Research at South Carolina
Research is a learning tool of the highest order at the University of South Carolina. Discovery allows us to illuminate history, contextualize the present, and help plan for what’s to come.
Scientific research, scholarship and creative activity abound throughout USC. That focused presence within nearly all colleges, departments and campuses of the state’s flagship university is one reason USC has earned the top research designation from the Carnegie Foundation.
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Future focused.
USC is home to interdisciplinary expert research teams that are exploring solutions to five scientific and societal challenges facing South Carolina. Their discoveries can have wider implications — benefitting any state grappling with these significant scientific and societal challenges.
Research Institutes -
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Research Spotlights
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Video: Investigating remote work "offices"
Remote work has become more common since the COVID19 pandemic, however it might not be the best for every worker. The Family Inequality Research Lab led by sociology professor Jennifer Augustine investigated remote work through collecting data on remote work spaces. What they found may surprise you.
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Carolina Trustees Professorship: Susan D. Richardson, chemistry
Chemistry professor Susan D. Richardson, the 2025 Carolina Trustees Professorship recipient, has spent her career researching water— from the safety of the water we drink to the quality of water for our ecosystems.
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Kazakhstan studies affirm imperative to secure nuclear storage solutions
The pleasing pastoral landscapes across the former Semipalatinsk Nuclear Test Site in Kazakhstan hardly reflect its dark history. Generations of locals have lived near the site since it opened in 1949, and many remain today. USC researchers Timothy Mousseau and Magdalena Stawkowski are studying the impact of radioactive isotopes on the people, animals and plants of Semipalantinsk.
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Baruch researchers investigate impacts of warming waters on shrimp populations
Project investigators from USC’s Baruch Marine Field Lab have been collaborating on a study into the impacts of warming coastal ocean waters on shrimp populations. They found that shrimp populations have been largely stable, and warmer water temperatures have led to longer seasons for shrimpers, often through January.
Let's build a better world.
The resources of the University of South Carolina are poised to address local and global challenges. We work with public and private collaborators to provide our researchers with the resources and infrastructure they need to make a difference.
Partnership Opportunities