Scripps Institution of Oceanography

Take a sneak peak at the Fishing for the Future Salty Cinema Live event this coming Thursday evening, hosted by Scripps Institution of Oceanography. This virtual film and panel experience will explore the many seafood options available to consumers and how to decide which ones to eat. Panelists include Bren Smith of GreenWave, David Price of PriceSmart, Ian Urbina, former investigative reporter for the New York Times, and the director of The Outlaw Ocean Project; Sara McDonald, Senior Fisheries Scientist for the Monterey Bay Aquarium’s Seafood Watch program; and Veta Wade of FISH 'N FINS. Check out the following link to register for Salty Cinema Live: https://scripps.ucsd.edu/events/sustainableseafood

UC San Diego undergraduate student and SURF program alumna Rachel Chen is turning her dreams into reality here at Scripps Oceanography. Once a daydreamer at the Monterey Bay Aquarium, Rachel now finds herself conducting hands-on research as she examines cephalopods and their role in the diet of longnose lancetfish. Dive into her journey in this student spotlight.

What does the unusually dry weather in California tell us? Experts from Scripps Oceanography's Center for Western Weather and Water Extremes say the chance of California reaching normal rain levels is about 20 percent, which could mean an increased wildfire risk later on. Read more via The New York Times.

Superstar UC San Diego alums Jessica Meir and Kate Rubins have been selected to NASA’s Artemis program, an ambitious project that aims to land the first woman and next man on the moon by 2024. "It's not just a mission for us at NASA and for us as astronauts; it's really for the entire planet, so I hope that you can continue to follow along and be part of the adventure, said Meir, who holds a PhD from Scripps Oceanography. Learn more: https://ucsdnews.ucsd.edu/feature/shooting-for-the-moon

With the new year comes the restart of Bending the Curve: Climate Change Solutions, an interdisciplinary education and action initiative to combat climate change. The project provides participants with the tools to develop climate change solutions in different disciplines: science pathways; societal transformation; governance; market instruments; technology measures; and ecosystem management. The first of the four courses starts January 26, and registration is now open for all. Learn more and enroll here: https://online.ucsd.edu//080c48a1-70bf-439c-9eac-a02/about

As 2020 comes to a close, we are inspired by the spark of scientific curiosity and research that carried on throughout this challenging year. We are grateful for our community and supporters, and wish you all a joyous holiday and a bright 2021. Photo: Erik Jepsen/UC San Diego

Ten boxes, each containing three satellite tracked drifters (2 SVPB drifters and one DWSBDTM ), were deployed by the Global Drifter Program using an C-130J aircraft of the U.S. Army Airforce Reserve's 53rd Weather Reconnaissance Squadron Hurricane Hunters. The 30 drifters that were deployed into the Pacific Ocean between US West Coast and Hawaii provide vital sea-level pressure and directional surface wave observations in this data-sparse region that are important to establ...ish the links between the ocean and the atmosphere and better predict the occurrence and the intensity of atmospheric rivers. Large waves, with an amplitude of 8-9 m, were observed by the northern array in the immediate days after deployment. The drifter data are distributed in real-time by the LDL to forecasting agencies around the world and archived for detailed scientific analysis. The data from the entire drifter array is accessible here. This deployment is part of the ongoing atmospheric river reconnaissance research Atmospheric River Reconnaissance research program led by CW3E (sponsored by the California Department of Water Resources and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers) in partnership with the Global Drifter Program (a research program sponsored by NOAA), the Lagrangian Drifter Laboratory at Scripps and other colleagues including NOAA's National Center for Environmental Prediction, the European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts, the Naval Research Laboratory, and the University of Colorado at Boulder. See more

Our new Annual Report highlights some of the incredible scientific discoveries that were made and the programs and initiatives that shined in 2020, despite the pandemic. View the Scripps 2020 Annual Report here: https://scripps.ucsd.edu/annual-report-2020 Arctic Ocean photo by PhD student Emelia Chamberlain

