Many people hear the word research and immediately flash back to the test tubes and Bunsen burners in their high school chemistry labs. But research has broad applications that go far beyond the hard sciences. The Excel Funding Program for the liberal arts, humanities and social sciences, launched by the offices of the President, Vice President for Research and Provost in the fall of 2022, is designed to recognize and invest in valuable USC faculty scholarship in these often under-funded disciplines.

The work produced by faculty in these areas is more essential now than ever before. As a flagship research institution, our university must support scientific research that leads to technical innovations as well as endeavors that make the world more humane and enlightened.

— Julius Fridriksson, USC Vice President for Research

A total of 119 faculty members from 27 USC Columbia academic units and three Palmetto College campuses responded to the inaugural call for Excel proposals. The Office of the Vice President for Research received 100 Excel proposals, including 79 individual applications competing for funding up to $15,000, and 21 collaborative applications eligible for up to $25,000. All 100 proposals were evaluated by a committee of dedicated reviewers. Through this process, 35 individual projects and 7 collaborative projects were selected for funding.

13 February 2023