Division of Flooding and Poverty
Climate change and increased flood hazards will drive increased poverty in the 21st Century. Through the study of displaced populations, disrupted economies, water-borne illnesses and the loss of ecosystem services and infrastructure caused by flooding, UC Blum Center Scholars are utilizing big-data to identify solutions to mitigate flood risk, foster peace and stability in flood-affected communities and empower citizens to action through widely-accessible information and leadership.
Projects & Team
Latest News & Research
In the News: Sand Movement and Erosion Mitigation – Sanders on Spectrum News
Spectrum News interviewed Blum Center coastal erosion and flood expert, Dr. Brett Sanders, about a new UCI study of California beaches. The study, co-authored by Sanders, investigates the way sand has been moving along the coastline since 2000 and where and how...
In the News: Brett Sanders on Aging Coastal Infrastructure
Blum Center's Dr. Brett Sanders participated in a panel discussion on "The Future of Infrastructure Along our Sensitive Coast" as part of the 2024 Orange Country Council of Governments' annual conference. Sanders' emphasized the role of dams and river channeling in...
In the News: Between Sand and a Hard Place – Train Troubles
After years of erosion and a year of intense storms, the passenger and freight rail line through San Clemente, CA, needs both short and long term solutions to keep it operating. Rip-rap, while a common reactive option, may not lead to desired outcomes in the long run...
Research Lead
Brett Sanders (B.S., University of California, Berkeley; M.S., University of Michigan; Ph.D., University of Michigan) is a Professor of Civil and Environmental Engineering at the University of California, Irvine. Sanders’ research group specializes in the development of innovative algorithms for flow and transport in river and coastal systems and the integration of information technologies to create more accurate and efficient simulation tools.
Project Information
News
- California’s aging dams face new perils, 50 years after Sylmar quake crisis (LA Times)
- ‘Expect More’: Climate Change Raises Risk of Dam Failures (New York Times)
- Researchers find collaborative flood modeling process effective (National Science Foundation)
- UCI, other researchers find collaborative flood modeling process effective (UCI News)
- Beach dynamics (UCI News)
- Scientists from UC Campuses Study Floods, Flood Socioeconomics (Spectrum News)
- What Is a Nuisance Flood, Exactly? (Eos)
- In a warming climate, ocean- and land-based floods are a disastrous duo, UCI researchers find (UCI News)
- Over time, nuisance flooding can cost more than extreme, infrequent events (UCI News)
Graduate Degrees
Employment Opportunities
No positions are currently available.