UCSD - University of California - San Diego

09/10/2026 | Press release | Distributed by Public on 09/10/2026 16:12

Scripps Oceanography’s Center for Marine Biodiversity & Conservation Marks 25 Years of Ocean Impact

Published Date

September 10, 2026

Article Content

This September, UC San Diego's Scripps Institution of Oceanography invites the community to join in celebrating a milestone: the 25th anniversary of its Center for Marine Biodiversity and Conservation (CMBC).

Founded in 2001, CMBC was created to promote marine biodiversity research and address conservation challenges through interdisciplinary research, education and partnerships. Over the past quarter-century, this vision has been advanced by a growing network of scientists, students, policymakers, conservationists and other leaders working to support a healthier, more resilient ocean.

From Sept. 15-19, 2026, and continuing through the fall, CMBC will mark the anniversary with a series of events celebrating the center's history and the contributions of its affiliated faculty, staff, students and alumni.

The centerpiece is the CMBC Annual Knowlton-Jackson Lecture and 25th Anniversary Party, taking place Tuesday, Sept. 15, from 6 to 9 p.m. at UC San Diego's Jeannie Auditorium. (Register for the event.)

The evening will feature talks from two Scripps alumnae: keynote speaker Marcia McNutt, PhD '78, a geophysicist and former president of the National Academy of Sciences, and Noelle Bowlin, PhD '16, a NOAA research fish biologist who leads the California Cooperative Oceanic Fisheries Investigations Program. Both will reflect on the state of the ocean and share their visions for protecting biodiversity while supporting human well-being.

The free event will also include performances by ResilienSEA, a project of Scripps alumna Ali Mariko Dressel, MAS MBC '23, along with printmaking activities and an open house at the UC San Diego Craft Center's surfboard-shaping workshop.

For CMBC Director Stuart Sandin, the anniversary is a chance to recognize 25 years of ocean-minded collaboration.

"I am particularly proud of the trusted partnerships that we have developed across our community," said Sandin. "CMBC started with internal partnerships across UC San Diego, and through the years, we have expanded this network to include colleagues and organizations around the world. We all share a mission to bring together diverse insights and expertise to better manage and conserve our ocean environments."

The festivities will continue at Birch Aquarium at Scripps on Sept. 19 with a Community Celebration of Marine Conservation featuring family-friendly activities and hands-on experiences led by CMBC-affiliated researchers. (Purchase tickets for the event.) Throughout the fall, the aquarium's programming for the Jeffrey B. Graham Perspectives on Ocean Science Lecture Series will also highlight CMBC's impact and vision for the future.

A new approach to marine conservation

Former Scripps faculty member Nancy Knowlton proposed CMBC at a Scripps planning retreat in 2001, responding to mounting threats to marine ecosystems, including pollution, overfishing and climate change. She envisioned a center grounded in the biological and ecological sciences while forging new connections with faculty and students in the social sciences. The goal was to deepen our understanding of how marine ecosystems function while translating that knowledge into solutions for environmental challenges.

Later that year, CMBC launched with support from Scripps Oceanography and in partnership with NOAA Fisheries' Southwest Fisheries Science Center. Early funding, including a $3.5 million grant from the National Science Foundation to support students, helped faculty develop education programs spanning oceanography, economics, policy, communications and ethics. It also supported the launch of the Master of Advanced Studies in Marine Biodiversity and Conservation (MAS MBC), a one-year, professional degree program.

As the center's first director, Knowlton shaped its early academic programs alongside founding faculty members Jeremy Jackson, Enric Sala, Sarah Mesnick, Richard Carson, Lisa Levin, Lisa Shaffer and Ted Groves.

That interdisciplinary approach remains central to CMBC today. The center now counts more than 250 affiliated students and 500 Scripps alumni. More than 50 graduates have gone on to prestigious NOAA Sea Grant fellowships, applying their training in Congress and at leading coastal and ocean management agencies. Others have become White House advisors, led international non-governmental organizations (NGOs), and brought CMBC-informed perspectives to global audiences through books, podcasts and other popular media.

Several CMBC alumni making waves in marine conservation include Ayana Elizabeth Johnson, PhD '11, a climate policy expert and New York Times bestselling author; Alfredo Giron, head of the World Economic Forum's Ocean Action Agenda; Paloma Aguirre, MAS MBC '15, a San Diego County Supervisor representing District 1; and Miriam Goldstein, PhD '12, executive director of the National Ocean Protection Coalition, among many others.

