Research News

Plans for South's School of Marine and Environmental Sciences call for additional faculty, renovated classroom space and new academic programs. “The school capitalizes on our strategic location on the Gulf Coast, and allows us to expand opportunities for both undergraduate and graduate students,” said Dr. Andi Kent, interim provost and senior vice president.

South Launches School of Marine and Environmental Sciences
March 15, 2021

Plans call for new undergraduate and graduate programs to complement the existing degrees that have been offered by the department of marine sciences. ...

Researchers from the William B. Burnsed Jr. Mechanical, Aerospace, and Biomedical Engineering Department. From L-R; Michael Johnson, MS student and Graduate Research Assistant, Nazim Uddin, MS student and Graduate Research Assistant, Prof. Kuang-Ting Hsiao display a unidirectional ZT-CFRP Prepreg sample produced in Hsiao’s lab and a ZT-CFRP Composite Panel manufactured from stacks of ZT-CFRP prepregs.

Developing Next Generation Carbon Fiber Reinforced Polymers
February 22, 2021

USA lands a large grant and partners with private industry to develop improved carbon fiber reinforced polymers for commercialization. ...

Dr. Jason Strickland, assistant professor in South's department of biology was part of a team breaking new ground in genetic research.

Strickland Recognized for Genetic Research
February 3, 2021

South faculty member Dr. Jason Strickland co-authors study published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. ...

Dr. Peggy Delmas, an assistant professor in educational leadership spent two years researching the contributions of Catholic sisters in the field of academics, including science.

Celebrating the Contributions of Catholic Sisters in Academics
January 26, 2020

USA assistant professor's research highlights the contributions of Catholic sisters' careers in education leadership and science. ...

Olivia McCarter still visits the grave at Jackson County Memorial Park of Alisha Ann Heinrich after helping identify her using DNA samples and genealogy records. Next to the plot is the grave of another baby girl whose body has never been identified.

South Sophomore Solves Cold Cases Using DNA, Forensic Genealogy
January 19, 2021

Olivia McCarter brings focus and closure to unsolved cases, identifying victims and giving law enforcement a trail to suspects. ...

From L-R; Will Marriott, staff archaeologist, USA Center for Archaeological Studies, and Jeremy Pruitt, field technician, USA Center for Archaeological Studies sift through soil collected during a cultural resource survey in the Africatown community of Mobile.

Digging Into the Past
January 15, 2021

South and the City of Mobile partner on a cultural resource survey in the Africatown community prior to planned construction. ...

Drs. Joél Billingsley, Charlene Dadzie, Kern Jackson and Shenghua Zha were awarded Social Justice Initiative grant awards for research.

South Social Justice Awards Announced
January 8, 2021

Four members of USA's faculty were awarded the first Social Justice Initiative grant awards. ...

Dr. Ronnie Baker, an assistant professor of marine science at the University of South Alabama, holds a grouper off San Cristobal Island in the Galapagos. When he returns for research, Baker plans aims to identify coastal nursery habitats for fisheries species.

South Dives Into Galapagos Research
January 5, 2021

USA's collaboration with partners in Ecuador and on the volcanic archipelago grows with a focus on research and global engagement. ...

Dr. Claire Cage, associate professor of history and gender studies is one of 13 USA Office of Community Engagement and Service Learning Program Faculty Fellows.

Faculty Fellows for Community Engagement Program Named
December 15, 2020

The inaugural class of 13 full-time assistant and associate professors from six colleges were chosen for the program. ...

The University of South Alabama holds the easement to 60 acres adjacent to Historic Blakeley State Park along the Tensaw River. The property, in addition to more than 30,000 acres throughout rural Alabama and Mississippi, can be used by South faculty for research and teaching.

Land Newly Available for Research, Teaching
December 15, 2020

Collaborations with The Conservation Fund and the J.L. Bedsole Foundation open access to properties across Alabama. ...

Dr. Neil Schwarz, an associate professor of exercise science, has three active externally funded, industry sponsored projects in which he is serving as the principal investigator.

Studying the Effectiveness of Dietary Supplements
December 10, 2020

Dr. Neil Schwarz, an associate professor of exercise science, is leading three externally funded industry sponsored projects. ...

From L-R; Jennifer Henderson, Amanda Ledet, Emory Serviss combined to win Best Paper in the Business-to-Business track as well as the Steven J. Shaw & Joe Hair Overall Conference Best Paper awards in November.

Business Doctoral Students Excel at Marketing Conference
December 9, 2020

A trio of USA doctoral students collaborate to win multiple awards at the Society for Marketing Advances annual conference. ...

Lexie Gibson is a fourth-year medical student at the University of South Alabama College of Medicine.

Medical Student to Present Findings at National Symposium
December 4, 2020

Lexie Gibson found a link between diabetes and significantly higher hospitalization and death rates for COVID-19 patients. ...

Dr. Ronald Baker, assistant professor in the department of marine sciences co-authored a paper on salt marshes that was published in Science magazine's November 6, 2020 issue.

DISL Researcher's Work Published in Science Magazine
November 24, 2020

A November 2019 meeting at the Dauphin Island Sea Lab led to a report on salt marshes published in esteemed scientific journal. ...

$160.9 Million Raised in Upward & Onward
November 19, 2020

South exceeds fundraising goal with more than 23,000 donations to support academics, research, athletics and healthcare. ...

Dr. Kelly Dorgan, an associate professor of marine science at the University of South Alabama, studies worms and their impact on marine sediment.

The 'Important, Poorly Understood' Worm
November 18, 2020

Dr. Kelly Dorgan studies worms and marine sediment, creatively piecing together what she calls the 'puzzle of science.' ...

New Program to Support Social Justice Research
November 17, 2020

The Social Justice Research Initiative will fund research on social justice issues, including social stratification, environmental justice and racial equity. ...