Vera Gluscevic is an associate professor of physics and astronomy at USC and a pioneering researcher in cosmology and dark matter studies. A founding member of multiple leading international collaborations on cosmology, she has helped shape the science that continues to unfold. Her work explores the mysteries of the universe and leverages computational modeling to unlock previously unknown frontiers.

Susan Kamei is Managing Director of the USC Dornsife Spatial Sciences Institute, adjunct professor of history and is recognized as one of our country’s most prominent scholars on the Japanese American incarceration during World War II. Her book When Can I Go Back to America: Voices of Japanese American Incarceration During World War II has received critical acclaim, and her background as a lawyer an activist fighting for restitution for Japanese Americans informs her current work in advancing the modern approach to national security and civil liberties.

Darby Saxbe is director of the USC Center for the Changing Family and professor of psychology at the University of Southern California, who researches stress within the context of relationships. Darby’s work focuses on the transition to parenthood and how it affects the neurobiology of adults. Her research investigates the biological, psycological and hormonal changes we experience due to changes in our environment.

David Raichlen is professor of biological sciences and director of USC’s Evolutionary Biology of Physical Activity Laboratory. His research looks at how exercise affects the brain from an evolutionary standpoint. He examines how our ancestors' lifestyles—from activity on their feet to the way they sat down to rest—may shed light on modern health.

Assal Habibi is an associate professor of psychology at USC's Brain and Creativity Institute who, among other endeavors, is actively researching the influence of music on health and development, focusing on how our biology and experiences shape the brain and development of cognitive, emotional and social abilities across our lifespan.