Welcome to the USC Dornsife class of ’28 and to all returning students! This is the first of the student e-newsletters you’ll receive this academic year. Check it out each month for news, videos, event information and more.

In this issue, learn how Dornsife students are getting a taste of U.S. politics, discover why a Dornsife center’s work on mass violence is so important, find out the truth regarding mixed emotions and more.

The USC Dornsife Washington, D.C. Program fosters career development by offering students real-world experiences to gain insight into the inner workings of government.

Why it matters: Talented students taking interest in and choosing a career in the public sector is key to a well-functioning government, says Markham Erickson, a former Washington-based lawyer who provides scholarships for students with financial needs.

How it works: The semester-long program includes lessons directly related to policy, taught by expert practitioners. Last year, for instance, the program offered unique experiences.

USC Dornsife staff help place participants in internships that match their professional interests.

In his words: “Interning at a federal agency gives you a unique opportunity to work alongside some of the most important policymakers in our country,” said Terry Wang, an international relations major.

Opportunities to network with influential government officials, particularly Trojans, are a highlight of the program.

The new USC Capital Campus provides a base for the program, strengthening connections between USC students and policy-makers.

Celebrating its 10th year, USC Dornsife’s Center for Advanced Genocide Research (CAGR), led by Wolf Gruner, continues to advance research on the origins of and resistance to mass violence.

Why it matters: Understanding the mechanisms of oppression enables development of more effective strategies for resistance and prevention.

As an interdisciplinary and research-driven center, CAGR focuses on historical incidents of mass violence.

Gruner, the Shapell-Guerin Chair in Jewish Studies and professor of history, is a renowned Holocaust and genocide studies scholar.

In his words: “By understanding the historic causes of mass violence, beyond simplistic explanations of hate as the sole driving force, we can find new approaches to slow these processes and enact positive interventions,” explains Gruner.

95, 95

The number of majors and minors USC Dornsife offers.

In Pixar’s latest film, Inside Out 2, complex feelings like nostalgia make an appearance, but USC Dornsife research on “mixed emotions” could help give them a bigger role.

What’s new: USC Dornsife neuroscientists recently found that brains display distinct neural activity when experiencing mixed emotions like bittersweetness.

Why it matters: Experiencing mixed emotions is common, yet the phenomenon has not been studied much.

Key findings:

In his words: “You’re not ping-ponging between negative and positive. It’s a very unique, mixed emotion over a long period,” says Anthony Vaccaro, lead author of the study and a postdoc at USC Dornsife’s Neuroendocrinology of Social Ties Lab.

How they did it: Study participants viewed an animated short film that simultaneously evoked feelings of happiness and sadness while researchers monitored their brain activity using MRI.

Opportunity: The study lays out groundwork for scientific research into this understudied area, research that study co-author Jonas Kaplan of psychology says would help in understanding human psychology.

Doctor Who fan and USC Dornsife alumna Amelia Marvit wrote an article for Scientific American exploring the science behind the main character’s dual-heart physiology.

Why it matters: By combining her interests in hard science and science fiction, Marvit epitomizes the cross-disciplinary thinking that’s encouraged at USC Dornsife.

In brief: The protagonist of the long-running, popular television show Doctor Who comes from an alien species called the Time Lords, who travel through space and time and live for centuries.

Marvit analyzed data on cardiac incidents from 13 seasons of Doctor Who, looked over the cardiovascular literature on humans and other species and consulted experts.

A cardiovascular system with two hearts could be configured in two ways, she writes.

Earth creatures like cephalopods evolved multiple hearts to catch prey more effectively. Time Lords might have evolved two hearts for enhanced endurance and redundancy against cardiac injuries.

Did You Know? Some humans have two hearts.

If you’re passionate about sustainability and eager to make positive change throughout the university, then USC’s Presidential Working Group on Sustainability in Education, Research and Operations is for you.

Open to all USC Dornsife students, the USC Dornsife Magazine Creative Writing Contest is looking for original fiction, poetry, memoir or essays on the theme of “California.” Enter by Sept. 15 and win a chance to be published in the magazine!

From vast, diverse areas of study to world-class faculty, students are encouraged to explore their curiosities to create a lasting impact in their communities. That is what makes the USC Dornsife liberal arts education unique.

What are the best places for USC Dornsife students to hang out on campus? Here are three of the top spots to study, grab a bite to eat and make some new friends! 

Join in a live, virtual discussion with USC Dornsife researchers about the impact of diet, gut and microbiome interactions on the mind and body throughout life.

Learn about the USC Dornsife Center for the Political Future and several USC student political organizations during their Fall 2024 Open House. Free boxed dinners will be provided.

Explore best practices to keep safe and be ready for anything through interactive demos and activities.

USC Transportation has partnered with Los Angeles Metro to provide a U-Pass to all current USC students at no additional cost. The U-Pass allows for unlimited rides on Metro’s rail and bus lines, DASH Buses and more.