Established in 2002 by South Carolina's leading research universities, the SmartState™ Program has created 10,000 jobs and secured more than $1.5 billion in investments from non-state partners. The core of the Program is its approximately 55 Centers of Economic Excellence, which are organized into six clusters. The S.C. Education Lottery provides between $2 and $5 million in funding, which the Centers must match dollar-per-dollar with support from non-state partners. The Program also supports SmartState Endowed Chairs —world-renowned scientists and engineers who lead the Centers.
John Brooks (Health Services Policy and Management) is the SmartState Endowed Chair for the Center for Effectiveness Research in Orthopaedics (CERortho), which conducts research in tissue-engineered materials and implantable devices that will help the thousands of people who suffer from orthopaedic maladies each year.
Julius Fridriksson (Communication Sciences and Disorders) is the SmartState Endowed Chair of Memory and Brain Function for the SeniorSMART™ Center, which focuses on fostering independence for senior citizens through maintaining intellectual activity as well as mobility inside and outside the home.
Xiaoming Li (Health Promotion, Education, and Behavior) is the SmartState Endowed Chair in Clinical Translational Research for the Center for Healthcare Quality, which works to improve the safety, effectiveness, and affordability of healthcare in South Carolina.
Delia West (Exercise Science) is the SmartState Endowed Chair for the Technology Center to Promote Healthy Lifestyles, which is focused on research to develop and evaluate health promotion programs that encourage healthy lifestyles and reduce risk of disease by incorporating technology.