Brett Sanders

Brett Sanders is a Professor in the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering at the Samueli School of Engineering, University of California, Irvine. His research focuses on developing innovative algorithms for flow and transport in river and coastal systems and integrating information technologies to create more accurate and efficient simulation tools for flood hazard assessment.

His primary research interests include:

• Flooding and erosion hazards, particularly coastal flooding and urban flooding
• Surface water quality
• Low impact development impacts on hydrology
• Dam-break flooding
• Aerial and terrestrial lidar scanning
• Geographical information systems
• High performance computing for simulation tools
• Social dimensions of flood risk and adaptation behaviors

Dr. Sanders' recent publications (2024-2025) reveal a comprehensive research program addressing both technical and social aspects of flood risk. His work spans computational hydrodynamics, flood hazard mapping, infrastructure vulnerability assessment, and the socioeconomic dimensions of flood risk. He has made significant contributions to understanding multi-grid modeling of urban flooding, post-fire flood hazards, satellite-based monitoring of land motion, and social inequalities in flood exposure. His research demonstrates how flood dynamics are more complex than simple bath-tub filling models suggest, with important implications for urban planning and climate adaptation.

Dr. Sanders has received recognition as a Chancellor's Professor at UC Irvine, indicating distinguished scholarly achievement. His educational background includes:

• Ph.D. in Civil Engineering from the University of Michigan (1997)
• M.S. in Civil Engineering from the University of Michigan (1994)
• B.S. in Civil Engineering from the University of California, Berkeley (1993)