Hidden Histories
At the USC Fisher Museum of Art, a striking exhibition running during LGBTQ+ History Month and beyond explores the early role sci-fi fandom and occult interests played in creating community. The exhibit comes from the ONE Archives at the USC Libraries, the world’s largest repository of LGBTQ+ materials.
USC Photo/Stephen Gee
Top Headlines
Flint Tanquary grew up attending USC games. Now his film Arrival of the Trojan greets the team as they come onto the field at home games.
Rare photographs and historical materials bring to life Mei Lan-Fang’s legendary 1930 tour of the United States and his brief visit to USC.
Veteran podcaster Daniella Lake’s show, “Life Told by a Stranger,” spanned her high school and college careers.
The hospital received a five-star rating — the highest possible — from Vizient Inc. for excellence in delivering high-quality care.
Countdown to the Great ShakeOut Earthquake Drill
Leading the Way in Earthquake Response
USC researchers lead critical earthquake studies, using their expertise to assess seismic risks and enhance community preparedness. Their work helps ensure survival during disasters and supports faster recovery afterward. Please join in the next Great California ShakeOut — the nation’s largest disaster preparedness drill — at 10:17 a.m. Thursday, Oct. 17.
Statewide California Earthquake Center
Headquartered at USC, SCEC conducts vital research on seismic hazards to improve earthquake preparedness and community resilience. By uniting experts in seismology, geology and engineering, the center advances earthquake science and promotes public safety through research and education.
USC Earth Sciences
USC’s Department of Earth Sciences excels in geochemistry, geophysics and climate science, offering advanced research facilities and global fieldwork opportunities. With a focus on climate change and sustainability, USC fosters collaboration and prepares students to tackle pressing environmental challenges.
USC Center for Risk and Economic Analysis of Threats and Emergencies
CREATE at USC focuses on assessing and mitigating risks from disasters. Through expertise in economics and risk analysis, the center develops strategies to improve public safety and protect critical infrastructure, supporting both government and private sectors in managing threats effectively.
USC’s Election 2024 coverage
Experts break down critical issues ahead of the election
As election day draws near, USC scholars provide vital insights into the fundamental issues shaping national and local races, including information on essential propositions. Get expert and up-to-date analysis to guide your voting decision. For more coverage of the general election on November 5, visit USC’s Election 2024 portal.
Two truths and a lie about immigration
USC experts unpack the nuanced realities driving the United States’ immigration debate.
Can we still trust the polls?
The 2024 election looms large, and with it, the question of how much we can trust preelection polls. USC pollsters break down the art and science of public opinion polling in the aftermath of Super Tuesday.
Election 2024: Inside California’s ballot propositions
This November, Californians will vote on 10 statewide ballot measures, including two $10 billion bond proposals. USC experts weigh in.
California House poll: Democrats hold slim leads in state’s closest races
Republican incumbents in four key U.S. House races are in tight bids for reelection, according to a series of polls from USC, CSULB and Cal Poly Pomona.
The Supreme Court’s ‘Dobbs’ ruling, 2 years later: It’s about more than just abortion
The rollback of Roe v. Wade added fuel to a contentious nationwide debate that now extends well beyond the right to terminate a pregnancy. USC experts discuss Dobbs’ lasting impacts and potential influence in the November election.
Political advertising in the 2024 election: Q&A with USC’s Steve Caplan
The media expert offers insights on the habits of cord-cutting Americans, deepfake videos, and the expected increase in ads that could shape this historic election.
Celebrating 25 Years of the USC Institute for Creative Technologies
Since its founding in 1999, the USC Institute for Creative Technologies has been at the forefront of research and development in AI, computer graphics, geospatial sciences, human performance, learning sciences, modeling, simulation and gaming, mixed reality, medical VR and more. An integral part of USC’s Frontiers of Computing initiative, ICT’s labs and groups are pushing the boundaries of what’s possible in computing, embodying the spirit of USC’s commitment to pioneering the future of technology.
STORY AND VIDEO IN USC NEWS USC FRONTIERS OF COMPUTING
Major Science and Technology Groups at ICT
Virtual Humans
The ICT Virtual Human Toolkit is a set of tools and resources designed to help researchers and developers create realistic and engaging digital characters. Since 2009, this toolkit has been the foundation for all research at ICT on conversational AIs — computer programs that can interact with people like a human would. It has been used in various projects, including ELITE SHARP trainers and VITA.
Affective Computing
The Affective Computing Group focuses on understanding how emotions affect both human interactions and interactions between humans and machines. This includes studying how to automatically recognize emotions from different signals, creating computer models of how emotions develop and influence thinking, and applying these methods to improve teamwork between humans and machines, train people in social skills and expand knowledge about human emotions.
Vision and Graphics
Virtual characters are digital humans that can talk, move and interact, and they are important for entertainment, training and education. The main goal of the ICT Vision & Graphics Lab is to make these characters look as realistic as possible, including lighting them in a way that looks natural. To achieve this, the Vision & Graphics Lab uses its award-winning “Light Stage” technology, developed at ICT, to create high-quality visual details. The lab also works with major film companies like Sony Pictures Imageworks and WETA Digital.
Simulation
The Modeling and Simulation Group creates interactive and educational experiences to help train and support military personnel. They bring together researchers, experts, writers and game designers to make these experiences both interesting and useful. They’ve successfully handed over several of their advanced training tools to the U.S. Department of Defense, including a disaster simulation program and various strategic training games for the Naval Postgraduate School.
Mixed Reality
A cognitive architecture is a proposed model of how a mind works, whether in people or machines. It focuses on the basic structures needed to create intelligent behavior and how these structures work with knowledge and skills to handle various complex situations. The aim of this project is to create a smart system that can support virtual humans and possibly intelligent robots, and ideally, help us better understand human thinking.
