Research
USC is one of 62 public and 32 private research institutions and the only university in South Carolina classified a research institution of "very high research activity" by the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching. USC was awarded $226.7 million in research funding in the 2011 fiscal year, a record amount for the school and an increase of 4% over the year prior. ”
During his tenure, former Carolina president John Palms articulated a "Cathedrals of Excellence" budgeting philosophy. Palms advocated the money from fundraising be channeled into USC's best programs, rather than spread the funds evenly. The strategy would pay off in the long term when these programs became nationally prominent, making a name for USC and attracting grant money. His primary goal was for the University of South Carolina to be admitted to the Association of American Universities - an association of the leading 62 research universities in the United States and Canada.
Former President Andrew Sorensen raised even larger sums for research, including a $300 million grant for colorectal cancer. In the spirit of Palms' budget, the board of directors moved to transform university land on Assembly Street into an "innovation district" called Innovista that will develop four strengths: biomedicine, nanotechnology, environmental science and alternative fuels.
Innovista is a partnered development with the City of Columbia. The 200-acre (0.8 km2) campus will house offices and private research firms among the university offices and labs, as well as residences and retail. Innovista is planned to add five million square feet of floor space to the metro area and is intended to set Columbia on a more urban path.
Current president, Harris Pastides, has a research background. His prior history with the university includes serving as the vice president for research and health sciences, executive director of the SC Research Foundation, dean of the Arnold School of Public Health and as an epidemiology professor. His stated objectives on taking over the position included boosting academics, promoting research and launching an ambitious fund raising campaign.
In May 2009, USC was selected by the U.S. Department of Energy as one of 31 universities nationwide to house an Energy Frontier Research Center that is expected to bring $12.5 million in federal funding, the largest single award in the university's history, to the College of Engineering and Computing. President Pastides commented on the grant, “This award solidifies the university’s position as a leader in alternative-fuel research.”
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