Trojans Spring Forward: Spring 2023

Assignment: Earth Pushes Sustainability Across Our Campuses

USC’s commitment to imagining and implementing a sustainable future gained further momentum this spring. USC Sea Grant announced it is leading new efforts to assess the impact of the toxic pesticide DDT in the ocean near Los Angeles. USC is preparing to open the university’s first Sustainability Hub at the center of the University Park Campus. And even Trojans football fans are getting into the eco-friendly spirit: USC won the Best Fan Engagement sub-category in the Pac-12 Zero Waste Challenge for the 2022 football season. The USC Fisher Museum of Art held a fascinating exhibit featuring sustainability artist Mulyana who designed a knitted coral reef art piece. And, research continued across our schools, including new approaches to addressing and reducing air and water pollution. Read more about these sustainability success stories below.

Aerial view of a Southern California beach

USC Sea Grant celebrates 50 years, leads new efforts to assess impact of toxic pesticide DDT in ocean near LA

A recent discovery of nearly 800,000 pounds of the banned chemical near Santa Catalina Island sparks new research for an institution that has spent five decades helping Southern California manage its coasts.

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Photo of USC Coliseum during football season

USC wins best fan engagement in Pac-12 Zero Waste Challenge for 2022 football season

USC has been named the winner of the Best Fan Engagement sub-category in the Pac-12 Zero Waste Challenge for the 2022 football season in the league-wide competition. This challenge began in 2016 to divert waste at home football games from landfills to recycling or composting.

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Photo of Mulyana's coral reef exhibit at the Fisher Museum

Looking beyond the beauty of coral reefs

The USC Fisher Museum of Art hosts a conversation about coral reef ecosystems and resilience in face of rising water temperatures.

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Photo of woman crossing street in an urban city

Innovation with impact: 2 USC sustainability research projects seek to make real-world difference

New approaches to addressing and reducing air and water pollution in L.A. seek to educate, incentivize key stakeholders.

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Photo of panelists at the Arts and Climate Collective Festival at USC

Environmental experts imagine a ‘Fossil-Free L.A.’ at an Earth Month festival

What does a fossil-free Los Angeles look like? The Arts and Climate Collective (ACC) aimed to answer this question at its “Imagining a Fossil-Free L.A.” festival in Founder’s Park.

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Photo of USC Hahn Plaza, home to the new Sustainability Hub

Sustainability will move into key campus space as USC increases focus on Assignment: Earth

The move provides a new space for collaboration and research. The pharmacy that has held the space moves into a much larger location near the Engemann Student Health Center, with room to add services.

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Photo of USC's Mobile Recycling Station

USC’s ‘Assignment: Earth’ initiative takes center stage during Earth Month

The university is dedicated to reducing pollution, inspiring innovation and driving engagement to help the planet.

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