It Just Means More for Southeastern Conference Universities.
Of course it means more fans in the stands and trophies in the display case.
But it also means academic success and community progress.
The SEC's 14 member institutions are creating premier academic experiences while leading economic growth and innovation in their respective states. Each university is educating and preparing tomorrow’s leaders while enhancing the nation’s skilled workforce.
SEC universities are providing societal benefits through research while developing new products and companies.
The SEC's collective impact extends beyond campuses.
Service and outreach is at the core of each university's mission. From addressing rural needs and health disparities to protecting and enhancing natural resources, SEC schools are transforming lives. With all 14 members as elite R-1 research institutions, the SEC is tackling issues and advancing technology to improve the rapidly changing world.
SEC Artificial Intelligence Consortium
The Southeastern Conference and its member universities are spearheading initiatives that bring artificial intelligence to the classroom and support workforce development training.
Believed to be the first athletics conference collaboration to focus on artificial intelligence, the SEC has led the way with programming such as the Generative AI Forum and Teaching with AI in the SEC.
SEC Faculty Travel Program
Since its inception in 2012, the SEC Faculty Travel Program provides faculty with opportunities to conduct research, present lectures, exchange ideas and deliver artistic performances with their Conference colleagues.
Past research collaborations have ranged from robotic software to reading comprehension and Down Syndrome to research on meteorites. Travel endeavors have also included musical recitals from solo artists and ensembles. In 2019 the University of Kentucky’s Brass Quintet traveled to multiple campuses.
Dr. Renã Robinson, a past recipient from Vanderbilt University, said the program assisted in a $2.04 million grant from the National Institutes of Health to support underrepresented minority faculty in biomedical research.
Student Development
SEC MBA Case Competition
The SEC MBA Case Competition provides an opportunity for SEC business schools to showcase their students’ skills at solving simulated, real-world problems that cover the spectrum of business disciplines.
SEC Student Pitch Competition
The SEC Student Pitch Competition provides a showcase for young entrepreneurs as each university representative competes against one another with their innovative business ideas.
SEC Emerging Scholars
SEC Emerging Scholars is designed to provide professional development and networking opportunities for current doctoral students and postdoctoral researchers who are considering careers in higher education.
Each year a SEC university hosts a career preparation workshop that features sessions on various topics like the hiring process, dealing with workplace conflicts and what to expect as a new faculty member. The SEC scholars also participate in small group discussions and receive feedback on articulating their research and teaching statements.
community Impact
University of Alabama
• The University of Alabama was awarded $360 million, the largest external award in the University’s history, from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration to lead a national effort of 28 institutions in water research.
• In-state freshmen enrolled in Fall 2022 received over $18 million in scholarships.
• Annual funding from industry partners with The University of Alabama has increased nearly 500 percent, creating opportunities for students while bringing innovation and job growth to the state.
• The new high performance computing center at The University of Alabama will power advanced research and enrich student experiences. Supported by $90 million in state and federal funding, the center will be the fastest in the state, meeting the needs of a major research institution.
• UA’s University Medical Center expanded its operations and added clinics throughout West Alabama and the Black Belt Region to provide increased medical care and support to Alabamians.
University of Arkansas
• The University of Arkansas has increased its scholarships for in-state students by $6 million since 2019.
• Women innovators at the University of Arkansas create new intellectual property at a rate of twice the national average, participating in nearly 50 percent of invention disclosures received by Technology Ventures.
• The University of Arkansas is home to the Cybersecurity Center for Secure Evolvable Energy Delivery Systems, a $15 million national center funded by the U.S. departments of Energy and Homeland Security and devoted to protecting the nation’s power grid from cyberattacks.
• The Institute for Integrative and Innovative Research, or I³R, brings researchers and industry pioneers together to drive discoveries, solve problems, create inventions, and deliver cutting-edge products to the marketplace.
Auburn University
• Auburn University agriculture and engineering faculty are part of a project using modern technologies in the rural South to advance poultry and forest production, which represent a $43 billion contribution to Alabama’s economy.
• Auburn University’s Rural Medicine Program continues to help feed the pipeline of doctors serving the needs of rural Alabama communities by preparing students for their transition to medical school with rigorous courses in biological sciences, biochemistry and laboratory sciences.
• Auburn University’s Government and Economic Development Institute promotes effective government policy and management, civic engagement, economic prosperity and improved quality of life for the state of Alabama and its communities.
• Auburn University faculty representing a variety of multi-disciplinary studies have assembled a unique think-tank — AI@AU — that expands artificial intelligence education and research through innovative curricula, public programs and cutting-edge explorations that advance business practice and improves quality of life.
• Auburn University’s new Public and One Health undergraduate degree is a unique public health program, utilizing the College of Veterinary Medicine’s One Health program, which emphasizes a holistic approach to the interconnectedness and mutual interdependency of humans, animals and the environment.
University of Florida
• The University of Florida is the first institution to adopt an “AI Across the Curriculum” approach to providing every student in every major the opportunity to acquire competence and expertise in artificial intelligence and data science.
