USC Viterbi
News

First USC Research Prototype Launches for Testing on the International Space Station

Jun 02, 2023

CLINGERS, a unique docking system, is designed to facilitate sensing and docking operations in space.

Get Ready for a World of Self-Growing and Healing “Living” Materials

May 26, 2023

New research at USC Viterbi School of Engineering seeks to upcycle waste materials by harnessing the power of microorganisms.

Wide Awake and Dreaming: USC Viterbi’s 2023 Master’s Commencement Ceremonies

May 13, 2023

The class of 2023 is “the best educated, the most representative in our history.”

“At Heart, We’re Problem Solvers:” USC Viterbi Undergraduate Commencement 2023

May 13, 2023

This year’s ceremony at Alumni Park was headlined by alumnus and venture capitalist, Mark Stevens, who praised the power and versatility of an engineering degree

“Attention is All You Need”: New Ph.D.s Urged to Attend to “Challenges of Earth’s Eight Billion People.”

May 12, 2023

The 2023 Ph.D. Hooding and Awards Ceremony honors 133 new graduates and Jiaoyang Li, winner of this year’s best Ph.D. thesis.

“Everything Full Force:” USC Viterbi Senior Shines On The Track

May 03, 2023

Civil engineering major and sprinter Chioma Okonkwo hopes to medal in the NCAA Women’s Track and Field Championships and perhaps even run in the Olympics

Scooby Doo Meets the Concrete Canoe

Apr 26, 2023

USC Viterbi’s ASCE student chapter competes in the “America’s Cup of Civil Engineering.”

Students Compete to Innovate for a Better Future in LA

Apr 19, 2023

The Das Family Innovate x LA Student Competition challenges students to develop high-impact urban solutions and compete for a $15,000 prize.

Bacteria Resistant to Last Resort Antibiotic Found for First Time in Los Angeles County Wastewater

Apr 05, 2023

Small plasmids are considered mobile genetic elements and transmissible between different types of bacteria

Like Father, Like Son? What It Feels Like to Attend College with Your Dad

Mar 29, 2023

A father-son duo bond over their shared experience studying construction at the USC Viterbi School of Engineering.

Stressed at work? USC Researchers Aim to Change That

Mar 21, 2023

An interdisciplinary team, including three USC Viterbi researchers, recently received a $1.1M National Science Foundation grant for managing, mitigating on-the-job stress

The Nature of Dangerous Construction Work is Radically Changing

Mar 13, 2023

A new study spearheaded by the USC Sonny Astani Department of Civil & Environmental Engineering shows how on-site construction can go remote.

Professors Costas Synolakis and Gérard Medioni and Viterbi Board of Councilors Member Fariborz Maseeh Elected to the NAE

Feb 07, 2023

Election to the National Academy of Engineering is considered the highest honor for engineers

Gridlock Warrior

Nov 30, 2022

Ketan Savla is designing computational solutions to improve the flow of traffic in congested cities. “Smarter” stoplights may be just around the corner.

Concrete Built Half Our World, But May Be Harming It. Thomas Petersen Wants to Change That.

Nov 14, 2022

New USC Viterbi assistant professor works to engineer “green” cement.

Clearing the (Classroom) Air

Nov 08, 2022

A new air purification strategy by USC Viterbi researchers might reduce the risk of COVID-19 transmission in classrooms and other indoor spaces by as much as tenfold.

Micro CT Scanner – One of Just Two on the West Coast – Comes to Campus

Oct 31, 2022

The machine can take high-resolution pictures at the micron level, or one-millionth of a meter

34 new hires, including the new biomedical engineering chair, join for fall and spring semesters

Oct 28, 2022

USC Viterbi New Faculty Hires 2022-2023

The Surprising Powerful Global Tsunamis Driven by Underwater Volcanic Eruptions

Aug 31, 2022

USC researchers and colleagues track and document the tsunami impact of a recent event near Tonga

Need Help Building a Moon Base? USC Viterbi Researchers Partner with NASA

Aug 17, 2022

Low cost, low impact construction on the moon: new CrafTram technology could aid the next generation of lunar explorers

Going Digital, With Low Code and Low Cost

Aug 15, 2022

Electronic records startup Frontida Records raises funds to organize medical information in low resource settings across the world

Student Startup Remedy Addresses Healthcare for Unhoused

Aug 03, 2022

USC students gain funding for products that support portable medicine storage

Engineering Communities, One Stitch at a Time

Jul 07, 2022

USC senior Kathryn Huang co-founded Madhatter Knits, a knitting group that provides resources for newborns across the globe.

