CMBC 2025 Annual Report
Director's NOte
Our Center has been a-buzz with activity this past year. We've taken the opportunity of our physical location - in the Ted and Jean Scripps Marine Conservation and Technology Facility - by the horns and have been experimenting with new programming for both internal and external audiences.
We're grateful for engagement of our affiliates in helping identify key strengths and goals for us as we grow our programming. Huge thanks to the members of our Advisory Board and all of the participants in our October 2024 planning retreat who gave incredible feedback on what they'd like to see from CMBC in the next 5+ years. We look forward to making this "All Hands" meeting a staple of our internal program calendar to share activities from across our Center, and continue to get affiliate input on new directions.
To develop and accomplish our big ideas we needed an updated staffing structure. We have since doubled our full time staff - Allison Kellum is now our Managing Director and she is joined by our new Operations Coordinator, Kristina Dizon. Our staff team, volunteers, student and faculty participants were instrumental in making everything contained in this annual report possible. Looking ahead into our 25th year (!), the added capacity has already made a huge difference in setting the stage for the years to come.
We hope you enjoy this update on our '24-'25 activities.
Stuart Sandin
CMBC Director
Professor, Oliver Chair in Marine Biodiversity and Conservation Science at Scripps Institution of Oceanography, UC San Diego
Research & DESIGN
CMBC Goal 1: Increase scientific understanding of the structure, function and diversity of marine and coupled human socio-economic systems.
CMBC Goal 5: Design technically sophisticated, regionally appropriate strategies for marine conservation. Understand the obstacles we face in driving behavioral change in environmental decision-making and how to overcome them.
HARNESSING Data FOR Ocean conservation
Visualizations are an incredible medium to manipulate and understand scientific data, as well as communicate findings with the public. This spring CMBC opened the new Eliza and Stuart Stedman Visualization Lab powered by Dell Technologies for use by faculty, students, and staff across campus.
Housed on the second floor of the at the Ted and Jean Scripps Marine Conservation and Technology Facility (MCTF), the large format, 20x7 foot 8K display has been configured to serve as a single large screen driven by a high-performance computer.
The space itself was underutilized since we moved into the building in 2023, but generous support from Stuart and Eliza Stedman, as well as an in-kind donation of computing equipment from Dell Technologies have allowed us to finish the room.
The Visualization Lab has already been used by a number of lab groups and for academic events, such as demonstrations showcasing conservation technology and long term data sets at convenings including the NAAFE Forum and Future in Review Conference. We look forward to providing access to groups across campus in the coming months, as well as displaying passive content highlighting research in marine conservation and biodiversity when the room is not in active use.
Monitoring Island Restoration Outcomes
A few years ago we partnered with NGOs and other academics to better understand the linkages between islands and near-shore marine environments for integrated resource management through the Island-Ocean Connection Challenge (IOCC).
In April 2025 IOCC began its post-restoration data collection at sites in the Rock Islands of the Republic of Palau. Our IOCC teammates in the Sandin Lab were able to collaborate with numerous local partners in Palau from Island Conservation, OneReef, the Palau International Coral Reef Center (PICRC), and the Koror State Government Department of Conservation and Law Enforcement (DCLE).
We collected a comprehensive suite of data from two islands, Ulong (the impact island) and Ngeruktabel (the control island). These data include: imagery for 40 large-area imaging (LAI) plots - over 4,000 m2 of lagoon coral reef imaged - 66 algae samples for nutrient analysis; water temperature at 8 sites; and fish data from 20 sites. This post-restoration data will be analyzed and curated in preparation for our Phase 1 report, coming out in early 2026.
Outreach for this project has taken us to new and exciting places. Notably, while the team was in Palau we were invited to give a presentation about the project and the monitoring methods we use to a group of 20 middle and high school age students at Mindszenty High School in Koror, Palau. We are grateful for funding from OceanKind and philanthropic support that makes this work possible.
Scientists SHOW UP For the OCean
The Deep Ocean Stewardship Initiative (DOSI) brings deep sea science to policy makers. This past year these activities focused on bringing evidenced scientific information to meetings and negotiations around minerals mining, climate change and biodiversity in the deep ocean.
Deep seabed mining continues to be controversial. This year the DOSI Minerals Working Group strengthened engagement around potential long-term environmental impacts of resource exploitation.
DOSI delegates attended both the July and March sessions of the International Seabed Authority (ISA) in Kingston, Jamaica. They disseminated information sheets and policy briefs, delivered over a dozen 'interventions' (statements) on scientific matters, and hosted and attended multiple side events. DOSI members also responded to the Public Consultation of the first licensing round for seabed minerals by the Ministry of Energy, Norway in September. During the March meeting, DOSI was approached by The Guardian for expertise to produce a visual explainer article (which cites three DOSI policy briefs): ‘As countries scramble for minerals, the seabed beckons.’