Integration Environments
Rapid Integration & Development Environment is a key research and development platform that speeds up the development of simulation technologies for the Department of Defense. It quickly creates and tests new ideas for the Army’s Synthetic Training Environment and is now also used for various Navy and Air Force projects. Rapid Integration & Development Environment offers a shared space where researchers and developers can experiment with real-time modeling and simulation to see what’s possible.
Learning Sciences
The ICT Learning Sciences group studies how AI can improve learning and help students achieve their goals. Its mission is to research and apply effective AI methods to make education better and fairer. It also focuses on creating tools that help teachers and content creators use AI to develop and adjust educational materials. It drives innovation through its research projects and two centers: the AI Research Center of Excellence for Education and the USC Center for Generative AI and Society.
Body Computing
The Body Computing & Human Performance Lab is a research center focused on improving health, wellness and human performance using digital tools and data. It aims to create better health resources for both service members and the general public.
The lab brings together experts in human performance, digital technology and healthcare, including sensor and app developers, strategists and designers. They work together to test and develop new technologies that enhance health and performance.
Celebrating the New USC School of Architecture Dean
Brett Steele, a former Bruin who led the UCLA School of the Arts and Architecture, receives an official Trojan welcome.
In Focus: USC’s Art Schools
USC Kaufman School of Dance
Established in 2012, the USC Kaufman School of Dance embodies the power of artistic innovation and dedication. Through its cutting-edge research and innovative dance education, the school cultivates a profound passion for dance while preparing the next generation of dancers, choreographers and leaders in the industry. By fostering a spirit of interdisciplinary learning and collaboration with renowned artists, the program propels its students toward success and empowers them to make a lasting impact on the dance world.
USC Roski School of Art and Design
The mission of USC Roski School of Art and Design is to enrich the dynamic research and creative communities of USC, Los Angeles and beyond. By providing an immersive studio curriculum rooted in historical and critical discourse, the USC Roski School aims to foster creativity and cultivate the analytical thinking skills necessary for artists and designers in the 21st century. Programs are designed to challenge students to illuminate, question and reshape how we perceive ourselves and the world around us. Faculty and students collaborate to explore innovative hybrid forms of art, design and critical studies, collaboratively envisioning and shaping the future.
USC School of Architecture
The USC School of Architecture is a dynamic hub dedicated to educating and motivating future architects to confront challenges and create design solutions that envision a brighter built environment. USC architecture faculty and alumni have pushed the limits to introduce groundbreaking practices for over a century. Located in Los Angeles and connected to worldwide concerns, USC architects and academics work with communities to gain understanding and become adept and bold professionals who generate innovative solutions.
USC School of Cinematic Arts
For almost a century, the USC School of Cinematic Arts has been a launching pad for visionary talent in cinema, television and new media. Since its founding in 1929, the school has combined cinematic theory with hands-on practice, preparing graduates for success in the entertainment industry. Our programs attract creative minds worldwide, providing a unique opportunity to explore and expand artistic potential in Los Angeles — the world’s entertainment capital. Taught by industry leaders and academic experts, the USC School of Cinematic Arts curriculum challenges students to refine their vision and contribute to a lasting artistic tradition.
USC School of Dramatic Arts
The USC School of Dramatic Arts believes in empowering artist-scholars to redefine the future of entertainment. Its dedicated faculty from the industry and exceptional production opportunities in Los Angeles equip our students with hands-on experience to forge successful careers. Our unwavering commitment to professional growth and programs such as the Institute for Theatre & Social Change cultivate empathetic and innovative storytellers prepared to confront the world’s obstacles.
USC Thornton School of Music
Established in 1884, the USC Thornton School of Music inspires musical excellence and collaboration, blending the rigorous training of a conservatory with the depth of a top research university. Our world-class faculty and diverse programs, including early music, popular music, orchestral performance, screen scoring, jazz, composition and the music industry, provide students with the tools to pursue their passions. USC Thornton opens doors to exceptional career-building opportunities, nurturing the next generation of musical talent.
Around the University
Leyla Akgedik: Contemporary Weaves
Contemporary Weaves is an art series that reimagines Turkish wall tapestries through the lens of a Muslim-Turkish-American artist. The series takes traditional motifs and places them in new, unexpected contexts, surrounding and embellishing them with objects inspired by personal stories, values, and the influences of contemporary culture.
Opening Reception: Monday, Oct. 14, 5:00 to 7:00 p.m.
Exhibition: Oct. 15 – 22; gallery hours are open weekdays from 9:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
Marat/Sade
Peter Weiss’ The Persecution and Assassination of Jean-Paul Marat as Performed by the Inmates of the Asylum of Charenton Under the Direction of the Marquis de Sade
Set in the historic French asylum where the Marquis de Sade often performed plays with his fellow inmates during their imprisonment, this play-within-a-play presents the final days of the French Revolution for the asylum’s visiting director and his upper-class family. Peter Weiss’ Tony Award-winning masterpiece uses song and story to create a political parable that is a deep examination of human suffering and class struggle that still resonates deeply today.
Multiple dates and times between Oct. 18–27
USC Thornton Chamber Singers & USC Thornton Concert Choir
The USC Thornton Chamber Singers, USC Thornton’s longstanding choral ensemble, is led by chair of the Choral & Sacred Music department, Tram Sparks. The Chamber Singers have performed works by Meredith Monk, William Byrd, Ko Matsushita, Joel Thompson, Johannes Brahms, Michel Richard de Lalande and Benjamin Britten.
The USC Thornton Concert Choir, under the leadership of faculty member Cristian Grases, explores the music and traditions of countries from around the world with an emphasis on the music of Latin America.
Friday, Oct. 25, 8:00 to 10:00 p.m.
