Uncovering New Knowledge
As one of our core missions, research defines USC Dornsife. Here, a dynamic community of over 500 research-active scholars across the humanities, social sciences, and natural sciences uncovers new knowledge and offers new ways to make sense of the world. In the tradition of great American research universities, USC Dornsife upholds a social contract to produce innovations that underpin our modern way of living and solve problems of tremendous complexity.
By fostering intellectual curiosity, critical thinking, and interdisciplinary collaboration, USC Dornsife also play a vital role in nurturing the next generation of scholars and leaders. Academic integrity, rigor, and inclusivity guide our pursuit, ensuring that new discoveries and insights are ethically obtained, thoroughly examined, and accessible to all — ultimately benefiting the greater good of humanity.
Research News
USC Dornsife Research Themes
Developing New Methods
At USC Dornsife, new methods are under development that could have significant, far-reaching impacts — enabling breakthrough technology and providing cross-cutting ways to explore problems. Advanced imaging techniques, self-report science, CRISPR and liquid biopsy, geospatial mapping, digital humanities, and more — at USC Dornsife, new methods are often the result of collaborative efforts to open new possibilities for discovery. Sometimes, they change the game entirely.
Curiosity at Work
Our modern way of living has been built on the work of scholars who pushed forward the boundaries of knowledge. At USC Dornsife, foundational scholarship is at the heart of our mission. While it often has no immediately obvious practical application and can be difficult to understand, this wellspring of ideas is not only valuable as the pursuit of human enlightenment. It is also the vital force behind the process of innovation. From string theory to experimental semantics to medieval dance, these esoteric pursuits of the moment will inform many of tomorrow’s technological, medical, and social breakthroughs.
Supporting and Promoting Scholarship
USC Dornsife Research Statistics
$119M
Annual Research Expenditures
362
Federal Awards
985
Active Grants
USC Dornsife undergraduate students recently engineered microbes to quickly remove medicinal drugs from the water supply. Their inventive method of ensuring sustainably clean water was showcased at the International Genetically Engineered Machine Grand Jamboree, a global synthetic biology competition.
Public Exchange
Public Exchange amplifies social impact by making academic expertise more easily accessible than ever before. The first-of-its-kind hub connects leaders in the public and private sectors with the right team of USC researchers and streamlines the collaborative process, providing project management from start to finish.
Defining the Future
USC Dornsife researchers work on the leading edge of emerging fields, where expertise is in extraordinary demand. They are not just contributing new knowledge, but anticipating and shaping the future.
Environmental Economics
A team of USC Dornsife economists design and model which incentives are most effective in motivating the free market and governments to work together to improve our environmental quality of life. Whether they’re using “green data” to inform carbon tax proposals or exploring how to make global supply chains more efficient, environmental economists are helping us adapt and succeed on a warmer planet.
Quantitative and Computational Biology
Researchers at the Department of Quantitative and Computational Biology pioneer advanced computational and statistical techniques to understand how human genes express themselves in an individual. While interpreting this vast amount of data will have profound implications for the future of medicine, the department is also dedicated to expanding diversity among datasets to incorporate underrepresented groups and ensure that new discoveries benefit everyone.
Visual Anthropology
USC Dornsife experts in visual anthropology pursue an immersive understanding of human cultures through visual media like photography, film, and digital technologies. By capturing the nuances of social interactions and practices, visual anthropology fosters cross-cultural comparison and deepens our appreciation of human diversity.
Contacts
Senior Advisor to the Dean for Research Strategy and Development
Stephen Bradforth
(213) 740-0461
stephen.bradforth@usc.edu
Divisional Deans
Humanities
Rebecca Lemon
rlemon@usc.edu
Life Sciences
Ian Ehrenreich
Ian.Ehrenreich@usc.edu
Physical Sciences and Mathematics
Moh El Naggar
mnaggar@usc.edu
Social Sciences
William Deverell
deverell@usc.edu
Research Administration
Allan Hancock Foundation Building
3616 Trousdale Pkwy, AHF 108
Los Angeles, CA 90089
research@dornsife.usc.edu