UC Davis
About

In 2010, UC Davis received funds from a UC multi-campus research program grant to establish the UC Davis Blum Center for Developing Economies. The Center, modeled after the successful Blum Center launched with support from Richard Blum at UC Berkeley, draws upon UC Davis’ unique strengths and history as a leader in research, theory and applied science in Agriculture, Environment and Natural Resources, Energy, Public Health, Veterinary Medicine, and Entrepreneurship.

Our Vision

With a focus on excellence, our mission is to engage UC Davis faculty and students in finding tangible, sustainable solutions to alleviating global poverty.

This multi-disciplinary, cross-campus initiative engages undergraduate and graduate students, faculty, researchers and local community partners abroad through education, applied research and outreach. Practical application is the guiding principal of the program.

 

Our Goal

Finding solutions that have a lasting and tangible impact on people living in poverty, through:

  • Education - merging theory, facts and critical thinking about poverty alleviation with hands–on experiential learning.
  • Exposure - encouraging applied research and field work to understand poverty, its causes and effects.
  • Engagement - working with local in-country partners to identify and implement innovative solutions to alleviating poverty that are sustainable.

 

Program Components

With support from the Blum Center at UC Berkeley, the UC Davis Blum Center for Developing Economies:

  • Provides high-quality undergraduate and graduate courses that engage UC Davis students and faculty on development issues.
  • Convenes hands-on labs where students learn about and build alternative energy technologies, complete market research and analyze the sustainability of alternative solutions to alleviating poverty.
  • Brings inspirational leaders and practitioners to campus to share their stories and experiences working on developing issues abroad.
  • Supports innovative technological, financial, business/marketing and social solutions for alleviating poverty through a small-grant program.
  • Encourages greater engagement of undergraduate students on working in the field to reduce poverty through a student project grants program.