• University of Florida faculty recently achieved a record $1 billion in research expenditures, developing treatments for diseases, new agricultural products, engineering solutions and countless other advancements.
• UF Innovate supports an innovation ecosystem at the University of Florida that moves research discoveries from the laboratory to the market, fostering a resilient economy and making the world a better place.
• To improve stroke outcomes for Floridians, UF Health launched a statewide network of mobile stroke treatment units — specialized ambulances equipped to speed diagnosis and treatment.
• The University of Florida’s Brown Center for Leadership & Service builds a community of engaged students and community partners to co-create experiential learning opportunities through leadership development, service, and community partnerships for positive change.
University of Georgia
• The University of Georgia has received nearly $50 million in federal funding and grants to support the work of the new Johnny Isakson Center for Brain Science and Neurological Disorders. Researchers focus on Parkinson’s, Alzheimer’s and other neurocognitive diseases.
• The University of Georgia’s emphasis on hands-on learning gives students a competitive edge in the workforce, with 96 percent of UGA graduates attain employment or enroll in graduate school within six months of graduation.
• The University of Georgia is strengthening its faculty, hiring more than 60 scholars in data science, AI, integrative precision agriculture, and brain and behavioral health for this academic year.
• With more than 1,100 commercial products, the University of Georgia leads the nation for most commercial products introduced to market from faculty research.
• In the 2022-23 academic year, University of Georgia students demonstrated their commitment by contributing approximately 358,000 service hours through service-learning courses, translating to an estimated community benefit of $10 million.
University of Kentucky
• The University of Kentucky is leading a National Science Foundation’s Regional Innovation Engines program to help partners in Kentucky and Tennessee become leaders in next-generation manufacturing and supply chain innovation for the circular economy.
• Through UK Invests, a first-of-its kind program in the country, the University of Kentucky is investing in students to build a foundation of financial literacy and healthy habits by depositing money into their brokerage accounts.
• More than 25 University of Kentucky researchers across six colleges are working together as part of the $87 million HEALing Communities Study to address the opioid epidemic in Kentucky communities and implement strategies proven to reduce opioid overdose deaths.
• The new Materials Science Research Priority Area at the University of Kentucky seeds innovation in medicine and manufacturing, fuel solutions in the automotive and aerospace industries and leans on the expertise of rare earth element researchers.
Louisiana State University
• During the past fiscal year, Louisiana State University’s campuses brought in $428 million in research activity, which has an estimated economic impact of $1.2 billion on Louisiana. This is the first time LSU has surpassed the $400-million mark in research activity.
• Louisiana State University has been chosen by the National Security Agency, or NSA, as the first university in the nation to create and pilot a cybersecurity clinic to help small businesses throughout Louisiana prevent, detect, and respond to cyberattacks. LSU was also recently designated as a Center of Academic Excellence in Cyber Operations by the NSA.
• Louisiana State University researchers developed the Coastal Emergency Risks Assessment, or CERA, a tool to predict storm surge and flooding during severe weather events. CERA shows thousands of emergency managers and first responders across Louisiana and the nation what they might expect ahead of dangerous storms.
• Louisiana State University and the largest ports in Louisiana announced a partnership to develop cybersecurity talent and technology for critical infrastructure, connecting LSU's growing strengths in cybersecurity to the ports’ pivotal role in the global supply chain and in securing food, energy, goods and materials for the nation and world.
• An LSU researcher and physician was the national principal investigator in the development of a new FDA-approved blood test to quickly detect sepsis – the leading cause of death for patients in hospitals.
University of Mississippi
• A new research center at the University of Mississippi Medical Center, the Molecular Center of Health and Disease, funded by an $11.5 million Centers of Biomedical Research Excellence grant, will help researchers study health and diseases at the molecular level with the goal of developing new treatments.
• University of Mississippi students maintain a 91.6 percent employment rate 10 years after graduation, according to data from the U.S. Department of Education compiled by Zippia.com.
• M Partner at the University of Mississippi connects university resources, faculty and students with Mississippi communities to carry out projects designed to improve quality of life.
• Headquartered at the University of Mississippi, the Mississippi Small Business Development Center supports small-business owners and budding entrepreneurs across Mississippi through a system of Virtual Access Centers.
• Faculty, staff and students at the University of Mississippi partnered with health care and public service providers to host bilingual health fairs where members of an underserved community received cardiovascular and diabetes screenings and other health information.
Mississippi State University
• Results from a national First Destination Survey show Mississippi State graduates experience a 94 percent success rate, which is nearly 10 percent higher than the national rate, for being employed or working on advanced degrees after graduation.
• As the university with the nation’s fifth largest U.S. supercomputing capabilities, Mississippi State University’s innovative Data Science degree program incorporates a multi-disciplinary approach to meet the growing demand for experts who can solve problems through digital transformation.
