How decades of mistrust and bad blood led to US-Iran warfare Some major historical events in US-Iran relations highlight differences, but others have presented real opportunities for reconciliation

As a fragile ceasefire takes hold, how did tensions between the U.S. and #Iran escalate to this point?

USCDornsife experts trace the decades of mistrust that led to open conflict—and what comes next. dornsife.usc.edu/news/stories...

USC set ’26 honorary degree recipients, baccalaureate speaker Honorarees include literary legend, virtuoso and trailblazing geophysicist.

A remarkable group of leaders and changemakers will be honored at USC’s 2026 Commencement.

Meet this year’s honorary degree recipients and baccalaureate speaker.
today.usc.edu/usc-announce...

Rocker Dexter Holland to speak at USC Dornsife commencement The punk star, who fronts The Offspring and earned a BS, an MS and a PhD at USC Dornsife, will address 2,000 graduates on May 15.

Before he sold millions of records with The Offspring, Dexter Holland was a USC Dornsife student. A Triple Trojan who earned his bachelor’s, master’s and PhD at the college, he is returning to address USC Dornsife’s Class of 2026 on May 15 at Alumni Park. dornsife.usc.edu/news/stories...

Naval ROTC alum continues Trojan tradition of supporting U.S. military Explore the impact of USC Price's Naval ROTC program on students like William Durban, balancing leadership training with academic success.

From USC Naval ROTC to the U.S. Navy, William Durban is carrying forward a longstanding Trojan tradition of military service. His USC experience helped lay the foundation for leadership early in his career. priceschool.usc.edu/news/navy-ro...

Occasional heavy drinking may triple the risk of liver damage LOS ANGELES — People may assume that if they drink lightly during the week or month, heavy drinking on the occasional Friday or Saturday may not cause their liver harm. New research suggests otherwise, according to a Keck Medicine of USC study published today in Clinical Gastroenterology and Hepatology. Researchers discovered that people with ...

It’s not just how much you drink — it’s how you drink. A new Keck Medicine of USC study found that for people with MASLD, occasional heavy drinking may nearly triple the risk of advanced liver damage. news.keckmedicine.org/occasional-h...

USC announces joint biomedical engineering department Department is now a joint effort of USC’s engineering and medical schools.

A new chapter for health innovation at USC: the Keck School of Medicine of USC and the USC Viterbi School of Engineering are coming together through a joint biomedical engineering department designed to move ideas from discovery to real-world impact.
today.usc.edu/usc-announce...

Gustavo Dudamel, L.A. maestro, to address USC commencement Acclaimed L.A. Philharmonic conductor to address grads May 14 at Coliseum.

USC is proud to announce Gustavo Dudamel as its 2026 commencement speaker. The acclaimed conductor will address the Class of 2026 at USC’s 143rd commencement ceremony on May 14 at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. #USCGrad
weare.sc/USCgrad143

First-year Trojans admitted for fall have record-high GPA average The students include scholars from USC’s signature college prep program.

Welcome to the Trojan Family! USC’s newly admitted first-year students for fall 2026 make up an extraordinary class, with a record-high average GPA of 3.92. Congratulations to these future Trojans — we’re excited for all that lies ahead! #IGotIntoUSC #WelcomeTrojans ✌️
today.usc.edu/first-year-t...

10 USC Dornsife alumni to watch in 2026 These accomplished alumni are changing everything from our diets to our understanding of ancient life on Earth.

What do an Olympic Gold Medalist, a paleontologist and a cookbook author all have in common? They're all Trojans!

Trojans find family link — and Underground Railroad connection USC student, longtime employee are descendants of trailblazing abolitionist.

History, rediscovered. USC Trojans uncover an ancestral link to Underground Railroad leader Mary Ann Shadd Cary — bringing a powerful legacy to light.

USC Venture & Innovation Summit: L.A.’s place in startup world More than 450 people attended daylong USC Venture & Innovation Summit.

Is L.A. ready to lead the startup world? Founders and scholars tackled that question at USC’s Venture & Innovation Summit.

Two USC Viterbi professors elected to engineering academy Shrikanth Narayanan and Amy Childress are honored.

USC @viterbischool.usc.edu professors Shrikanth Narayanan and Amy Childress were elected to National Academy of Engineering—one of the highest professional distinctions an engineer can receive!

National Girls and Women in Sports Day: Leaders, athletes gather at USC Trojans are inspired as women in professional sports share their stories of success.

Industry leaders and elite athletes shared stories and insights at USC’s National Girls & Women in Sports Day, offering inspiration and real-world advice to student attendees. today.usc.edu/industry-lea...

USC’s Beong-Soo Kim delivers State of the University addresses USC’s president shared his vision of the university’s future in two speeches.

Less than a week after the “interim” tag was removed from his title, Kim shared his vision of the university’s future with audiences at the University Park and Health Sciences campuses.

Bleaching event leaves two crucial corals 'functionally extinct' After a killer marine heatwave in Florida, two reef-building corals can’t do their ecological jobs — but experts aren’t giving up hope yet

Marine heatwaves are pushing coral beyond recovery. New @dornsife.usc.edu research finds two coral species are now functionally extinct after extreme ocean warming—underscoring how quickly climate impacts can reshape marine ecosystems.

USC again named a top producer of U.S. Fulbright students Meet the 19 Trojans who have been awarded the prestigious grants this academic year.

