Stepping Forward We stand at the edge. On one side is the familiar, a world filled with complexity and complacency. On the other, the thrilling space where discovery and progress reside. It is time for us to step forward. We will advance human health by creating models to explore new treat- ments and cures. We will preserve our environment by leveraging urban coastal Los Angeles to develop sustainable practices. We will improve our communities by studying the past’s relevance for the future and by understanding the social and economic impacts of behaviors. The collective power of USC Dornsife’s faculty and students across a spectrum of disciplines uniquely positions us to offer comprehensive solutions to our global society’s toughest challenges. Join us at the frontlines as we define scholarship of consequence for the 21st century. We Are Frontline Scholars. consequence Our Test Bed Join us to define Join us to At USC Dornsife, our faculty and students stand side by side. Our experts push the boundaries of their own research while imparting their wisdom and skills to our students, training them to lead the next generation of problem solvers. Our class- rooms extend out into our communities and around the globe to ensure knowl- edge results in action. An international center for arts, culture, technology and trade, Los Angeles is the test bed for our innovative ideas, and ultimately the world will be the proof of our triumphs. for the 21st century. scholarship of scholarship COMBATING OBESITY “Such diversity — intertwining molecular biology, Health linguistics and marine biology into one collaborative project — reflects the intellectual and integrative nature of USC Dornsife.” —Laura Kagami, Human Biology Major An Octopus with Answers Parkinson’s and other dis- 45% eases often include speech disorders. Linguist Khalil 45 percent of daily behavior is repeated regularly Iskarous and marine biologist and is thus susceptible to habit formation. Seeing Is Believing MAXWELL Andrew Gracey know that LaWLOR The humanities, social sci- ences and natural sciences all the movements of octopi and Neuroscience Major Decisions, Decisions a commonly studied worm Humans are creatures of habit, but what exactly does that mean? rely strongly upon visual evi- dence — what the eye sees. called C. elegans are similar To find new ways to fight Psychologist Wendy Wood seeks to answer that question. By However, the way evidence is to that of the human tongue. obesity, Maxwell secured teasing out the complex details of how people form habits, she is seen or presented matters. Studying both, their research funding to work on a uncovering ways to change bad habits and form good ones. These The Visual Studies Research teams, including undergrad- project called “Virtual insights, ultimately, will empower individuals to lead healthier Institute examines how meth- uate Laura Kagami, hope Sprouts.” Maxwell and his and more successful lives. ods of visualizing evidence to understand how speech fellow researchers use an have evolved throughout disorders arise and how to interactive gardening game history and influenced the curtail them. to engage children, while way academic institutions simultaneously teaching pursue study in those fields, them about vegetables and and how they might improve healthful eating. Through the their approach. game, the youngsters learn Nobel Victory to select, plant, tend and Well before computers were com- harvest their own gardens Philosophy of Care monplace, Arieh Warshel saw the and crops. Maxwell worked The top-ranked USC School of Philosophy provides power they could bring to studies of in local schools with large students headed for careers in medicine, biology, chemistry. That insight fueled de- minority populations and psychology and other health care fields with a broad cades of research that revolutionized Worldwide Wellness high poverty rates, both of humanistic perspective not found in professional ed- the way chemists study molecules. As global populations expand and age, issues affecting human which are risk factors for ucation and the critical tools to deal with the ethical The work earned him a Nobel Prize health loom large. USC Dornsife’s majors in health and humanity childhood obesity. issues that may arise in their professional lives. in Chemistry and changed the field and environmental science and health, as well as a new program forever. Today, his methods are being in health and human sciences, are preparing future professionals used to predict the interaction be- to address issues affecting public and individual health world- tween pharmaceuticals and their drug wide, ensuring a better quality of life for all communities. targets. This allows drug designs that supersede empirical experimentation. 