Research

The University of California, Irvine is consistently ranked among the top research universities in the nation. As stated in UC Irvine's Strategic Plan, the campus' mission is to discover and disseminate knowledge through research, teaching, and creative expression. The understanding of global environmental problems such as climate change, stratospheric ozone depletion, and air pollution requires the cooperation of scientists across many disciplines. The following programs assist in this mission as it relates to sustainability:

The goal of AirUCI is to develop a comprehensive understanding of reactions at the air-water interface of atmospheric droplets and water on surfaces, and their importance in the atmosphere across a broad range of spatial and temporal scales.

Calit2 conducts research in 9 areas, one of which is environmental and civil infrastructure.

The CGECR was founded to provide a link between investigators doing research related to global environmental change at UC Irvine, other University of California campuses, and the campus-run Laboratories.

This center conducts research aiming to advance the knowledge of the water and energy cycle at scales ranging from the local watersheds to continental scales. Our main focus is land-surface hydrologic processes, their spatial and temporal variability, and the use of remote sensing information and computer models to improve both our understanding of these processes and our ability to model them in order to predict the impacts natural and anthropogenic variabilities on water resources.

The COEH's mission is to improve occupational and environmental health in the region we serve. The Center extends its services to government, industry, schools, health professionals, and the general public. We strive to improve the region's awareness of occupational and environmental hazards and to prevent injury and disease.

The center addresses the security challenges of the 21st century through innovative research and education programs that integrate experts from the public and private sectors. CUSA conducts research and provides a range of educational and public services focused on four areas related to threat and vulnerability:

These networks are distinct, but interactive, and pose an array of challenges to human and national security.

CGPACS is a multi-disciplinary program dedicated to promoting scholarly, student, and public understanding of international peace and conflict. CGAPCS affiliated faculty (approximately 60 faculty from 7 schools across campus), guest speakers, and affiliated graduate students work on the military/ strategic, economic/ environmental, and cultural/ normative motives, processes, and consequences of both peace and conflict.

This center studies biological development, including environmental toxicology.

In 2008, UC Irvine announced the creation of an institute that will bring together scientists from across campus to conduct research specific to these areas, including how climate change will alter public health and welfare; whether people will accept the living patterns of green cities; and how new energy technologies will impact the environment. Michael Prather, professor of Earth system science and Fred Kavli chair, will be the institute's inaugural director.

UCI has been chosen to lead other California universities in a Green Materials Program that will develop nontoxic alternatives to products used in everyday life.

Research at ITS covers a broad spectrum of transportation issues related to air quality, such as: analysis and simulation of urban traffic networks; transportation/land use interactions, particularly those which encourage alternative modes of travel; planning and evaluation of advanced public transit systems; and, energy and environmental issues, particularly demand for alternative fuels. ITS is also part of the University of California Transportation Center (UCTC), one of ten federally-designated centers for transportation research and education, and a member of the Council of University Transportation Centers, (CUTC).

The National Fuel Cell Research Center focuses on the development and deployment of advanced power generation technology.

The School of Physical Sciences Center for Solar Energy supports research aimed at increasing our understanding of how light from the sun can be converted into electrical and chemical energy. Presently, solar energy provides an insignificant fraction (<< 1%) of our overall energy needs and fundamental scientific breakthroughs will be required to change this status quo. Research within the School of Physical Sciences Center for Solar Energy will seek to identify and solve "bottlenecks" in fundamental science that impede our ability to carry out these energy conversion processes efficiently.

The Urban Water Research Center advances the understanding of the distinct characteristics of the urban water environment in order to assist people and institutions in their effort to promote health, enhance the efficient use of water resources, and protect environmental values.

For information about climate change researchers on campus, visit the climate change multimedia site.