trojan’s love letter to Central Asia makes you the hero of Kyrgyzstan: In tribute to his homeland, graduating computer science student Omar Uraimov unveils the first video game set in Kyrgyzstan at USC Games Expo.
- High-flying Frisbee ace is on a path to research: Mork Class of 2023 senior and USC Ultimate Frisbee captain Hari Sridhara recently won a prestigious National Science Foundation fellowship.
General USC News and Research
- In a world where AI’s impact is growing, exactly what is consciousness? As artificial intelligence seems to be veering close to self-awareness and we reclassify some animals as “sentient,” USC scholars discuss what it means to be conscious.
- Her body may feel weak, but this Trojan trailblazer keeps fighting for brain health: USC alumna Samantha Scott’s startup, JuneBrain, seeks to deliver the telehealth services she once desired for herself.
- Exploring the future of intellectual property in an AI world: Leading voices address changes to the IP industry at the 2023 Intellectual Property Institute.
- USC Viterbi team participates in multi-university study on quantum computing: The Department of Defense MURI Award will allow Daniel Lidar’s multi-institutional team to investigate techniques that may unlock the full potential of quantum computing.
- USC launches $1B-plus initiative for computing including advanced computation, quantum computing, AI and ethics: President Folt launches the largest, most comprehensive academic initiative in USC’s history. USC Frontiers of Computing includes opening a new School of Advanced Computing, enhancing educational opportunities in ethical computing for students across the university, advancing new research and expanding USC’s footprint in Silicon Beach, part of L.A. County’s growing tech corridor.
- Expert reveals the fascinating link between math and card shuffling: USC Dornsife math professor explores ideal techniques and real-world applications of finding the perfect shuffle.
- USC computer scientists are tackling dental health and birth defects: FaceBase researchers are advancing dental, oral and craniofacial research with data.
- USC Dornsife, USC Gould launch joint degree in innovation economics, law and regulation: The program will equip graduates with the skills required to address the complexities of big data, AI innovation and machine learning through the lens of antitrust, privacy, data security and IP laws.
- Can AI teach your child perserverance? A team of researchers including USC’s Emmanuel Johnson has been awarded a $20million grant to fund a new artificial intelligence institute focused on AI in education.
- AI helps place drones in remote areas for faster emergency response: USC researchers harness the ability of AI-powered decision-making as part of a broader effort to use scarce data more effectively.
- Unlocking the ocean’s secret: Natural carbon capture: Ocean-inspired methods for carbon capture hold promise for reducing greenhouse gas emissions and advancing sustainability efforts. Experts from USC and Caltech join us for a Q&A from the docks at the Port of Los Angeles.
All of the above stories can be found on the USC News website, which also showcases stories and research done in the fields of arts, business, health, and so many more.
Photo by iStock and USC Dornsife.