Press
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...
Support that is Music to our Ears: $1.5million from The Drake Gives
We are thrilled and grateful to officially announce a new addition to our growing network of dedicated supporters! The Drake Gives, founded by Alec Glasser, donated $1.5 Million which will be used to support a new collaborative imitative: The Power of Music. Blum...
In the News: Disadvantaged Communities Suffer Flood Impacts Most
In the aftermath of early winter storms here in California, the Blum Center's own flood expert, Dr. Brett Sanders, talks about the disproportionate impact borne by disadvantaged communities in California during flood events. Read the full BBC article here.
In the News: Controlling Floods in a Warming Climate
Early February brought wet weather and flood warnings to California. In part, the deluge is influenced by the El Nino, but there are unique challenges when that influence is compounded by a warming climate. In a recent New York Times article, Blum Center flood and...
In the News: Data Driven Beach Replenishment
Recently, several news outlets picked up Blum Center erosion expert Dr. Brett Sanders' and co-authors' new publication on predicting the movement and flow of sand among southern California beaches. Coverage references the erosion of the southern Californian coastline...
Robinson and Morgan Named to Advisory Board
We are excited to announce that Dr. Angela Robinson (Blum Center) and Kelsey Morgan (Blum Center and EverFree) recently took up positions on the Advisory Board of the Collaborative to End Human Trafficking. This collaborative of experts and philanthropists formed to...
Sanders: Rain, Floods, and Controlling the Flows in Southern California
In the aftermath of recent storms in southern California, San Diego, among other localities, experienced major flooding. Just as the region is set to face another major storm in the coming days, Dr. Brett Sanders, Blum Center flood expert has been sharing his...
Kelsey Morgan Appointed CEO of EverFree
ICYMI: Blum Center doctoral candidate Kelsey Morgan was recently appointed as CEO of EverFree! EverFree is an essential research partner in the Blum Center's work on anti trafficking and survivor reintegration. Morgan was a co-founder of EverFree and previously served...
In the News: Funding for Freedom Lifemap
We are happy to officially announce the generous support of the Samueli Foundation! Their gift of $750,000 to the UCI Blum Center is critical for the global launch, scaling, and analysis of the Freedom Lifemap. This new tool has immense potential to inform more...
In the News: Freedom Lifemap Launches New Possibilities
EverFree, a Blum Center community partner in anti-human trafficking work, and the UCI Blum Center have officially launched the survivor-focused assessment tool: Freedom Lifemap! The tool aims to provide much-needed, yet generally absent, data in the field of...
In the News: Sanders Explains Landscape’s Role in Libya Floods
The recent deadly storm and flooding in Derna, Libya demonstrates how infrastructure, landscapes, and climate plays a role in determining how disastrous a storm could be. In a recent New York Times article, Blum Center flood expert Dr. Sanders offered some...
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...
In the News: Sanders Pens Opinion on Climate Warning Signs
In an op-ed out this week in the Los Angeles Times, Blum Center expert Dr. Brett Sanders offers expert, if disquieting, observations. In the wake of the Rolling Hills landslide, Dr. Sanders writes about the warning signs all around us - massive flooding, intense...
In the News: Brett Sanders Offers Insight as Sand Arrives at OC Beaches
Last week, Blum Center coastal erosion and flooding expert Dr. Brett Sanders was quoted in an OC Register article covering the arrival of new sand to Dana Point, CA, beaches. The project is the culmination of years of government, researcher, and local organization...
In the News: Climate Modeling Implicates Anthropogenic Climate Change in California’s Fires
Blum Center affiliate and climate extremes modeler Amir AghaKouchak (UCI, Dept. of Civil & Environmental Engineering) was recently cited in a USA Today article about a new study on drivers of wildfire. Dr. AghaKouchak explains that the modeling in his new research...
In the News: Brett Sanders Talks Sand at Movie Premier
Blum Center coastal research lead, Dr. Brett Sanders, is featured in a new short film "Running out of Time: The Race to Save San Clemente Beaches". This short film is part of a campaign by local organization Bring Back our Beaches, which is trying to bring more...
In the News: Brett Sanders on Local Coastal Erosion for LA Times
Last week, Blum Center coastal flood and erosion researcher Brett Sanders offered insight in a Los Angeles Times article on recent destruction in Orange County. In the context of recent and potential coastal erosion in San Clemente, Sanders spoke on the various...
