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
We utilize big-data to identify solutions to mitigate flood risk and foster peace and stability in flood-affected communities.
Through research about the economic impacts of human trafficking and slavery, we mobilize stakeholders and leaders.
For Students
We offer a range of experiential, curricular and mentorship opportunities for graduate and undergraduate students.
The Global Service Scholars program offers immersive service opportunities with partner organizations.
Small Change, Better World offers mini-grants to for student-led projects addressing tangible needs.
Latest News & Research
In the News: Newport Beach Floods – Sanders Dubs them Harbringers
Last week the Orange County Register turned to Blum Center coastal flooding expert Brett Sanders to understand the cause of recent flooding in Newport Beach. Why might high tidal waters be flooding the coastal Californian town during summer months when waves are...
In the News: Big Waves Sending Big Message
The Los Angeles Times recently published a piece on the changing wave dynamics along California's coast. In this article, several experts were asked to weigh in on a recent study demonstrating that (1) the average height of winter waves along California's coast have...
In the News: Landslide Vulnerabilities with Brett Sanders
Blum Center researcher Dr. Brett Sanders was featured in a recent segment on ABC 7 . Leading up to the reopening of the railway line which was closed after a landslide in San Clemente, which also destroyed parts of the iconic Casa Romantica, flood and erosion expert...
Reimagining Urban Futures: The Case for Storytelling & Arts
Recently, the UCI Blum Center, in collaboration with the Climate and Urban Sustainability Program (CUSP), and the School of Social Ecology, hosted the award winning filmmakers Michael Uwemedimo and Petna Ndaliko Katondolo. Students, faculty, and non-profit partner...
Climate Resilience & ‘Genuine Security’ in Guåhan/Guam
What does sustainability look like for Pacific Islands in Oceania, namely the Mariana Islands? What does it entail for islands that are ancestral homelands for Indigenous peoples, as well as the U.S. military presence that claims/colonized the island? Dr. Tiara...
Climate Change Could Push Billions out of Habitable Zones
Last week, ProPublica journalist Abraham Lustgarten published a piece covering recent scientific research detailing how and where dramatic climate changes are or will soon force populations out of the habitable zones called the "climate niche". The authors of the...
We inspire the next generation of leaders and engage community stakeholders to use the power of compassion and empathy.