The Office of the Vice President for Research is made up of several units, each serving a different set of specific research-related functions for faculty and student researchers throughout the University of South Carolina System. From animal resources support to information technology and data management, we provide the tools and assistance researchers need to be successful.
Whether you need help getting approval for a project involving human subjects, locating a collaborator at another university, submitting a grant application electronically through USCeRA or finding an advisor to help you get started in research as an undergraduate student, the Office of the Vice President for Research is here to support your research needs.
The Office of Sponsored Awards Management serves as the primary research administration office for the University, and is responsible for all pre-award activities, processing proposals and awards, assisting with budget preparation, negotiating grants and contracts on the university's behalf and issuing subcontracts, among other functions.
The Office of Research Compliance (ORC) provides support for faculty members, researchers, students and staff in regulatory requirements for scientific research. ORC is responsible for university policies related to use of human subjects in research (Institutional Review Board), conflicts of interest, research integrity, responsible conduct of research and other regulatory compliance programs.
Research and Grant Development serves USC faculty and staff seeking support, available resources and guidance during the pursuit of external funding. The unit's GRANT Training program was developed to meet the university's research administration needs and the unit's one-stop approach to browsing for funding, limited submissions and collaborative partners makes research opportunities easy to locate.
The Research Training and Education Services division offers education opportunities for USC faculty researchers at all career stages to increase research funding competitiveness and programs for research administrators on the full life cycle of sponsored awards and career pathways. This division also provides training and education to support USC's student researchers and others with roles involved in research at USC.
The Office of Undergraduate Research serves USC faculty, staff and students on all campuses as a centralized resource for engaging undergraduates in research, scholarly and creative activities across all disciplines. The office assists researchers needing undergraduate research assistants, advises students seeking projects, facilitates a variety of funding programs for students, including the Magellan Scholar program, and provides opportunities for students to showcase their experiences, such as Discovery Day and Caravel, the undergraduate research journal.
The Office of IT and Data Management is responsible for reporting extramural proposal submissions and award funding for the University of South Carolina. The team developed and maintains technologies such as our electronic research administration application (USCeRA), our online committee review system (CRIMS), and our faculty expert database (FacED) to integrate and simplify research administration.
The Department of Laboratory Animal Resources recognizes that laboratory animals are sentient creatures and is committed to meeting the ethical and legal obligations for humane animal care and handling at the University of South Carolina. This unit provides expert care and maintenance for all animals used by investigators at the university.