UCI Magazine Provides Deep Dive on Blum Center Flood Research
Flood research conducted by Blum Center researchers was featured on the cover of UCI Magazine's Winter edition. The feature, "Flood Watchers", discusses the shift from drought to severe flooding, the role of climate change in recent and future storms, and the renewed...
In the News: Blum Center Flood Research Overflows in the Media
April showers certainly brought many beautiful May flowers...but they also brought attention to flood risks in California, particularly coastal Southern California. With talk of atmospheric rivers, a phrase becoming a part of every Californian's vernacular, worries of...
In the News: Blum Center Researcher on Preparing Historic Spaces for Sea Level Rise
A recent article by The Orange County Register called attention to the cultural and historic spaces poised to be impacted by climate change driven sea-level rise and coastal erosion. In partnership with UCI researchers, including the Blum Center's own Brett Sanders,...
In the News: Brett Sanders on the Importance of Flood Management in CA
Last week, the Los Angeles Times published an op-ed by Dr. Brett Sanders, a leading UC Irvine Blum Center expert on flooding. Along with his co author, Public Policy Institute fellow Jeffrey Mount, Sanders emphasizes the critical need to improve flood management in...
In the News: Brett Sanders Interviewed on Hope for More Sand at Flooded OC Beaches
The Orange County Register recently interviewed Brett Sanders, UC Irvine Blum Center researcher, following the flooding of Pacific Coast Highway at Bolsa Chica. Bolsa Chica State Beach has been shut down following damages from ocean flooding. This reflects the...
In the News: UCI Blum Center Flood Research Widely Cited in Media Coverage of Flooding
As heavier rain and flooding continues in California, multiple media outlets are spotlighting Blum Center research on the disproportionate effects of flooding for our poorest communities. UC Irvine Blum Center research that was published in Nature Sustainability last...
In the News: New York Times on California Flooding
Following the influx of rainfall in California, The New York Times released an article about the flooding. The article, split into two sections: the immediate and the long-term, gives an overview of what California is currently enduring and what we should expect...
In the News: Dr. Brett Sanders Comments on Flooding for NBC
In an article published this week by NBC, Dr. Brett Sanders, UC Irvine Blum Center leading researcher on flooding, was interviewed regarding the devastating flooding and rainfall in California. Although we are beginning to see some effects now, Sanders said it may...
In the News: Richard Matthew on Flooding Vulnerability in California
In a recent NBC article by Alicia Victoria Lozano, the flooding in California is examined through the lens of the people it has been affecting most - marginalized communities. The article begins with a story of a California citizen who drove through the floods that...
In the News: The Wall Street Journal on Flooding in Los Angeles
In the midst of an unusually long and heavy period of storms across the state of California, The Wall Street Journal writes about the expected effects in the Los Angeles area. Dr. Brett Sanders, a leading flood researcher at the UC Irvine Blum Center, was interviewed...
In the News: Kelsey Morgan Explains Trends in Trafficking Data, Introduces Freedom Greenlight Tool
Kelsey Morgan, a UC Irvine Blum Center PhD candidate and co-founder of the anti-trafficking nonprofit EverFree, was recently quoted in The Orange County Business Journal. Morgan spoke about track records of identifying, intervening, and recovering sex trafficking...
Orange County Lawmakers Meet with Researchers at UC Irvine About Flooding Issues
On December 20th, researchers and scientists were joined by lawmakers at the UC Irvine campus. The group came together to discuss disappearing coastlines and the effects this has been having on the Orange County beaches around us. Led by scientists from the UC Irvine...
In the News: Brett Sanders on Coastal Erosion
Years ago, coastal beaches were filled with happy people spending a day in the sun with family and friends, but times have changed. Now, beaches on the coast in places such as Southern California, Florida, and even New Jersey are falling victim to the increasing...
In the News: UC Irvine Flood Studies Help Inspire Motions within the LA County Board of Supervisors
Outlined in a newly released LA Times article, Blum Center research on flooding has begun to have real-world impacts. The article introduces a motion that was recently passed by the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors that seeks to have the Department of Public...
