Research at the College of Engineering and Computing is supplemented and supported through our centers, institutes and research groups which include several South Carolina SmartState Centers of Economic Excellence.
Catalysis for Renewable Fuels Center
Director: Dr. JR Regalbuto
The Catalysis for Renewable Fuels Center is developing catalysts that allow fuels to be produced from renewable sources. These new catalysts are the next wellhead as the transportation sector moves to less dependence on imported oil and carbon fuel. This Center also serves as a resource for recruiting activities in the Midlands of South Carolina for companies associated with renewable fuels and alternative energy.
Center for Electrochemical Engineering
Director: Dr. Branko Popov
The CEE is dedicated to integrated study of fuel cells, hydrogen storage, batteries, supercapacitors, corrosion, corrosion protection, and electrodeposition of metal alloys and composites and serves as a focal point for the development of new power source technologies, novel corrosion protection strategies and environmentally friendly coatings.
Center for Engineering and Computing Education
Director: Dr. Jed Lyons
CECE was established to enhance engineering- and computer science-related education at the precollege, undergraduate and graduate levels by supporting the research, development and implementation of improved teaching methods and facilitates interdisciplinary collaborations.
Center for Friction Stir Processing, NSF I/UCRC
Director: Dr. Anthony Reynolds
The Center for Friction Stir Processing (CFSP) is a multi-University I/UCRC focused on research and development in the area of friction based materials processing technologies and science. At USC, we are focused mainly on light metals for transportation applications.
Center for Fuel Cells, NSF I/UCRC
Director: Dr. John Weidner
The National Science Foundation Industry/University Cooperative Research Center (I/UCRC) for Fuel Cells at USC provides an opportunity to focus research, nationally and internationally, to benefit commercialization of an environmentally friendly technology.
Center for Grid-connected Advanced Power Electronic Systems (GRAPES), NSF I/UCRC
Director: Dr. Roger Dougal
Research supports the development and application of power electronics for the next generation smart grid, with applications at every point from generation, through transmission and distribution, and end use.
Center for Information Assurance Engineering
Director: Dr. Csilla Farkas
The mission of the Center is to facilitate interdisciplinary collaborations among information security researchers, system developers, and educators to improve the level of security and trustworthiness in the Nation’s cyber infrastructure. CIAE faculty and students are working in a broad spectrum of security topics and issues.
Center for Information Technology
Director: Dr. Michael Huhns
The focus of the Center is on research, industrial development, and education in multiagent systems, conceptual modeling, ontological engineering, industrial automation, executive decision support, and software development.
Center for Mechanics, Materials and Non-Destructive Evaluation
Director: Dr. Michael Sutton
The Center's research projects span a spectrum from basic science to industry applications. Areas of expertise include material characterization at the macro and nano-scale, dynamic and static mechanical testing, structural analysis, state-of-the-art non-contacting strain measurement methods, advanced numerical simulations and fracture mechanics.
Condition-Based Maintenance (CBM) Research Center
Director: Dr. Abdel Bayoumi
The CBM Research Center tests the performance of components, subsystems, and systems of the U.S. Army Apache, Blackhawk, and Chinook helicopter platforms through measurements of vibration, speed, load, acoustic emission, and temperature to develop diagnosis and prognosis algorithms for better predictive and proactive maintenance of aircraft. Additionally, the CBM generates value engineering and cost benefit analysis (CBA) models of the U.S. Army CBM program.
HeteroFoaM Center
Director: Dr. Kenneth Reifsnider, NAE
HeteroFoaMs are Heterogeneous Functional Materials that comprise an energy system. Our team is developing a greater understanding of HeteroFoaMs in order to create systems that generate power without waste by-products.
Solid Oxide Fuel Cell Center of Excellence
Director: Dr. Ken Reifsnider
SOFC Center of Excellence is concerned with new materials, processing, modeling and analysis that supports design for performance and durability of solid oxide fuel cells, electrolyzers, and related devices.
Strategic Approaches to the Generation of Electricity
Director: Dr. Jochen Lauterbach
SAGE conducts research to reduce the harmful environmental effects of burning coal to produce electricity. This Center of Economic Excellence will focus on improving environmental control technologies for coal power plants, including improving mercury and gas emission controls and developing new materials and processes to capture and store or find a use for carbon emissions, making USC an international leader in future fuels/energy research.