In addition to engaging in the ISA, DOSI Minerals Working Group delegates participated in: the Deep Ocean Observing Strategy (DOOS) Annual General Meeting; the One Ocean Science Congress; the UN Ocean Conference; and the annual meeting of the Underwater Minerals Conference, in the Cook Islands. There is a global pattern of mistrust in science and scientists and DOSI delegates are labeled by some as "alarmists." DOSI recognizes that we need to ensure, more than ever that, our focus remains on the science, and not on the political aspects of deep sea mining while engaged in these international proceedings.
In parallel, the DOSI Climate Working Group brings deep sea science to discussions of marine Carbon Dioxide Removal (mCDR), to UNFCCC, and climate policy broadly. An equally prodigious group, they produced numerous research, outreach and explainer products for an array of international policy meetings, from Climate COP 29 in Baku, Azerbaijan, to the Biodiversity COP 16 in Cali, Colombia. As a result of a DOSI workshop held at CMBC in La Jolla in June 2024, a paper titled: “Illuminating deep-sea considerations and experimental approaches for mCDR proposals” (Gallo et al. 2025) has been published in Env. Research Letters. On May 21, 2025 Dr. Lisa Levin represented CMBC with Visiting Scholar Susanna Lidström to lead a Chalk Talk discussion with UC San Diego Economics Deptartment on mCDR and seabed mining.
In BrieF: Visiting Scholars
Lyall Bellquist
Primary Affiliation: formerly with The Nature Conservancy (California, U.S.A.); at CMBC August 2018 to February 2025
Oren Levy
Primary Affiliation: Bar-Ilan University (Israel); at CMBC September 2024 - December 2024
Susanna Lidström
Primary Affiliation: KTH Royal Institute of Technology (Sweden); at CMBC September 2023 to present
Clinton Edwards
Primary Affiliation: NOAA’s National Center for Coastal and Ocean Science (U.S.A.); at CMBC January 2025 - present
Education
CMBC Goal 3: Train the next generation of marine scholars, policy makers and citizens conversant in the disciplines at the intersection of physical science and biological sciences with social science/humanities.
sustainable Seafood Kitchen Constructed
The new Kwok Family Innovation Kitchen in the Ted and Jean Marine Conservation and Technology Facility (MCTF) provides the physical space to carry out programming that connect scientists with chefs, seafood fishers and harvesters, industry professionals, students, and the public to demystify the sustainability, sourcing and cooking of seafood.
The Kitchen was completed mid-July 2025 and CMBC is working in partnership with the Scripps Academic Department to get the space ready for programming.
The space is a state of the art catering kitchen with high end cooking appliances, including ample instructor demonstration space, a large prep sink, two ovens, a four burner induction cooktop, electric grill, cold and dry storage, and dishwashing area. Use of top-of-the-line electric equipment is an intentional shift from traditional kitchens using natural gas. The room will be outfitted with tables and stools for up to 24 learners to work hands-on alongside instructors, as well as advanced audio-visual capacity that can be used to broadcast in the room, a well as record or disseminate to outside audiences.
We are developing a variety of test and pilot classes for the '25-'26 academic year and welcome partners and supporters to help us ideate and create impactful programing.
COURSE | Structure of INTERNATIONAL CLIMATE NEGOTIATIONS
In Fall Quarter 2024 Dr. Dick Norris taught a new seminar course to better equip the next generation of great scientists to inform policy. 'The Structure of International Climate Negotiations' was a twice a week seminar designed graduate students who wanted to contribute their expertise to the UC delegation to the Conference of the Parties Climate meeting (COP 29) in Baku, Azerbaijan.
The University of California is an observer organization accredited by the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) and each year, students and faculty from Scripps Institution of Oceanography join world leaders, climate experts and policymakers from nearly 200 countries at the UNFCCC COP.
The UC delegation serves as a leading authority presenting the most up-to-date science via press conferences, participation within in side events and pavilion sessions, exhibit booth interactions and informal conversations. Many CMBC faculty and students were at the forefront of early UC COP participation and continue to lead in bringing science to international negotiations. The translation of science into policy and social action is often slow, yet the environmental crisis demands faster links between research and social change. Many researchers often have no idea how to engage policy makers, so cutting-edge research is mismatched with the needs of international negotiators. Training, such as provided through this course, is critical to bring science to the decision making fora where it is needed most.
We were pleased to work with Dr. Norris to develop this course, and we look forward to continuing to host it in the coming years, thanks to generous philantropic support.
COURSE | Sustainable Seafood
In Winter Quarter 2025 Drs. Sarah Mesnick and Jen Smith taught ‘Sustainable Seafood: Science, Management, and Public Perception’. This course built understanding of seafood from a diversity of perspectives, challenging graduate students to think about where and how we get our seafood, and the impact this has on our environment and health.