Going Platinum: A Non-Toxic Catalyst for Clean, Re-Usable Water

Jun 08, 2022

How USC researchers identified a new treatment for harmful aldehydes in wastewater

“The Best Educated Class In Our History”

May 14, 2022

At the 2022 commencement ceremony, undergraduates shared laughter, tears and hugs as they embark on a new journey

“The World Impatiently Waits For You”: 1100 USC Viterbi Master’s Students Graduate

May 14, 2022

First in-person, satellite ceremonies in two years feature four-star general and former CEO of Yahoo and Verizon Media as speakers

“Do Better Than Us”: Three Years of USC Viterbi Ph.D.s Receive Their Hoods.

May 12, 2022

At the 2022 Ph.D. Hooding and Awards Ceremony, 215 new graduates join Trojan forebears like Andrew Viterbi and Wanda Austin.

2022 Graduate Yun Li Awarded Top PhD Honor for Exemplary Research

May 11, 2022

The 2022 graduate was honored for research on the role of energy system decarbonization and land surface properties on urban air quality in Southern California.

For Graduate Elyse Pollack, There’s Nothing Better Than Being a Trojan

May 09, 2022

From playing on USC’s world-famous marching band to mentorship for USC’s female engineers, USC Viterbi graduating senior Elyse Pollack thrives on Trojan spirit and family.

Professor J.J. Lee retires after changing students’ lives at USC for over 50 years

Apr 29, 2022

Inspired by a desire to safeguard coastal spaces, Lee moved from Taiwan to the U.S. to catapult the next generation of engineers at USC Viterbi.

Milad Pirhadi, USC PhD’21, Awarded Top PhD Honor for Exemplary Research

Apr 25, 2022

Pirhadi, now an air pollution specialist at the California Air Resources Board, was the second PhD in Professor Constantinos Sioutas’ lab to win the USC PhD Achievement Award in six years.

Catching Smoke: How a USC Team is Helping Clear the Air in Alaska

Apr 20, 2022

Innovative USC Viterbi course unites interdisciplinary students to clean Fairbanks smoke pollution with “Chimney Cherries”

Alumni Couple Supports Student Innovation

Apr 19, 2022

Santanu and Kelly Das, B.S. ’95, B.S. ’96 met at USC. Now they’re kickstarting a CEE student innovation competition for a more sustainable Los Angeles

Becoming an Engineer, One Extreme Hike at a Time

Apr 08, 2022

USC Viterbi student Prathmesh Bakshhi translates his passion for discovery to impact communities and infrastructures across the globe.

Can Concrete Heal Its Own Cracks Without Losing Its Strength?

Mar 03, 2022

USC researchers create an alternate approach to self-healing concrete that is low cost and upholds the innate strength of the original material.

Professor Lucio Soibelman Awarded 2022 ASCE Research Award

Mar 02, 2022

Soibelman honored for his work on smart buildings and infrastructure with 2022 Peurifoy Construction Research Award

Viterbi Alumnus and Construction Executive Establishes $1 Million Endowment in Construction Management

Dec 10, 2021

Gift from Jonathan Emami, graduate of the construction management program, will help nurture the next generation of construction and development leaders

Startups for A Better Tomorrow

Dec 09, 2021

The Min Family Challenge, a business model contest to develop startups that benefit the underprivileged, held its 2021-2022 kickoff

When Basics are a Luxury, How Do You Promote Sustainability?

Dec 02, 2021

$10 milk. Electricity six times the national average. An innovative course at USC partners with Alaska’s Tlingit indigenous community to find new answers.

Can We Coordinate Water Sources to Recover More Water Sustainably?

Nov 16, 2021

USC research show how blending water in desalination and wastewater reclamation facilities can increase potable water supply while minimizing environmental impact

Burcin Becerik-Gerber Elected to National Academy of Construction

Nov 15, 2021

The Dean’s Professor and Sonny Astani Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering Chair was honored for her innovation and leadership in advancing user-centered built environments

In Memoriam: “Renaissance Man” George Ban-Weiss

Nov 08, 2021

A world-class environmental researcher and virtuoso bassist, Ban-Weiss influenced public policy and touched lives

The Sonny Astani Department Honors its Exceptional Research and Teaching Assistants

Oct 28, 2021

Students are recognized for excellence by faculty, staff and students.

How Do You Clean Salty Water Better? By Keeping Desalination Tools Dry.

Oct 26, 2021

USC researchers deepen understanding of membrane design to allow for desalination of high salinity streams using green or lower energy investment

Is L.A. Like a City Built on Jell-O? Can Enzymes Be the Key to Replacing Concrete? Chukwuebuka Nweke May Have the Answers

Oct 08, 2021

New USC Viterbi assistant professor seeks to make our cities more resilient in the face of natural disasters.

