About
                     South Carolina Research Foundation
                     			
                     The South Carolina Research Foundation is an element in the university's strategy
                        for research growth, supporting faculty efforts, and helping faculty with their scholarship
                        goals.
                     
                     		
                     
                        
                           
                              			
                              Formed in 1991, the South Carolina Research Foundation (SCRF) is a major initiative
                                 to increase the support for faculty doing research at USC. The SCRF provides greater
                                 flexibility and competitiveness in implementing research grants and contracts, building
                                 infrastructure, and developing intellectual property for the faculty. Responsibilities
                                 of the SCRF include USC's intellectual technology licensing program.
                              
                              The SCRF is governed by a Board of Directors drawn from public- and private-sector
                                 leadership to bring the broad range of backgrounds, expertise and perspectives necessary
                                 to make strategic decisions. The board includes six external and five internal members.
                                 The five internal members are the USC President, the Vice President for the Division
                                 of Research, the Foundations President, a member of the USC Board of Trustees and
                                 a member of the Council of Academic Deans.
                              
                               
                              
                              S.C. Research Foundation Board of Directors
                              
                              
                                    
                                          Dr. Michael Amiridis, Ph.D., President, University of South Carolina
                                          
                                             Ph.D. in Chemical Engineering, University of Wisconsin-Madison • Former Chancellor
                                             of the University of Illinois Chicago (2015-2022) • Former University of South Carolina
                                             Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs and Provost (2009-2015) • American Institute
                                             of Chemical Engineers Fellow (2015) • American Association for the Advancement of
                                             Science Fellow (2012)
                                             
                                        
                                    
                                       
                                          Mr. David Black, Former President, Liberty Life Insurance Company
                                          
                                       
                                          B.S. in Economics (summa cum laude), Clemson University • Executive Program at the
                                          Darden School of Business, University of Virginia • J.D., University of South Carolina
                                          School of Law • Vice President, Hollings Cancer Center Advisory Board, Medical University
                                          of South Carolina • Member, Trevillian Cabinet, College of Business and Behavioral
                                          Sciences, Clemson University
                                          
                                     
                                 
                                    
                                          Mr. Jason Caskey, President and Chief Executive Officer of University Foundations
                                          
                                             B.S. in Accounting, University of South Carolina • Former financial services practice
                                             leader for Elliott Davis accounting firm • Board member, United Way of the Midlands
                                             • Former board member of the Central Carolina Community Foundation and the USC Business
                                             Partnership Foundation • Darla Moore School of Business Distinguished Young Alumnus
                                             Award
                                             
                                        
                                    
                                    
                                          Dr. Stephen J. Cutler, Ph.D., Dean, USC College of Pharmacy
                                          
                                             B.S. in Chemistry, University of Georgia  • Ph.D. in Pharmacy, University of Georgia
                                             • Dean, USC College of Pharmacy • USC Vice President for Economic Development • American
                                             Association of Colleges of Pharmacy 2022 James E. Wynn Memorial Award •  Former USC
                                             Interim Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs and Provost
                                             
                                        
                                    
                                    
                                          Mr. Kester S. Freeman, Executive Director, South Carolina Institute of Medicine &
                                             Public Health
                                          
                                             B.S. in Economics, College of William and Mary • Master of Health Administration,
                                             Duke University • Founding CEO of Palmetto Health • Founding chairman of the Carolina
                                             HealthChoice Network board of directors • Distinguished Service Award, South Carolina
                                             Hospital Association   
                                             
                                        
                                    
                                    
                                          Dr. Julius Fridriksson, Ph.D., Vice President for Research, University of South Carolina
                                          
                                             B.A., Communicative Disorders, University of Central Florida • M.A., Speech-Language
                                             Pathology, University of Central Florida • Ph.D., Speech-Language Pathology, University
                                             of Arizona • SmartState Endowed Chair of Memory and Brain Function • USC Health Sciences
                                             Distinguished Professor • Co-Director, McCausland Center for Brain Imaging University
                                             of South Carolina 
                                             
                                        
                                    
                                       
                                          Mr. Richard A. Jones, Jr., Sr. Attorney, Dobson, Jones, Ball, Phillips & Bridges
                                          
                                       
                                          Attorney • B.S., business administration, USC, 1968 • J.D., USC School of Law, 1972
                                          • Board of Trustees member since 2018
                                          
                                     
                                 
                                 
                                       
                                          Dr. Alain Litwin, M.D., Chief Scientific Officer and Executive Director of the Addiction
                                          Medicine Center, Prisma Health
                                          
                                       
                                           B.A., University of California, Berkeley, 1992 • M.D., Tulane University School of
                                          Medicine, 1997 • Professor, Department of Medicine, University of South Carolina •
                                          Professor, Clemson University School of Health Research • Aspen Institute Health Innovators
                                          Fellow
                                          
                                     
                                 
                                 
                                       
                                          Dr. Brent Powers, M.D., Senior Vice President and Chief Medical Officer, Lexington
                                          Health
                                          
                                       
                                          B.A., Chemistry and German, Wake Forest University (Magna Cum Laude) • M.D., Bowman
                                          Gray School of Medicine (AOA) • MBA, Babcock Graduate School of Management (With Distinction
                                          in Finance) • Board chair, SC Physician Alliance • Board member, Transitions Homeless
                                          Shelter • Board member, SC Hospital Association • Previous Examiner with Malcolm Baldrige
                                          National Quality Award Program • Previous Trustee with Lexington District One School
                                          Board • Fellow of the American College of Healthcare Executives • Fellow of the American
                                          College of Physicians
                                          
                                     
                                 
                                    
                                          Mrs. Ashely Teasdel, MBA, Deputy Secretary of Commerce, South Carolina Department
                                             of Commerce
                                          
                                             B.B.A. in Business Administration and Management, Charleston Southern University •
                                             MBA, Southern Wesleyan University • BB&T Leadership Development Institute graduate
                                             • South Carolina Economic Development Institute graduate • South Carolina Certified
                                             Public Managers Program graduate 
                                             
                                        
                                    
                                       
                                          Ms. Bhavna Vasudeva, United Real Estate of Columbia
                                          
                                       
                                          B.A. in Advertising and Public Relations, University of South Carolina • Licensed
                                          Realtor • South Carolina Arts Commission • Free Medical Clinic Board • Central Carolina
                                          Community Foundation Community Impact Chair