Research Catalyst Program 

Topic Area: Sustainability 

USC’s Office of Research and Innovation (OORI) advances research and scholarship that drives innovation, informs policy, and creates societal impact by providing programs and resources that expand the reach of USC-led initiatives. Central to this mission is the USC Research Catalyst Program, which supports faculty-led projects across disciplines with strong ROI in both research and scholarship. The program also values curiosity-driven research and scholarship, recognizing that such work can spark new directions and lay the foundation for long-term impact. A variety of activities can be supported by this effort, including, but not limited to, data collection, prototype development, interdisciplinary planning, stakeholder engagement, and external partnerships that position projects for future funding

Topic Area: Sustainability

The Sustainability program is designed to spark daring, future-focused ideas that push beyond the boundaries of conventional sustainability research. Of particular interest are high-risk, high-reward projects that federal funders would not typically support in their early stages. By seeding visionary thinking, including ideas with entrepreneurial potential, USC will empower its faculty to step outside the box, take risks, and shape transformative solutions for a sustainable future.

Each eligible faculty member may submit only one proposal per topic area, per deadline, as PI. However, applicants may participate as co-PIs or collaborators on multiple proposals within the same award cycle.

If you are experiencing technical issues submitting your proposal or have additional questions, please contact the rii@usc.edu.

This portal requires information about the PIs and Co-PIs in addition to department and contact information, including the 10-digit USC ID#. Please have this material prepared before beginning this application