In a recent interview with Johnson, she described CMBC as a special place for interdisciplinary research, noting that it "absolutely" changed her life and the way she thinks about problem solving.

"My training at Scripps and CMBC let me see more pieces of the puzzle than most people are given at that stage of their careers," reflected Johnson.

CMBC students take part in a deep-sea biology field course led by Scripps biological oceanographer Lisa Levin and former graduate student Natalya Gallo in late 2015. They are pictured here aboard R/V Robert Gordon Sproul. Photo: Cody Gallo

From discovery to action

Alongside education, CMBC's research has helped shape global conservation efforts. Scripps-led work in the Northern Line Islands helped provide scientific understanding that informed the 2009 establishment of the Pacific Islands Heritage Marine National Monument, which protects nearly half a million square miles of ocean.

CMBC researchers have also conducted groundbreaking research on marine protected areas (MPAs) in Mexico, demonstrating how protected areas and underwater parks can help revitalize depleted marine habitats. This work has contributed to broader conservation efforts such as the global "30x30" campaign to protect 30% of the planet's lands and waters by 2030.

A scientific diver surveys a coral reef in Palmyra for the 100 Island Challenge, a CMBC-led research effort to track the health of coral reefs across 100 islands worldwide. Photo: Brian Zgliczynski

Affiliated faculty have led deep-sea expeditions, cataloging new species from some of the ocean's least-explored depths - from Costa Rica to Indonesia, while others have developed technologies for monitoring coral reef health around the world. CMBC researchers are also investigating the ecological and economic value of mangroves, including their role as carbon sinks and nurseries for important commercial fisheries.

Closer to home, scientists are examining the health and resilience of marine ecosystems off San Diego, including coastal kelp forests, and investigating how seaweeds could contribute to climate solutions.

The center's work also reaches into international policy. Under former CMBC Director Lisa Levin, the center's graduate students began attending international events including the annual United Nations climate conference, joining a delegation from the University of California to help bring ocean science into the negotiations. Levin also co-founded the Deep-Ocean Stewardship Initiative, a network of experts from more than 115 countries working to advance deep-ocean science in policy.

Over the past few years, CMBC has expanded its collaborative efforts through initiatives such as the Island-Ocean Connection Challenge, which aims to restore at least 40 globally significant island-ocean ecosystems from ridge to reef by 2030, and the Plastics Awareness Global Initiative, which addresses the growing problem of plastic pollution.

The center has also continued to grow its long-standing relationships with government and NGOs alike, notably with NOAA Fisheries and California Sea Grant through efforts such as the Sustainable Seafood Initiative. And recently, CMBC has deepened its work with the San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance to address shared conservation challenges.

Looking toward the next 25 years

As Sandin looks to the future of CMBC, he sees an opportunity to build on the collaborative spirit that has defined the center since its early days.

As part of the University of California (UC) delegation, Scripps and CMBC scientists and students have participated in international events to elevate the role of the ocean in climate negotiations. Pictured here in 2019, former U.S. House of Representatives Speaker Nancy Pelosi visited the UC exhibit at COP25 in Madrid, Spain, accompanied by Southern California Congressmen Scott Peters and Mike Levin. Photo: Jack Pan
The newest cohort of MAS MBC students spent a day at sea aboard R/V Sproul this summer, gaining hands-on research experience. Photo: Samantha Murray

Now based at the Ted and Jean Scripps Marine Conservation and Technology Facility, the center is home to state-of-the-art research and teaching spaces, including a Data Visualization Lab and the Kwok Family Innovation Kitchen for sustainable seafood. There, CMBC-led research and education will continue to flourish, alongside opportunities to engage the public through lectures, film screenings, sustainability events and other programming.

"More and more people are joining the community of ocean stewards, recognizing that our everyday actions are linked to the longevity and resilience of our natural ecosystems, but too often, we find that folks don't have access to reliable science to inform decision-making," said Sandin. "This is where CMBC programming and our community are invaluable."

Visit the CMBC website to learn more about the 25th anniversary celebration and the center's accomplishments and impact.

UCSD - University of California - San Diego published this content on September 10, 2026, and is solely responsible for the information contained herein. Distributed via Public Technologies (PUBT), unedited and unaltered, on September 10, 2026 at 22:12 UTC. If you believe the information included in the content is inaccurate or outdated and requires editing or removal, please contact us at [email protected]