• Partnering with the Food and Agricultural Organization of the United Nations, Mississippi State University is home to the international Feed the Future Innovation Lab for Fish, finding solutions to fight global hunger by working to expand economies through a safe protein supply.
• For more than four decades, Mississippi State University’s Fred Carl, Jr. Small Town Center has enhanced economic development efforts and citizen quality of life throughout the state of Mississippi by improving the physical environment of small towns through MSU’s College of Architecture, Art and Design.
• As one of the National Science Foundation's Top 100 research universities, Mississippi State University is the lead university for the FAA National Center of Excellence for Uncrewed Aircraft Systems and has the 4th largest NSF Cyber Corps scholarship program in the nation.
University of Missouri
• An economic impact report shows the University of Missouri’s research enterprise generates a $988.8 million economic impact.
• A record-breaking 95.4 percent of recent University of Missouri graduates found successful career outcomes within six months of spring graduation.
• Each year, 1.6 million patients benefit from medical isotopes produced at the University of Missouri Research Reactor (MURR).
• The University of Missouri launched PAWS — Preparing Adults for Work and Society — a residential program for post-secondary students with intellectual and developmental disabilities.
• A University of Missouri engineer and colleagues have demonstrated an innovative method using thermal induction heating to rapidly break down “forever chemicals” left on water treatment filters.
University of South Carolina
• The University of South Carolina’s Big Data Health Science Center supports interdisciplinary research efforts to address challenges in population health, clinical care and health care delivery.
• The University of South Carolina’s Columbia campus is an official site of the National Science Foundation’s Innovation Corps, preparing scientists and engineers to increase the economic and societal impact of their work.
• FoodShare South Carolina increases South Carolinians’ access to fresh, healthy food as a foundational step to decreasing the impact of diabetes on the state.
• Engineering researchers at the University of South Carolina developed pioneering digital image correlation technology that is now used by major corporations and government entities, including NASA, Proctor and Gamble, Boeing and the U.S. Army.
• The University of South Carolina is establishing a Rural Brain Health Network to better serve the needs of South Carolina residents who suffer from stroke, Alzheimer’s or other dementias.
University of Tennessee
• The University of Tennessee is among the top 100 universities in the world for the number of granted patents.
• The University of Tennessee’s Anderson Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation has awarded more than $900,000 in funding to 215 student start-ups since the center was founded in 2010.
• The University of Tennessee’s longstanding partnership with Oak Ridge National Laboratory is at the forefront of transformative research in high-performance computing and cybersecurity.
• The University of Tennessee’s Legal Clinic is a national model for expanding access to justice for low-income people and vulnerable populations.
• The University of Tennessee and Volkswagen Group of America Inc. are leveraging the expertise of both organizations to accelerate their partnership and develop technologies to transform the automotive industry and build the workforce of the future. Plans include launching 10 new joint research projects through 2025 and creating additional Ph.D. fellowship and internship positions.
Texas A&M University
• Texas A&M University’s partnership with StartupTree, Inc. will help startups find mentorship, funding and other forms of help to bring technologies to market.
• The Department of Primary Care and Rural Medicine at the Texas A&M University School of Medicine offers an excellent educational setting to prepare physicians for providing full-scope family medicine in areas where it’s needed most.
• Researchers at Texas A&M University have developed the first molecular therapeutic for Angelman syndrome (AS), a devastating neurogenetic disorder that affects approximately 1 in 15,000 live births per year.
• Texas A&M University AgriLife, including students from the College of Agriculture & Life Sciences, study heat- and drought-induced diseases to solve problems impacting our food supply.
Vanderbilt University
• The Vanderbilt Center for Technology Transfer and Commercialization raked in $96 million in licensing revenue in the 2023 fiscal year. These numbers reflect the growth of output and activity being completed by the CTTC.
• The Wond’ry teamed up with IBM to equip Vanderbilt University community members with no-cost STEM education and career readiness resources through IBM SkillsBuild. This no-cost education program focused on underrepresented communities helps develop valuable skills and make access to tech careers more equitable.
• Vanderbilt University and the National Security Agency signed an education partnership agreement to advance innovation and education on issues of modern conflict and emerging threats.
• A new partnership with LaunchTN is helping to support, engage and attract high-growth startups. They will also seek to bring more innovative solutions to market with increased activities around technology transfer and commercialization.
• Vanderbilt University researchers are part of a team that has developed a cutting-edge water filtration method that makes desalinating industrial wastewater far more energy-efficient and cost-effective.
• Growing worries among Grundy County, Tennessee residents about cancer outbreaks within families, churches and neighborhoods propelled a community partnership drawing on Vanderbilt University’s strengths to develop environmental and health self-assessment tools.
Since 2011, the Southeastern Conference has supported the teaching, research and service mission of its member universities through a variety of programs and activities.
From faculty leadership development and integrating artificial intelligence in teaching to career preparation and supporting entrepreneurship for students, the SEC’s academic initiatives reinforce each university’s commitment to impacting its entire campus community.