Big Ideas
UC Berkeley’s Big Ideas Contest Builds Student-Led Social Innovations
Paige Balcom, the co-founder, co-CEO and CTO of Takataka Plastics, is changing Uganda — one plastic bottle at a time.
September 28, 2023
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"The Blum Center for Developing Economies may well be the finest program of its kind in the world. It turns out legions of young graduates who are well prepared with expertise, humility, purpose, and a pragmatic optimism for combating poverty in the US and globally."
President Jimmy Carter
Honorary Trustee
Latest News
DevEng
MDevEng’s Third Cohort Arrives Ready to Tackle Global Challenges
On Aug. 22, the third cohort of the Master of Development Engineering program convened at Blum Hall for their orientation and the start of the first of three semesters of an interdisciplinary curriculum that revolves around developing technology interventions in accordance with and for individuals living in low-resource settings. The Class of 2024 — 34 students in total — hails from 12 countries across four continents, but many arrived last week for breakfast and headshots already on friendly terms.
September 8, 2023
Big Ideas
In the AI Era, Blum Center Students and Alumni Find Ways to Apply the Technology for Social Good
Yet even before AI took center stage this past year, students and alumni of the Blum Center for Developing Economies were embracing the emerging technologies’ potential, specifically for social good. From detecting “deepfake” videos to analyzing agriculture changes and building understanding across communities, Blum Center folks share their experiences, inspirations, and the impact of their AI-driven projects and ventures.
September 5, 2023
1200
+
Proposals
4400
+
Students
$
100
M+
In additional funding
10
%
Projects still implemented
10
%
Formally registered ventures
10
+
Countries visited
600
Students graduated
Collaborations
