USC Dornsife College of Letters, Arts & Sciences

The latest issue of the @USC Dornsife alumni magazine is here, and it's 🇺🇸 star-spangled. We're celebrating America's 250th anniversary with stories exploring the nation's founding principles, economy, tradition of scientific innovation and much more. Read the full magazine online: lnkd.in/g667Y-JF

Venus is farther from the Sun than Mercury — but it’s still the hottest planet in our solar system. How does that work? 🪐 A USC Dornsife astronomer explains why Venus is hot enough to melt lead. dornsife.usc.edu/news/stories/w…

What does it take to get people to rethink tofu? For alumnus George Stiffman ’19, it started with traditional vegetarian Chinese cooking, an apprenticeship with a fifth-generation tofu master and a realization: tofu is far more varied and culturally rich than many Americans realize. Now, as founder of Soycery, he’s helping institutional dining halls introduce more varieties, textures and preparations. Meet George, one of our 2026 “10 to Watch”: bit.ly/4yrBxbw

What happens when senators die or are incapacitated? -I wrote about what happens with tenuous partisan control of the US Senate. -Past is prologue: In the 1950s, 9 US Senators died, changing party control twice. Current Senate at 51 Rs of 100. medium.com/p/what-happens…

Congratulations to Luisa Luo, winner of @USC Dornsife Magazine’s creative writing contest. A senior double majoring in narrative studies and NGOs and social change, Luisa wrote “America’s Landmass” as a tribute to the “invisible actors” and overlooked cultural heritages that have shaped the nation as it marks its 250th anniversary. 📖 Read the full poem: dornsife.usc.edu/.../cwc-winner… 📝 Enter the next contest (Sept. 25 deadline): bit.ly/4fb4S11

Extreme heat makes urban shade more important than ever. A new AI tool from our spatial science researchers uses free aerial imagery to help cities map tree canopy and target investments where they’re needed most. The best part? We've made the research, code and model freely available online. today.usc.edu/usc-researcher…

Scientists have long struggled to understand how different microbes contribute to the breakdown of carbon-containing organic matter. USC Dornsife researchers and their collaborators have developed a new way to make sense of this hidden workforce. Read here: uscne.ws/hfy

We know that when a community faces an environmental crisis, research has to move quickly. Following the Boyle Heights warehouse fire, our Public Exchange CLEAN project began providing free rapid-response soil testing for lead and other heavy metals. nbclosangeles.com/news/local/boy…

USC is the only university selected to host rare nation-founding documents dating back to 1774. As part of the nation's 250th anniversary celebration, the traveling exhibition invited viewers to reflect on the enduring ideals of life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. 🇺🇲 Read more: uscne.ws/Fpt

“What do the Declaration of Independence’s ideas mean to us here in L.A.? How do we live them? How do we challenge them?” @USC Dornsife scholar Laura Dominguez ’12, ’23 has helped to lead LA2026, a citywide initiative examining the nation’s 250th anniversary through the lens of Los Angeles. #America250 dornsife.usc.edu/magazine/ameri…

As deputy director of the @NMAAHC, @USC Dornsife alumna Michelle Commander PhD '10 helps bring African American history to life for the thousands of visitors that walk through the museum's doors each year. “Telling these stories helps bring us together in greater unity. We may be the National Museum of African American History and Culture, but these are human stories. If you ever loved anyone, if you’ve ever cared about your neighbor, you can find yourself here.” dornsife.usc.edu/magazine/comma…

What was life like for early American colonists? Rural, pungent and physically laborious, say @USC Dornsife historians. #America250 dornsife.usc.edu/magazine/colon…

As America's 250th anniversary approaches, @USC Dornsife historian Peter Mancall examines one of the nation's most radical choices: the separation of church and state. "They decided, instead, that a durable republic could best survive if politics and religion inhabited different spheres." dornsife.usc.edu/news/stories/t…

Know a recent USC Dornsife graduate whose achievements, leadership or innovation deserve the spotlight? Nominate them for our next 10 to Watch list, an annual recognition of alumni making a big impact in their professional field. Submit your nomination today: usc.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_bk…

From struggling student to @USC Dornsife psychology graduate to Army officer ✌️ Allison Parra ‘24 credits USC Army ROTC, administered by @USCPrice, for helping her find confidence, community, and purpose. dornsife.usc.edu/news/stories/u…

From new findings about e-cigarettes to reshaping our understanding of “dad brain,” USC researchers are uncovering insights that can change how we think about health, parenting and everyday life. Explore the June 2026 issue of Research@USC for this month’s most impactful discoveries: uscne.ws/jrusc

Just weeks after graduating, economics alumnus Darnell Adler won the top prize at a global innovation challenge, beating out more than 135,000 ideas from 40 countries. His startup, Lifeline AI, helps people discreetly call for help when taking out a phone or speaking may be unsafe. Congratulations, Darnell — and Fight On! ✌️ dornsife.usc.edu/news/stories/u…

What happens in the brain when children learn music? In the latest Trojan Talks, @USC Pres. Beong-Soo Kim speaks with USC Dornsife psychologist @AssalHabibi about a 7-year study of young violin students and what it revealed about language, speech perception and executive function. Watch or listen to the full discussion: president.usc.edu

We believe public scholarship matters. Our Communicators of the Year share their expertise with audiences far beyond campus, weighing in on topics from war and global politics to climate change, wealth inequality, literature and microbial life deep beneath Earth’s surface. Congratulations to @davidulin, Robert English, Karen Lloyd (@archaearama), Carly Kenkel (@DrCarlsHorn), and @Jackson_Trager! dornsife.usc.edu/news/stories/2…

Please join us in congratulating this year's faculty and staff award recipients, honored at our Spring Awards Luncheon. They all reflect the excellence, dedication and service that make USC Dornsife such an extraordinary place. Fight On! ✌️dornsife.usc.edu/news/stories/e…