Awards and Honors
USC is made up of those who see solutions, not problems. In honor of the boundless energy and unmatched effort to re-open our campus, President Folt has honored those who made it happen with a first-of-its-kind award. The spotlight also has shown a host of achievements for faculty, staff and students.
Employees’ pandemic work honored with monuments representing USC’s Presidential Medallion
For the first time, the medallion is presented to all staff, faculty and front-line health-care workers for keeping USC safe during the pandemic.
Driven to lead, USC sets the pace on carbon neutrality
In a move taken by only a handful of universities, USC aims for net zero carbon emissions. By 2025, USC will have improved its energy efficiency and expanded the use of solar power. USC also has made sustainability a core part of its curriculum, fostering global citizens who will fight climate change.
Three USC professors elected fellows of the National Academy of Inventors
USC Viterbi’s Andrea Armani and Cyrus Shahabi and USC Dornsife’s Sri Narayan join a distinguished class of 175 inductees who demonstrate “a prolific spirit of innovation.”
USC wins silver in the nation’s sustainability rating system for colleges and universities
The university underwent a rigorous evaluation by STARS, the nation’s sustainability rating system for colleges and universities, with the results highlighting successes in community partnerships and biodiversity.
USC’s John Carpten to chair President Biden’s National Cancer Advisory Board
As chair of the presidential board, Carpten will be in a position to guide the nation’s cancer research efforts.
Enlisting the power of AI to fight California wildfires
USC Viterbi artificial intelligence experts are helping firefighters strategize how best to plan controlled burns and manage unexpected blazes.
Award-winning design from USC architecture professor saves energy while using none
Though Doris Sung has won awards before, she hopes this particular one — the Cooper Hewitt 2021 National Design Award for climate action — will inspire the next generation of architects at USC.
USC Leonard Davis assistant professor receives prestigious investigator-focused grant
Assistant Professor Bérénice Benayoun will receive more than $2 million over five years to support her research on mechanisms of genomic regulation and how they influence health and disease.
USC social work professors awarded Fulbrights to expand research internationally
Clinical Associate Professor Jennifer Lewis and Clinical Professor Emerita Anne Katz are among highly select number of USC faculty awarded by U.S. Department of State.
Professors Hannah Garry and Gerald Giaquinta set to go overseas as Fulbright Scholars
Garry will study laws to enforce refugees’ rights and Giaquinta will teach cross-cultural communication and business.