How do we Erase Forever Contaminants?

Sep 23, 2021

USC Viterbi Associate Professor Adam Smith seeks to get rid of persistent chemicals found in nonstick pans by identifying bacteria that can consume them.

Building Lasting Bonds and Memorable Structures One Relationship at a Time

Sep 21, 2021

Construction engineering senior Mayra Rodriguez is determined to lead construction teams to build cleaner and better by investing in the future.

Assessing the Health of Buildings

Aug 30, 2021

Audrey Olivier explores data analytics to identify potential risk factors and avoid future hazards in the structures that house and connect us.

9 Questions With Data Scientist and Duet CTO Lucas Hu

Jul 01, 2021

A triangle of giving: USC Viterbi alumnus Lucas Hu connects donors to global refugees and local stores

Burçin Becerik-Gerber to Chair the Sonny Astani Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering

Jun 28, 2021

Dean’s professor and expert in human-building interaction to begin three-year term July 1, 2021.

Two USC Viterbi Faculty Win Office of Naval Research Young Investigator Awards

Jun 04, 2021

Rehan Kapadia and Qiming Wang are two of only 38 recipients nationwide.

Can Measuring Air Pollutants Help Us Combat COVID-19?

May 26, 2021

An air sampling method created by USC Viterbi researchers has been adopted by the Department of Homeland Security to better understand COVID-19’s spread.

An Opportunity to Mitigate Student Health Outbreaks Through Wastewater

May 25, 2021

USC researchers use wastewater to help predict and mitigate spread of COVID-19, with applications toward other highly contagious illnesses like the flu.

As Water Sources Become Scarce, Understanding Emerging Subsurface Contaminants is Key

May 24, 2021

USC researchers modeled complex subsurface water flow to help assess the risk of contaminants appearing in high, unsafe concentrations in variable water sources.

Commencement 2021: Engineering Grads Take Center Stage at L.A. Coliseum For First Time in 71 Years

May 21, 2021

In a return to in-person graduation, the Class of 2020 and 2021 celebrate “passage to a post-COVID new world”

A Global Solution for Sustainability Begins Locally

May 18, 2021

USC Viterbi graduate Harmita Golwala hopes California’s cutting edge research on sustainability can ultimately impact environmental progress in India.

How the Hoover Dam Broke Boundaries

May 12, 2021

Inspired by the Hoover Dam’s grandeur, graduating USC Viterbi student Saumya Joshi is a trailblazer in her own right, fearlessly changing the face of construction engineering.

From Engineer to Policy Maker

Apr 19, 2021

Philip Fine combined his technical expertise with his negotiating savvy for his new role at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

Saving Clean Drinking Water…With Math!

Apr 07, 2021

USC Viterbi researchers develop innovative new method to analyze how shifts in the earth affect drinking water supply

Scholarship and Fellowship Celebration Spotlights Generosity, Academic Excellence

Apr 02, 2021

Annual event brings together talented students and the donors who support their pursuits.

Can Bacteria Make Stronger Armor, Cars and Airplanes?

Feb 19, 2021

USC researchers harness the power of living organisms to make materials that are strong, tolerant and resilient.

USC Junior Advances Communities By Engineering Infrastructures That Serve The People

Feb 09, 2021

For Viterbi student Jessica Brown, engineering is about advancing well-being of our neighbors, in the places we call home.

Even Machines Need Their Greens

Jan 27, 2021

Chloroplast-Fortified 3D-Printer Ink May Strengthen Products Like Custom Sneaker Soles

Behrokh Khoshnevis named AAAS Fellow

Dec 01, 2020

The USC professor joins 40 previously selected faculty members as fellows of the American Association for the Advancement of Science.

“Viterbi vs. Pandemics” Lecture 11: Environmental Influences on Work From Home

Nov 24, 2020

As part of an 11-part lecture series, USC Viterbi researchers spoke on the role and influence of built environments on mental and physical health, and work productivity and satisfaction.

Building Buildings that Survive Generations

Nov 05, 2020

USC Viterbi master’s student Maria Leos learns what fortifies structures, while bolstering her future one opportunity at a time.

Building Trust between Construction Workers and Construction Robots

Oct 29, 2020

How virtual reality can help robots change the face of the construction industry.

A 10-Day Forecast for COVID-19

Oct 28, 2020

USC Viterbi’s Roger Ghanem and Xiaoshu Zeng have created models which predict daily, new COVID-19 cases.