After a year locked in ice, the research vessel Polarstern returned to its home port in Germany in October. Onboard was Scripps PhD student Emelia Chamberlain, who had spent 5 months on the ship for the Multidisciplinary drifting Observatory for the Study of Arctic Climate Expedition. This interdisciplinary polar quest was a joint effort by scientists from around the globe to better understand connections between the ocean, ice, and atmospheric systems in the Arctic. Along wi...th her research advisor Jeff Bowman, who participated in the expedition during the winter, Emelia is studying the role of marine microorganisms in the Arctic carbon cycle. Emelia and Jeff returned with data to help understand how microorganisms control fluxes of oxygen and methane in the Arctic. They also returned with a stunning set of photos and an awe-inspiring story of their time frozen in ice. Check out the full photo essay from their journey below. See more

La Jolla's kelp forests are considered some of the best studied on the planet, but did you know most of the biological sounds that come from these forests are of unknown origin? Scripps PhD student Camille Pagniello is taking a combined optical-acoustical approach to investigate some of the kelp forest's many mysteries. Dive into her day-to-day adventures here at Scripps in this student spotlight.

Did you know that more than half of the antibiotics in use are derived from naturally occurring compounds from bacteria? Scripps PhD student Doug Sweeney is currently researching how marine bacteria produce antibacterial and anticancer compounds. Learn more about his natural products research and path to science at UC San Diego in this student spotlight.

Are you applying for Fall 2021 Master's or PhD programs at Scripps? Just a reminder that applications are due December 2. And GRE scores are not required this year! Learn more and apply here: connect.grad.ucsd.edu/apply/

Researchers with UC San Diego SCMA - University of Haifa Koret Project have completed a combined physical and virtual excavation of a Neolithic underwater settlement off Israel's Carmel coast. The expedition could reveal secrets about prehistoric social evolution, climate and environmental change from more than 8,000 years ago. Learn how remote technology at Qualcomm Institute helped make this research possible in the time of COVID-19.

Public health experts say the safest way to celebrate Thanksgiving this year is to do it at home, with only your household. But what about those who still plan to visit with people outside their bubble? Kimberly Prather, an aerosol expert at Scripps Oceanography and UC San Diego, said the best way to see people who are not in your household is to do it outside, minimizing any shared surfaces like utensils, and maximizing distance and mask wearing. Read more via RADIO.COM here: https://www.radio.com//how-to-reduce-your-risk-at-thanksgi Looking for more tips on how to protect yourself from COVID-19 aerosol transmission? Check out this FAQ: https://tinyurl.com/FAQ-aerosols

Three scientists at Scripps Oceanography are leading a cruise aboard the E/V Nautilus to study the biodiversity of deep-sea habitats and pharmaceutical potential on the seafloor off Southern California. During the Oct. 27Nov. 6 expedition, researchers will use the remotely operated vehicle Hercules, sending it on dives to depths between 1,300 and 6,500 feet. The public is invited to tune in to the live dives through the Nautilus Live website at https://nautiluslive.org. Learn more: https://scripps.ucsd.edu//scientists-study-biodiversity-an

The Scripps CO2 Program has been measuring atmospheric carbon dioxide since the 1950s, showing the staggering rise of CO2 levels over the past decades with the iconic Keeling Curve. Learn more about this program and other valuable climate change resources via the Mashable story below.

Scripps alumna Jessica Meir's research on extreme environments has taken her from the depths of the Antarctic to the heights of space. Join the American Academy of Arts & Sciences on Dec. 2 for a program featuring the NASA astronaut in conversation with Brian Keating, Chancellor’s Professor of Physics at UC San Diego. This virtual event is free and open to the public, but registration is required. Details here: https://www.amacad.org/events/astronaut-meir

Thinking of going to grad school? Applications are open for Fall 2021 Master’s and PhD programs at Scripps, covering a range of studies in marine biology, oceanography, and Earth science. The deadline is December 2 and GRE scores are not required this year! Additionally, the application fee can be waived for qualified applicants. Applications are also open for our Master of Advanced Studies (MAS) program, which offers professional degrees in Climate Science and Policy and Marine Biodiversity and Conservation. Learn more about all our programs at https://scripps.ucsd.edu/education and apply through the following link: https://connect.grad.ucsd.edu/apply/.