In the News: Paul Piff on Awe for Irvine Standard
In an article written by Kathrine Ellison for Irvine Standard, Blum Center researcher Paul Piff is interviewed regarding his work within the world of awe. He explains that the feeling of awe we experience outdoors is ultimately very good for us - enhancing our...
Landmark Article Published Showing that Flood Risks are Much Greater than Previously Estimated
Blum Center researchers have published a landmark article in Nature Sustainability showing an enormous disparity between the federal government’s estimates of the risk posed by flooding and what their updated models show in LA. The team found that nearly 1 million...
In the News: Southern California Train Closed as Beaches Erode
One of the busiest rail lines that runs from San Diego to Los Angeles has been suspended due to sea levels rising and continuously eroding beaches. State and County officials declared an emergency, stopping the train from running as the landscape along the coast...
LA Times Names Kelsey Morgan as an Orange County Visionary
Recently, the LA Times named UC Irvine Blum Center researcher Kelsey Morgan an Orange County visionary. Morgan was profiled for her work with EverFree, an organization aimed at ending human trafficking and helping survivors. Morgan has impacted the lives of thousands...
In the News: A Grant from NASA Supports New Satellite Data to Track Erosion
In collaboration with University of Houston, Blum Center-affiliated UC Irvine professor of civil and environmental engineering Brett Sanders received a three year grant from NASA for a project aimed to collect data and monitor local beaches by satellite imagery. The...
In the News: Brett Sanders Advises on Urban Planning and Infrastructure
Brett Sanders, Blum Center Researcher on Climate Extremes, was recently interviewed by Ailsa Chang for NPR regarding cities protecting themselves from flooding. As more people begin to move towards coastal cities in the U.S., the risk of these cities being negatively...
In the News: Paul Piff Interviewed about Research on Awe
Blum Center Associate Director Paul Piff is a leading expert on the science of awe, and he was recently interviewed about awe by The Washington Post. In an article titled “Why it is awesome that your brain can experience awe” by Richard Sima, Piff went on record to...
In the News: CBS Writes of Flooding Concerns
In a new article for CBS, UC Irvine Blum Center researcher Brett Sanders was interviewed in relation to his work on beach and coastal flooding. Following the concerns with Hurricane Kay, Sanders explains the effects on our beaches. He notes that experts noticed...
In the News – The New York Times Features UC Irvine Research
In an opinion column for the The New York Times, Peter Coy highlighted a study on ‘The Moralization of Effort’ by UC Irvine researchers Jared Celniker, Andrew Gregory, Hyunjin Koo, Paul Piff, and Peter Ditto and University of British Columbia researcher Azim...
In the News: What Old Satellite Images Tell us about the Future
In The Metropolitan Beaches Project, UCI Blum Center researcher Dr. Brett Sanders “aims to raise awareness of beach erosion by focusing on observation and modeling changes in beach trends.” This research utilizes satellite imagery to track how waterlines have changed...
In the News: Dr. Piff on Kids and Talking About Social Class
In an article on the website Parents, the author, Bob McKinnon, delves into the struggles of talking about social class with your kids. He came from a poverty ridden background, and while his kids are growing up opposite to that, he - like many other parents- finds it...
In the News: Paul Piff’s research on the benefits of awe through nature
In collaboration with L.L. Bean, Blum Center Associate Director Dr. Paul Piff is working on research regarding the various benefits of the outdoors. As mentioned in the article entitled “L.L. Bean returns to social media - with a mission,” included in this research...
In the News: Hyunjin Koo’s Research on Empathy Towards Poor
HealthDay released an article that referenced the work of researchers Hyunjin Koo, Azim Shariff, and Paul Piff on the attitudes of wealthy people towards lower income people based on the way they made their money. It may make sense to predict that wealthy people who...
In the News: Brett Sanders on Using Sediment Bypass to Reduce Erosion and Flooding
Blum Center affiliated faculty member Brett Sanders is in the news discussing how sediment bypasses could help to address erosion at our local beaches. In a recent Spectrum News 1 article by Jo Kwon, Sanders explains that sediment buildup in Orange County's flood...
Paul Piff Interviewed by BBC Business Daily
Blum Center Assistant Director Paul Piff was recently interviewed for BBC's Business Daily podcast. The episode explores the effects of wealth and greed on social behavior. Professor Piff discusses his research on how unearned advantages shape social interactions...