USC is once again a top producer of U.S. Fulbright students, underscoring the global reach of Trojan scholarship! ✌️

USC Student-Athletes Set New Academic Marks in Fall 2025 - USC Athletics LOS ANGELES — USC Athletics enjoyed another record-setting academic performance in Fall 2025, posting a department-best cumulative GPA of 3.247 and a semeste...

USC student-athletes set new academic benchmarks in Fall 2025—raising the bar in the classroom while competing at the highest level. Excellence on the field and beyond.

Daniel J. Epstein has spent decades making a difference in research, teaching and athletics at USC “Where I am now is ‘give-back’ time,” the Half Century Trojan says.

For decades, Daniel J. Epstein has helped shape USC through his support of research, teaching, and athletics—leaving a lasting mark on the university and the Trojan community.

In Memoriam: Norah Ashe-McNalley, director of The Writing Program Under Ashe-McNalley’s leadership, the program grew significantly in both scope and prestige.

Across her more than two decades at @dornsife.usc.edu, Ashe-McNalley taught countless undergraduates how to think critically and articulate ideas in their own voice. As the first faculty director of The Writing Program, she deftly navigated change and significant expansion.

In this episode of Trojan Talks, President Kim speaks with USC Professor Eileen Crimmins – a global aging expert and AARP Chair in Gerontology – about the biology of aging, early-life influences, and what research (not hype) shows about extending healthspan. Watch now: youtu.be/LbAXhq2XMzY

Martin Luther King Jr.’s Mission in Los Angeles The civil rights leader visited USC and its surrounding neighbors often in his quest to improve the lives of Black Americans. Here are a few of highlights of his enduring legacy.

Did you know that the civil rights leader visited USC and its surrounding neighborhoods throughout the late ’50s and ’60s?

New USC degree connects data science with legal applications | USC Gould School of Law Interdisciplinary collaboration between USC Gould, USC Viterbi prepares grads for careers at the intersection of data, policy and legal analysis.

Law and data are increasingly intertwined—and USC is preparing students for what’s next! A new degree from @uscgould.bsky.social connects data science with real-world legal applications, equipping graduates to navigate technology-driven challenges across law, policy, and industry.

USC study reveals hidden cellular layers in the brain’s memory center Researchers at the Mark and Mary Stevens Neuroimaging and Informatics Institute (Stevens INI) at the Keck School of Medicine of USC have identified a previously unknown pattern of organization in one of the brain’s most important areas for learning and memory. The study, published in Nature Communications, reveals that the CA1 region of a mouse’s hippocampus, a structure vital for memory formation, spatial navigation, and emotions, has four distinct layers of specialized cell types. This discovery changes our understanding of how information is processed in the brain and could explain why certain cells are more vulnerable in diseases like Alzheimer’s and epilepsy.“Researchers have long suspected that different parts of the hippocampus’ CA1 region handle different aspects of learning and memory, but it wasn’t clear how the underlying cells were arranged,” said Michael S. Bienkowski, PhD, senior author of the study and assistant professor of physiology and neuroscience and of biomedical engineering.

USC researchers have discovered previously hidden cellular layers in the brain’s memory center—offering new insight into how memory works and why certain cells may be more vulnerable in disease.

New year, same you? USC professors offer research-based tips for sticking with your New Year's resolutions Whether you’re trying to quit smoking or lose weight, USC experts offer tips on how to stick to your New Year's resolutions in 2020.

Why do most New Year’s resolutions fail before February? USC researchers break down the science of habits and how to actually stick to goals like quitting smoking and getting fit.

Playbook for Career Success: A Q&A with Associate Dean of Career Services Jon Cleveland Cleveland is innovating the department and leveraging the Trojan Network to get results for students.

The job market is changing fast. One USC Marshall expert shares a playbook for career success—from the power of the Trojan Network to practical tips students and alumni can use at every stage of their journey.

New year, same you? USC professors offer research-based tips for sticking with your New Year's resolutions Whether you’re trying to quit smoking or lose weight, USC experts offer tips on how to stick to your New Year's resolutions in 2020.

It’s the day for some New Year's resolutions! But why do 88% of them fail? USC experts share science-backed ways to build habits that actually stick.

New Year’s Eve celebrates St. Silvester Historians may not know much about Silvester’s life, but the era in which he lived was pivotal for Christianity.

Did you know New Year’s Eve is also called St. Silvester’s Day? @dornsife.usc.edu explains how a 4th-century pope shaped church–state history.

Have you been naughty? Then beware: Krampus is coming With Krampus-based movies, comic books and festivities growing in popularity, the scary Alpine holiday legend has gained a firm foothold in America.

He’s not Santa, and he’s definitely not nice. @dornsife.usc.edu expert explains how Krampus, a dark Alpine folklore figure, became a growing American holiday tradition.

A Half-Century of Vision: 50 Years of the USC Leonard Davis School Faculty, alumni and supporters share how the USC Leonard Davis School of Gerontology shaped the aging field — and continues to lead into the future.

The USC Leonard Davis School of Gerontology at 50: old enough to reflect, wise enough to celebrate—and bold enough to treat itself to five decades of impact. From pioneering aging research to shaping healthier lives, this milestone is worth savoring.

Tricking Tumors into Marking Themselves for Destruction - USC Viterbi | School of Engineering New research from the USC Viterbi School of Engineering harnesses focused ultrasound to reprogram solid tumors, making them more effective targets for immune cells.

.@viterbischool.usc.edu researchers are developing a method to prompt tumors to mark themselves for immune attack, a potential step toward improved cancer detection and treatment—especially for hard-to-treat tumors. #CancerResearch viterbischool.usc.edu/news/2025/11...