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:

Imagine showing up for a discussion about democracy and discovering that your guest speaker is a former U.S. president. That's what happened to about 50 USC students when Joe Biden surprised a study group at our USC Dornsife Center for the Political Future. There was plenty to talk about. And yes, there was ice cream. 🍦

The dead are part of our everyday lives in greater numbers than you might imagine. 👻 Research by Emily Smith-Greenaway and Penn State's Ashton Verdery estimates that Black and white Americans have some 755 million ties to deceased close relatives, more than three times the number of living people in those populations. Those connections to the other side aren't just numbers. They represent people whose memories, relationships and influence remain woven into the lives of those they've left behind.

Where can a PhD in history take you? In Ryan Linkof's case, right across the street from where he earned it. At the new @lucasmuseum, the USC Dornsife alumnus (PhD ’11) is senior curator and head of film programs. Ryan credits his interdisciplinary studies with shaping his approach to visual storytelling, from prehistoric cave paintings to contemporary comics. Meet Ryan and take a look inside the museum. 🎬

RT @USCOnline: A stuntwoman with over a decade of experience in Hollywood, Heather Bonomo studies for her @USCDornsife master's program in the honeywagon between stunts. Bonomo is pursuing the degree to widen her opportunities amid a shifting entertainment industry:

Since 1972, we've been given 27 extra seconds. What did you do with yours? ⏱️ They're called leap seconds, and timekeepers have been quietly adding them to keep our clocks synchronized with Earth's rotation. But those tiny adjustments can cause big problems for computers. Now, international timekeepers are considering getting rid of them. Prof. Vahe Peroomian explains why the leap second may be running out of time.

Columbus Day is Monday. What do the explorer's own writings reveal about the man behind the holiday? More than 500 years later, those words reveal how deeply his religious ambitions were intertwined with the pursuit of wealth and conquest. Historian Peter Mancall explores what Columbus' own accounts tell us about his motivations and the lasting consequences of his voyages.

California’s billionaires could face a one-time 5% tax on their wealth. Would it raise billions for health care or cost the state revenue if some of its wealthiest residents leave? Two leading economists, Matthew Kahn (@mattkahn1966) of USC Dornsife and Emmanuel Saez of UC Berkeley, debate Prop. 40 on Oct. 13. Register to watch live:

We are deeply saddened by the loss of Frederic Clark, associate professor of classics and English. He was a gifted scholar, known for extraordinary generosity to students and colleagues.

RT @USC: For more than a century, USC’s commitment to defending America has been a core value of the university. See how military service has shaped the lives of these seven extraordinary Trojans. Read here:

RT @jbprime: Nice to see @USCDornsife Prof Mark Thompson mentioned as a Nobel prize front runner for his work on phosphorescent organic light-emitting diodes.

Prof. Andy Lakoff’s scholarship ranged from psychiatry and pharmaceuticals to pandemics and emergency preparedness. He had a remarkable gift for bringing people and ideas together across disciplines. We remember an influential scholar, generous mentor and colleague, and former USC Dornsife divisional dean who died in July at 56.

After nearly two decades in Congress, U.S. Sen. Gary Peters is returning to higher education. When his Senate term ends in January, he will become director of our @USCPolFuture, working alongside Republican strategist Mike Murphy. He succeeds founding director Robert Shrum, who will retire at the end of the year after eight years building the center and its commitment to civil dialogue across political differences. Sen. Peters plans to teach in LA and Washington and expand CPF’s presence in D.C., connecting students and faculty more directly with policymakers. Welcome to USC Dornsife, Sen. Peters. 🔗

Congratulations to Prof. Mark Thompson, a 2026 Citation Laureate recognized for the exceptional influence of his research. His pioneering work helped transform the digital displays we use every day. Clarivate considers Citation Laureates’ research “of Nobel class,” and nearly 20% have gone on to receive a Nobel Prize.

The Great Salt Lake wasn’t always so salty. Our Earth scientists traced 240,000 years of its history, revealing how warming and drying transformed the lake and what its ancient past may tell us about its future.

Congratulations, Prof. El-Naggar! We look forward to seeing you thrive in this new role and to building an even stronger partnership with @carnegiescience.

In 1862, flooding turned California’s Sacramento Valley into a 300-mile inland sea. Natural evidence of that disaster may offer clues about the climate risks ahead. From Alaska to Florida, USC Dornsife researchers are studying how a changing climate is reshaping America.

How much of the America we know today would its founders recognize, and how much would surprise them? As the U.S. turns 250, join distinguished historians for a look beyond familiar founding stories at how America took shape, and what history can teach us about its future. Free virtual event, open to all:

Can AI see a city the way people do? Can electricity control magnetism to make computers faster? What can understudied languages reveal about how human language works? Explore what USC Dornsife scholars investigated around the world this summer:

RT @USC: Boxes today, memories forever. As move-in week wraps up here at USC, our newest Trojans are ready to make the most of the academic year ahead.