Professor Brett Sanders Appears in Documentary on Coastal Erosion and Flooding
Blum Center-affiliated professor Brett Sanders recently appeared in a documentary film, “Coastal Crisis: California's Vanishing Beaches." Created by Mike Moodian, the documentary explains how climate change is causing sea levels to rise and eroding Southern California...
In the News: San Clemente hopes to add 250,000 cubic yards of sand to beaches
Professor Brett Sanders, who leads the Blum Center's research on flooding and community vulnerabilities, was recently interviewed by Spectrum News 1. "Sanders [...] walked on the other end of the project recently at Linda Lane. He noted that the city’s project is a...
Greater Good’s top 10 insights on a meaningful life
Greater Good Magazine just released its list of 2021's top 10 insights on the science of a meaningful life, and a study conducted in Blum Center Associate Director Paul Piff's research lab was the first finding featured. In the article, lead author Andrew Gregory...
Identifying California’s flooding risk zones and developing workable solutions
Blum-affiliated Professor of Civil and Environmental Engineering Brett Sanders was recently interviewed for an article on the California regions that are at risk of flooding and how his research is identifying workable solutions to address these hazards. The article...
In the News: Professor Brett Sanders talks about what we know about climate change, waves, and coastal erosion
Professor Brett Sanders, who leads the Blum Center's research on flooding and community vulnerabilities, was recently quoted in the OC Register. The article highlights recent research articles from other labs that predict changes to the size and power of waves along...
In the News: More sand for south Orange County’s shrinking beaches
Division of Flooding and Poverty research lead Brett Sanders was recently interviewed as part of a piece exploring how coastal communities are thinking more about new ways to keep sand on the beaches, providing an important buffer between waves and infrastructure....
In the News: Coastal erosion in San Clemente threatens railroad tracks, pricey homes
Division of Flooding and Poverty research lead Brett Sanders was recently interviewed as part of a piece exploring how the lack of beach nourishment is threatening infrastructure and homes along California's coast. Read the full piece at the LA Times.
Op-Ed: Southern California’s beaches are running out of sand
In an op-ed published by the LA Times, Division of Flooding and Poverty research lead Brett Sanders describes how sand deposits, sediment management, and climate change combine to create challenges for beaches in Southern California. Beyond erosion on beaches...
Siddharth Kara Comments on Lawsuit Linking Tech Companies to Exploitation
Blum Center Distinguished Visiting Scholar Siddharth Kara was quoted in a recent Forbes article about a lawsuit alleging that the exploitation of child workers is providing cobalt that powers some of the most popular devices made by major technology companies. The...
Richard Matthew on the Connection Between Holiday Consumerism and Modern Slavery
Blum Center Director Richard Matthew recently wrote about how holiday consumerism fuels the economy, but it can also fuel the demand for cheap exploitative labor and modern slavery. Dr. Matthew shares how we can all take steps to ensure that the right accountability...
Siddharth Kara’s Op-Ed in the Guardian
Blum Center Distinguished Visiting Scholar Siddharth Kara recently published an op-ed in the Guardian titled, "I saw the unbearable grief inflicted on families by cobalt mining. I pray for change." The piece tells the story of some of the children and families he met...
Interview: Addressing Inequality in Flood Risk
More than 7 million Californians live in places that are at risk of flooding. But not every community is well prepared to recover from floods. A new study, headed by experts at the University of California, Irvine (UCI), is looking at how flooding affects social...
Older press coverage of Blum Center events and initiatives include:
- 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)
- UC Irvine class teaches students the science of compassion (LA Times/The Daily Pilot)
- Meeting for peace (UCI School of Social Ecology)
- Colombia, aún lejos de hacer las paces con el medioambiente (El Tiempo)
- How to survive a major flood (UCI School of Social Ecology)
- Student-run InSight Magazine explores poverty and inequality in Southern California (LA Times/The Daily Pilot)
- “Insight Magazine” Celebrates Launch (New U)
- Compassion Concert: Perla Batalla In the House of Cohen (New U)
- Irvine-based nonprofit wins UCI pitch competition aimed at tackling poverty (OC Register)
- 2 nonprofits and a game won UCI grants to try to help people in poverty (Daily Pilot)
- 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)