Community Resilience highlighted in UCI’s 2019 Sierra ranking

Sierra magazine has named the University of California, Irvine No. 1 in the nation and No. 2 overall in its annual “Cool Schools” ranking of sustainability leaders among U.S. and Canadian colleges. Thompson Rivers University in British Columbia got the top spot. Today’s “Cool Schools” No. 2 overall ranking makes UCI the only university to score in the top 10 for 10 consecutive years. It was No. 1 in 2014, 2015 and 2018 on the strength of its curriculum, research, campus operations and public engagement. UCI Community Resilience Projects contributed to the award:

  • Community-driven academic partnership
    Started in part by the UCI Program in Public Health, ¡Plo-NO! Santa Ana is a community-academic partnership bringing together community leaders, faculty, staff and students to investigate and address lead and other contaminants affecting residents of Santa Ana. Read more here and here.
  • Student climate resilience leadership
    UCI has expanded its Student Leadership Institute for Climate Resilience across the entire UC system, introducing first-year and transfer students to some of the major challenges and opportunities of building community climate resilience, as well as tools for action. Read more here and here.

Congratulations to all of the students, faculty, staff, and community collaborators who make this national recognition possible.

UCI community resilience students and alumni participate as team members in the ¡Plo-NO! Santa Ana project with Orange County Environmental Justice. Photo Credit: Raul Roa, LA Times