The curriculum covered industrial and artisanal fishing, San Diego’s local fisheries, indigenous approaches to wild caught and farmed seafoods, and the barriers and opportunities facing working waterfronts in coastal communities around the country.
Topics ranged from the biology of fish, shellfish and seaweeds; to business and value chains; to food security, equity and justice. Lectures by professors were balanced with a number of guest speakers.
A variety of undergraduate and graduate course offerings are in development, in tandem with the opening of the Kwok Family Innovation Kitchen, to expand Scripps’ sustainable seafood programming.
MAS in Marine Biodiversity and Conservation
The Masters of Advances Studies in Marine Biodiversity and Conservation professional masters program, founded by CMBC in 2005, graduated its 20th cohort this June, marking a momentous milestone for the interdiscipinary graduate training program. We're so proud of how the program has grown, and the many accomplishments across sceince, policy, economics, industry that our 300+ MAS MBC alumni have made.
Enjoy this celebratory video, created by Hannah Tannenbaum (MAS MBC '19), Program Manager of the MAS MBC program.
COMMUNICATION
CMBC Goal 4: Increase public understanding of science, social and economic drivers of marine ecosystem change and provide sound scientific analyses to policy makers.
Public EVENTS
We had 6 public events this year, bringing over 750 individuals to Scripps Oceanography campus to engage with research topics across biodiversity and conservation.
Salty Cinema continues to be a very popular “community-funded” event, made possible by generous donors over the last seven years. We are actively looking for sponsorship for our ‘25-’26 academic year and beyond to be able to continue this as a free event open to the public. If this program is valuable to you, please consider visiting our "Giving" webpage to learn more about this and other opportunities to support CMBC at Scripps Oceanography.
Network
CMBC Goal 4: Provide leadership roles in campus-wide, national and international integration across disciplines, institutions and society. Facilitate knowledge exchange, promote mutual understanding, and leverage differences to promote creativity.
Fisheries Economics Conference
CMBC hosted the 2025 North American Association of Fisheries Economists (NAAFE) Forum at Scripps Oceanography campus in La Jolla, March 24-27, 2025. NAAFE is an international group of industry, government, and academic practitioners of fisheries economics. The purposes of NAAFE are to facilitate communication among North American fisheries and aquaculture economists in industry, academia, government, and other areas, to promote dialogue between economists and stakeholders interested in fisheries and aquaculture, and to advance fisheries and aquaculture economics and its useful applications. Over 100 people from 14 countries attended the three days of programming.
NOAA Fisheries SWFSC colleagues led the charge in bringing NAAFE 2025 to La Jolla, as well as coordinating themes and the vast majority of science programming through recruiting and convening the science committee to review and select abstracts. Unfortunately, NOAA Fisheries colleagues were largely unable to attend. CMBC had been working with NOAA Fisheries colleagues since 2023 to plan the conference and manage the logistics, and we were able to follow through on the commitment to host on behalf of the entire planning team. We are all incredibly proud of the resulting conference.
Resources
CMBC continues to provide a number of administrative services for Scripps Oceanography. In the Ted and Jean Scripps Marine Conservation and Technology Facility (MCTF) - our physical and programmatic home. This past year, CMBC’s administrative support has enabled:
- 850+ meetings in MCTF’s three medium-sized conference rooms, ranging from routine lab meetings and spillover space for course instruction, to donor and academic partner meetings
- 460+ trips have been taken in the Biology Section golf cart, the majority supporting field research on kelp conducted off of the Ellen Browning Scripps Pier
- 40+ demonstrations and work sessions have utilized the new Eliza and Stuart Stedman Visualization Lab since April 2025
INTERNAL EVENTS
VisitorS
CMBC has hosted a number of campus visitors and research partners this year, including:
- San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance
- The Nature Conservancy
- Dell Technologies
- NOAA Fisheries
- University of Sydney
- North American Association of Fisheries Economists
- International Institute of Fisheries Economics & Trade
- Save the Elephants
FINANCIALS
Some notes on this financial summary:
- FY23/24 CMBC finances also included $700k+ carryforward of funds into FY24/25. Some was used on respective sponsored research expenses, but discretionary funds were leveraged in FY24/25 to increase core staff capacity to run programs and host events.
- Personnel compensation appears to have decreased, but we had personnel turnover in 2024 due to loss of a staff member after completion of sponsored research. We then gained a new staff member in January 2025.
- Please note that ~40% of the carryforward from FY24/25 into FY25/26 in Private Giving is restricted in use (e.g. dedicated for specific initiatives or events).
- The vast majority of FY24/25 Travel spending was for sponsored research or initiative-specific private giving, including the twice annual DOSI Minerals Working Group delegate travel to ISA meetings.
We are grateful to all of our supporters and boosters - financial, programmatic, and institutional - who make our Center possible. If you wish to support CMBC and our work, you can learn more about funding needs and philanthropic opportunities here.