24,000,000 The World Health Organization predicts the number of cancer cases worldwide to soar by 70 percent, reaching 24 million a year by 2035. Translating Care Improving the Human Condition Layer by Layer Light Saver Inspired by Leonardo da Vinci and Artificial light draws hu- the spirit of the Renaissance, The mans and insects togeth- Bridge@USC is leading a new con- er, making it easier for vergence by uniting the best minds disease-carrying bugs to in chemistry, biology, medicine, infect people. For exam- mathematics, physics, engineering ple, six million people and nanosciences as well as experts worldwide are infected in animation and cinematography. with Chagas disease, Together, they will build the first which is transmitted by CARLOS atomic-resolution structure of the a bug that is attracted to human body, accelerating the cre- lights. Scientists in the RODRIGUEZ ation and implementation of novel Spatial Sciences Institute Ph.D. Student, Psychology therapies and cures for a host of (SSI) are investigating how intractable diseases and conditions. fine-tuning the light from Carlos is examining the LED bulbs can make it less efficacy of Forgotten attractive to insects — Memories, a fotonovela giving all the benefits while co-authored by professor reducing the risk of illness. Margaret Gatz. The pamphlet Through such projects, SSI faculty develop the next — akin to a comic book — generation of spatial think- was created to educate the ers, empowering them Latino community about the with capabilities to solve early signs of Alzheimer’s real-world issues. disease and dementia. His goal is to assess how people respond to this modern form of outreach and help Music Matters potential sufferers seek Researchers in the Brain and Cre- treatment during the early ativity Institute, led by Antonio and stages of the disease. Hanna Damasio, are uncovering the neurological basis for a wide array of mental functions — from Crystal Clear emotion and decision-making to Medical questionnaires, the creativity expressed in the opinion polls and other arts, sciences and technology. data-gathering tools often They have shown that elementary ask people to “self-report” school students undertaking music information. Unfortunate- training have stronger hearing ly, this can lead to widely skills. This, in turn, can strengthen varying answers that may their reading and improve their be hard to interpret. The ability to understand nuances in Center for Self-Report conversations. The research adds Science aims to help, re- to the growing evidence showing searching ways to ensure that music benefits academic answers are accurate, performance and learning for reliable and, most impor- children. tantly, useful. Protecting Our Environment Environment Better for All Low-income communities of color are more likely to live close to air pollution sources and therefore have a higher Hidden Secrets risk of cancer and respiratory The Air We Earth scientist Sarah Feakins and her team collect illnesses such as asthma. Breathe sediments from rivers, lakes and oceans to help shed Hoping to improve condi- Today’s atmo- light on the history of our planet’s changing climate. tions for all, the Program for spheric carbon In the laboratory, they analyze chemical signals con- Environmental and Regional dioxide has risen by tained within the waxy molecules derived from plant Equity, led by Manuel Pastor, about 40 percent leaves to reveal a hidden record of past climates and not only generates compre- above pre-industrial levels. plant cover over long geological time. Their research hensive data on environmen- USC Loker Hydrocarbon Re- also aims to illuminate the influence of climate tal justice, social movements search Institute scientists, Austin Reagan change on human evolution. and economic equity issues, including Founding Director Environmental Studies but also moves that research and Nobel Laureate George and Political Science Major from university halls to public Olah and Director G.K. Surya policy by partnering with Prakash, have developed an Austin became determined change agents on the ground. easy-to-make material that to seek global environmental can scrub large amounts of justice during his first carbon dioxide from the air. Problems Without Passports They hope to find a low-cost/ trip to Belize. There he visited low-energy method of turning a Garifuna village where the captured carbon dioxide much of the land had been into methanol — which can devastated by oil drilling. Location, Location be burned as a fuel source and Since that experience, Sitting in a naturally arid used as a chemical feedstock. Austin has participated region, with dense transpor- in an internship with an tation networks, large popu- environmental consulting lation and coastal ocean, Los firm and drafted a university- Angeles offers the perfect set- Future of Food from the Sea wide sustainability and ting for the study of sustain- USC Wrigley Institute for Environmental Studies climate action plan. He has able living in an urban seaside scientists are seeking to understand how shellfish re- also served in Los Angeles environment. By contrast, the spond physiologically to challenges such as tempera- Mayor Eric Garcetti’s office USC Wrigley Marine Science ture fluctuations, increasing ocean acidification and helping to write sustainability Center on Catalina Island North Pole Politics disease.