USC Dornsife News Briefs

Megan Fieser, assistant professor of chemistry, has been awarded a Scialog Collaborative Innovation Award from the Research Corporation for Science Advancement. One of eight projects funded in year two of Scialog’s Sustainable Minerals, Metals, and Materials initiative, the award supports basic scientific research on the acquisition, use and recycling of materials used in technology. Fieser will receive $60,000 to support her work on “SECURE Polymerization – Selective Encapsulation by Chelation Using Radiation-Enabled Polymerization” with Michael Schulz of Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University.

Hubert Saleur, professor of physics and astronomy, has won the Ampère Prize from the French Academy of Sciences. This prestigious honor, which includes 50,000 euros, recognizes outstanding achievements in physics and mathematics by a French scientist. Saleur’s studies include low-dimensional quantum field theories and statistical mechanics at the interface of hard condensed matter physics and high-energy physics, transport out of equilibrium in nanostructures, and phase transitions in disordered electronic systems.

Tok Thompson, professor (teaching) of anthropology, has been elected a Fellow of the American Folklore Society in recognition of his “meritorious service to the Society and the discipline of folklore studies.” As a fellow, Thompson — who was also recently inducted into the Sigma Xi Scientific Research Honor Society — will aid the society as it supports the study and advancement of folklore and expressive cultural traditions globally through student mentoring programs, sessions at the society’s annual meeting, and special awards.

Anna Krylov, USC Associates Chair in Natural Sciences and professor of chemistry, has been awarded the 2025 George Gamow Award by the Russian American Science Association. The award recognizes outstanding contributions by Russian-speaking scientists to science, collaboration, and cultural exchange. Krylov was honored for her leadership, work in theoretical and computational chemistry, and advocacy for scientific integrity and academic freedom.

Erin Baggott Carter and Brett Carter, associate professors of political science and international relations, were awarded the William H. Riker Book Award by the American Political Science Association for their book Propaganda in Autocracies: Institutions, Information, and the Politics of Belief. The prize recognizes the best book published on political economy over the past three years. The Carters’ work analyzes how authoritarian regimes use propaganda to shape beliefs, advancing scholarly understanding of political institutions and information control.

USC Dornsife’s Public Exchange gathers scientists, health experts and community partners for a day of learning, connection and wellness designed to support neighborhoods impacted by the January wildfires.

Lowell Stott, professor of Earth sciences, has been elected a 2025 Union Fellow by AGU, joining a select group honored for exceptional contributions to Earth and space sciences. The AGU Fellowship recognizes scientific breakthroughs, discoveries or innovations advancing the field. Stott was honored for his influential paleoclimate, geochemistry and climate variability work. He will be formally recognized at the AGU25 conference in New Orleans this December.

Spotting the earliest warning signs of Alzheimer’s disease could help delay or even prevent the disease. Duke Han of psychology at USC Dornsife is co-leading a new, nationwide effort to make that possibility a reality.

Danzy Senna, professor of English, has received a 46th Annual American Book Award from the Before Columbus Foundation for her novel Colored Television. The award honors literary excellence without limitations or restrictions, recognizing both established writers and under-recognized voices. Senna’s work has previously received accolades including the Whiting Writers’ Award, the Dos Passos Prize and the Book of the Month Award for First Fiction for her debut novel, Caucasia.