How accurate are tsunami predictions? New research by Scripps geophysicists reveals the strengths and shortcomings of tsunami early warning systems as experienced in the 2010 event in Chile. The study validates accuracy in predicting the first wave, but weakness in forecasting ‘trailing’ waves. Learn more: https://scripps.ucsd.edu//unveiling-accuracy-tsunami-predi

Three Scripps Oceanography scientists were recently named "Polar Heroes" by ECO Magazine! Shout-out to professors Maria Vernet, Fiamma Straneo, and PhD student Allison Cusick for their work above and below the ice, from studying phytoplankton in Antarctica to researching how glaciers interact with the ocean in the Arctic and Greenland. Read more in the Polar 2020 edition of the magazine: http://digital.ecomagazine.com/publication/frame.php

In honor of Latinx Heritage Month, Scripps Oceanography is reflecting on the importance of our Latinx and Hispanic faculty, students, staff, and researchers. We caught up with several members of the Latinx community at Scripps for a discussion about the significance of this month, Latinx representation in science, advice for the next generation, and more! Read the Q&A: https://scripps.ucsd.edu//recognizing-latinx-and-hispanic-

Researchers including UC San Diego's Kimberly Prather and Robert Schooley wrote an open letter in Science magazine urging the science community to converge to deliver clear public health guidance about how SARS-CoV-2 is spread in the air. "The balance of attention must be shifted to protecting against airborne transmission, said the group, noting that viruses in aerosols can remain suspended in air for many seconds to hours, like smoke, and be inhaled. Learn more: https://science.sciencemag.org//early/2020/10/02/science.a

How does the circulation of the Southern Ocean impact biogeochemical cycles around the world? Scripps PhD student Channing Prend is using profiling floats and satellite data to research this topic as part of the Southern Ocean Carbon and Climate Observations and Modeling - SOCCOM project. Learn more about Channing’s physical oceanography work and path to science in our latest student spotlight: https://scripps.ucsd.edu//scripps-student-spotlight-channi

Congratulations to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) on 50 years of science, service, and stewardship! Today we’re taking a look at some instrumental Scripps Oceanography programs and discoveries that have been made possible thanks to NOAA support. We’re studying changes to our atmosphere, developing new technologies to understand our planet, and making crucial ocean observations as a result of this support. Check out our photo gallery below to learn more. Happy 50th Anniversary, NOAA!

Today, scientists with the WA Museum Boola Bardip and Scripps Oceanography are launching a community-driven research initiative that will answer many questions about the mysterious seadragon! SeadragonSearch uses artificial intelligence tools to identify seadragons from photos taken by community members. The resulting data will inform conservation policy for these charismatic fishes and their habitats in Australian waters. Learn more: https://scripps.ucsd.edu//seadragonsearch-using-community-

Today marks the start of Fall Quarter at UC San Diego and Scripps Oceanography! Although most classes will be held online, you can still bring the beauty of our campus to your screens. Shown here: the Scripps Crossing pedestrian bridge at sunset. Download more inspiring virtual backgrounds here: https://sio.photoshelter.com//G0000sVA/Virtual-Backgrounds

We can learn a lot from history as we combat climate change, especially from Indigenous peoples who have millennia of experience behind them, says archaeologist Jade d'Alpoim Guedes. Her research takes place at the Tibetan Plateau and other parts of the world that are the most sensitive to climate change, which are high-latitude and high-altitude environments. Learn more about Jade’s work at Scripps Oceanography and the Department Anthropology at UC San Diego in our latest scientist profile. https://scripps.ucsd.edu//scientists-life-jade-dalpoim-gue

NASA astronauts Jessica Meir (a Scripps alumna) and Christina Koch made TIME's list of the 100 most influential people of 2020! "They completed the first all-female spacewalk, shifting who we see as strong, brave, competent, and who’s on the team pushing the boundaries of exploration," wrote Mae Jemison, a former NASA astronaut and the first African-American woman in space. #TIME100