A Sustainable Hackathon

Sep 11, 2020

The 4th annual Sustain-A-Thon saw 57 students propose solutions for making the planet more livable and sustainable.

USC Viterbi Offers Two New Short Courses: “Viterbi vs. Pandemics!” and “Sustainable Energy”

Sep 03, 2020

Both lecture series launch the week after Labor Day, offering students a comprehensive faculty coverage of COVID-19 and a series on sustainable energy with Dean Yortsos

USC Viterbi Sustainability Projects Receive $150,000 Funding Boost

Aug 18, 2020

Projects centered on precision agriculture, water modeling using AI, and smog-reducing architecture have been recognized in the USC Center for Sustainability Solutions’ latest grants.

USC Viterbi Launches New Masters Program in Advanced Design and Construction Technology

Jul 29, 2020

Interdisciplinary program from the Sonny Astani Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering will create leaders of the built environment and sustainable cities

USC Viterbi Engineer Builds Bridge from San Diego to Tijuana

Jul 08, 2020

Viry Martino, a USC Viterbi alumna and civil engineer, played a critical role in the construction of the Cross Border Xpress

USC Viterbi Doctoral Student Named Among “World’s Top 35 Innovators Under 35”

Jun 17, 2020

Ghena Alhanee is the first USC doctoral student to have made MIT Technology Review’s prestigious list twice

Six USC Viterbi Faculty Win NSF CAREER Awards

Jun 01, 2020

Awards span research from machine learning to wastewater reuse to fluid dynamics and to self-healing materials.

Six Innovative Ideas To Aid People in Crisis Zones

May 28, 2020

USC Viterbi’s Virtual Demo Day showcases student-designed products for the world’s hardest-to-reach people.

Wastewater Surveillance Could Promote Early COVID-19 Detection

May 28, 2020

USC Researchers Receive NSF RAPID grant to track coronavirus spread through wastewater samples.

USC Undergraduate Researcher Peers Beneath The Waves

May 14, 2020

Hannah Walker, a graduating mechanical engineering major and winner of the USC Discovery Scholar Prize, has created a device to inexpensively map the ocean’s underwater topography.

Blazing New Trails, from Dirt Bikes to Construction

May 13, 2020

USC senior Julia Lind seeks to bring technology not just to the people who design buildings, but to those who build them.

What If Airplanes Could Repair Their Own Damage?

Mar 27, 2020

USC researchers 3-D-printed the next-generation of high strength, lightweight structures that can autonomously heal impact damage.

USC Viterbi Listed Again Among the Nation’s Top 10 Engineering Graduate Programs

Mar 19, 2020

Annual rankings by U.S. News & World Report also keep USC Viterbi among the top five private engineering schools

Reducing the Environmental Impact of Desalination and Wastewater Treatment

Mar 12, 2020

USC Viterbi Ph.D. student Sophia Plata, the first woman in her family to attend college, works to meet the challenge of access to clean water.

A Future Sound “Computer”?

Feb 10, 2020

USC researchers create smart materials that can mimic electrical devices by triggering different responses to sound.

Some Wastewater Reuse Processes Can Lead to Undesired Byproducts

Feb 03, 2020

Potable water reuse is a boon for sustainability, but USC researchers warn of potentially toxic byproducts.

In A Season Of Giving, This Student Start-up Is Transforming The Way We Give

Dec 09, 2019

Duet is the world’s first student-built micro-philanthropy platform designed to connect donors with refugees and local stores in a more personalized and dignified way

Changing a 150-year-old paradigm

Nov 25, 2019

USC Researcher Discovers a New Approach to Stabilize Spinning Systems by Simultaneously Injecting and Removing Energy

MIT Technology Review Names USC Viterbi Ph.D. Student One of “The Top Innovators Under 35” in the Middle East and North Africa

Oct 31, 2019

The award recognizes Ghena Alhanaee for her work to prevent a regional catastrophe by providing a linked emergency response plan across the Persian Gulf

Can a Building Help Thwart The Next Active Shooter?

Oct 29, 2019

Researchers have designed a virtual environment to test how building features in schools and offices help or hurt occupants during active shooter incidents.

Researchers demonstrate antibiotic-resistant genes are well removed by purification used to recycle wastewater but final quality is influenced by environmental factors

Oct 03, 2019

A team led by Assistant Professor in the USC Viterbi Sonny Astani Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering Adam Smith has found that purified water returned to Southern California aquifers for storage and reuse blends with antibiotic-resistant bacteria already found in the aquifer, adding key data to the conversation on how we reuse water.

USC Viterbi News

USC Viterbi

USC Viterbi
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