September 2012 News Archives > USC Dana and David Dornsife College of Letters, Arts and Sciences

Charles McKenna, professor of chemistry and vice dean for natural sciences in USC Dornsife (third from left), wears his decoration recognizing him as a <em>Chevalier</em> (Knight) in the <em>Ordre des Palmes Académiques</em> (Order of Academic Palms), with (from left) incoming USC Dornsife Dean Steve Kay; USC Executive Vice Provost Michael Quick; and Chi Mak, professor and chair of chemistry in USC Dornsife. Photo courtesy of the Consulate General of France in Los Angeles.

Academic Accolades from France

September 28, 2012

Charles McKenna, professor of chemistry and vice dean for natural sciences in USC Dornsife, has been named a Chevalier, or Knight, in the Ordre des Palmes Académiques (Order of Academic Palms) by the prime minister of… more>

categories: faculty research

tags: charles mckenna, chemistry, natural sciences, ordre des palmes académiques, stay, vice dean for natural sciences

This street art located near Callejón de Hamel in Havana is part of the photographer/graffiti artist known as JR’s "Wrinkles in Time" project featuring images of elders from the region. In Cuba, there is a disproportionate amount of elderly as a result of migration and low birth rates. Photo by Karen Graciela Calderon.

Contradicting Cuba

September 25, 2012

In a joint effort between USC Dornsife and the USC Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism, 20 USC students traveled to Havana, Cuba, this summer for a 10-day study of the island’s political, economic and… more>

categories: undergraduate, graduate, research

tags: angeli agrawal, cuba, international relations, journalism, megan sweas, pamela starr, problems without passports, public diplomacy, public relations, roberto suro, student travel, veronica werhane

Last year, eight short films were entered in USC's first science-themed movie competition, organized by Clifford Johnson, professor of physics and astronomy in USC Dornsife. Shown here are stills from the films. Courtesy of Clifford Johnson.

Cinematic Science

September 25, 2012

Looking for an innovative, interdisciplinary classroom project? Now is the time for professors in all USC schools to motivate their students to enter the 2012 Science Film Competition. The deadline for competition… more>

categories: undergraduate, graduate, faculty research, undergraduate research, graduate research

tags: clifford johnson, humanities, interdisciplinary, kevin le, science film competition, usc school of cinematic arts

Thomas Ward, a USC Dornsife anthropologist, documents his life with MS-13 members in <em>Gangsters Without Borders: An Ethnography of a Salvadoran Street Gang</em> recently published by Oxford University Press. Photo by Eddie North-Hager.

One of the Gang

September 24, 2012

During his fieldwork one evening in Los Angeles, Thomas Ward found himself staring down the barrel of a gang member’s gun. His brush with death was a promise and a threat — Ward better pass the gang’s… more>

categories: faculty research, commencement

tags: ethnography, faculty publication, gang life, social science, thomas ward

Susumu Takahashi, assistant professor of chemistry in USC Dornsife, was lead author of the recent <em>Nature</em> paper describing how he and his multiuniversity team developed the world’s first free-electron laser-powered EPR spectrometer. The laser (shown here) is based at the University of California, Santa Barbara. Photo by Susumu Takahashi.

Laser-ing in on Molecules

September 24, 2012

By using this high-powered laser, which is based at the University of Californa, Santa Barbara, scientists were able to dramatically boost the effectiveness of EPR spectroscopy. Led by USC Dornsife, a multiuniversity team has… more>

categories: research, faculty research

tags: chemistry, lasers, natural sciences, susumu takahashi

Quantum magnets and other occurrences in quantum mechanics could set the stage for the next big breakthroughs in computing, alternative energy and transportation technologies such as magnetic levitating trains. USC Dornsife's Stephan Haas has co-authored a study in <em>Nature</em> that moves the research forward. iStockphoto by Nick Schlax.

Breaking the Rules

September 21, 2012

Former and current USC Dornsife physicists have led a study that represents the first, quantitative account of the universal features of disordered bosons — or quantum particles — in magnetic materials. The study… more>

categories: research, faculty research, graduate research

tags: natural sciences, nature magazine, quantum physics, rong yu, stephan haas

Jan Amend, professor of earth sciences and biological sciences in USC Dornsife, will lead an interdisciplinary team of researchers in an investigation into what life teems within Earth's subsurface biosphere. Their approach could become a template for collecting evidence of life or past life on extraterrestrial planetary bodies such as Mars. Photo by Michelle Salzman.

Detecting Life Beyond Earth

September 21, 2012

A team of researchers led by Jan Amend, professor of earth sciences and biological sciences in USC Dornsife, has been selected to join the prestigious NASA Astrobiology Institute (NAI), an organization of competitively… more>

categories: research, faculty research, faculty diversity

tags: biological sciences, center for dark energy biosphere investigations, earth sciences, holly willis, jan amend, katrina edwards, kenneth nealson, moh el-naggar, nasa astrobiology institute, natural sciences, north pond, research grant

USC Dornsife's Moh El-Naggar (center) was voted among the 10 most promising young scientists by Popular Science magazine. Photo by Allison V. Smith.

Brilliant One

September 19, 2012

USC Dornsife scientist Moh El-Naggar has been selected as one of Popular Science’s 2012 Brilliant 10, the magazine’s annual honor roll of the 10 most promising young scientists. El-Naggar is featured in the… more>

categories: research, faculty research, diversity

tags: biophysics, diversity, moh el-naggar, natural sciences, physics, popular science

Baroness Shirley Williams of Crosby, who spoke at USC, was one of the “Gang of Four” who in 1981 founded the United Kingdom’s Social Democratic Party. She was recently honored as the Emory Bogardus Distinguished Lecturer in the Social Sciences in USC Dornsife. Photo by Mikel Healey.

Bold as Ever

September 14, 2012

Baroness Shirley Williams of Crosby believes a constant lackadaisical voter turnout is responsible for the dearth of governmental policy changes that would improve the quality of life in key areas such as health care and the… more>

categories: faculty research

tags: alexander m. capron, alison renteln, baroness shirley williams, emory bogardus distinguished lecturer in the social sciences, international relations, iran, nuclear crisis, robert english, social sciences

Saddle Your Dreams

September 14, 2012

The chestnut thoroughbred had a certain je ne sais quoi. “He’s all class,” said J. Paul Reddam, who owned the racing horse, I’ll Have Another. “It’s just something you sense when… more>

categories: alumni

tags: alumni, humanities, j. paul reddam, philosophy, the kentucky derby

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