Promoting social change and inspiring the next generation of leaders with research.
The UCI Blum Center for Poverty Alleviation believes in bringing together the expertise and exceptional research abilities found at this world-class university with the passion and energy of the students who form the leaders of tomorrow. We collaborate across disciplines with students, faculty and practitioners to rigorously explore systemic, geopolitical, technological and climate forces affecting poverty.
We’re passionate about our areas of expertise — the science and practice of compassion, the co-production of advanced computational modeling to mitigate flood risk, and the impacts of human trafficking and modern slavery — as well as our global partnerships addressing environmental peacebuilding and planetary health.
Our Work
For Students
Latest News & Research
Dr. Sanders on Why Flood Modeling Should Avoid “Bathtub” Models
In a response to increased and more hazardous flood events in recent years, Dr. Brett Sanders, Blum Center flood risk researcher, and several co-authors published a commentary article in the journal Earth's Future, a publication of the American Geophysical Union, to...
Dr. Morgan Advises Las Vegas Community on Preventing Trafficking during 2024 Grand Prix
Dr. Kelsey Morgan, anti-trafficking researcher at the Blum Center and CEO of EverFree, spoke to local news outlets in advance of the 2024 Las Vegas Grand Prix. Large events such as these are, unfortunately, spaces where vulnerable folks in the community can become...
Dr. Robinson on the Big Business of Human Trafficking
Dr. Angela Robinson offered insight into the economic drivers of human trafficking in a recent article published by Dr. Kelsey Morgan (UCI | EverFree) for Fast Company , noting that human trafficking is a big business - the second largest and fastest growing illegal...
Reflections on the 16th UN Biodiversity Conference
By Stephanie Martinez, UCI Blum Center PhD student Last month, I had the exciting opportunity to represent the Blum Center at the 2024 United Nations Biodiversity Conference (CBD COP16). While COPs such as this are at the center of my studies, I’d never had the...
“Post-Conflict Peacebuilding and Sustainable Development” – Director Matthew Co-Authors Chapter in New UNEP Report on Digital Technology in Environmental Peacebuilding Efforts
Last week, the UN Environmental Programme and the Environmental Peacebuilding Association released their latest technical report, "Digital Technologies for Environmental Peacebuilding: Horizon scanning of opportunities & risks" which aims to better understand and...
The Power of Music and Youth as Changemakers
Recently, the Blum Center was visited by two of our partners on the new Power of Music initiative, award winning filmmakers Michael Uwemedimo of Collaborative Media Advocacy Platform in Nigeria and Petna Ndaliko Katondolo of Yole!Africa in the Democratic Republic of...
Compassion Initiative
We inspire the next generation of leaders and engage community stakeholders to use the power of compassion and empathy.