Mission and Demographics
The Center's mission is to be the leader and advocate at the University for improving the quality of life in the city, region, and state; to conduct applied research and evaluate public policy; and to promote collaborative partnerships between the University, the region, and the state. The CUA is committed to improving economic and social conditions both within the city of Birmingham and throughout the metropolitan region by engaging in basic and applied research of the highest quality. The Center currently has three full-time and one part-time staff with primary and secondary faculty appointments in the Departments of Government, History, and Anthropology and Social Work in the School of Social and Behavioral Sciences.

Center Research
The Center is the administrative home to the new Digital Community Studies minor, which provides an interdisciplinary social science approach to the study of local communities through emerging technology. The Director of the CUA serves as director of the minor. The Center assists in developing the curricula and coordinates faculty to teach in this program.

The CUA is also becoming the coordinator for service learning and civic engagement in the School of Social and Behavioral Sciences. Our goal is to integrate service into the intellectual and academic life of the School and enhance the School's connection to the community. A key focus in providing these services to the students and community will be in the development and nurturing of community partnerships. The result of these community partnerships will be to deploy the significant scope of UAB resources to encourage civic engagement and the development of "social capital" to improve the quality of life in the region.

The CUA's applied research involves the use of census as well as other economic and social data, and requires working collaboratively with local governments, non-profits, and social service agencies. Much of the Center's focus is currently on regional development issues, especially as those relate to community redevelopment and sustainable economic growth.

For additional information:

Financial Officer: Christopher W. Reaves, PhD
Email: cwreaves@uab.edu
Phone: 205-934-8667

Approved by: Christopher W. Reaves, PhD, Financial Officer
Date: May 15, 2007


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