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Birch Aquarium at Scripps
Birch Aquarium at Scripps
2300 Expedition Way
La Jolla, CA 92037
USA
Birch Aquarium at Scripps (sometimes referred to as Scripps Aquarium or Birch Aquarium) is the public exploration center for the world-renowned Scripps Institution of Oceanography at the University of California, San Diego. Accredited by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums, Birch Aquarium at Scripps has an annual attendance of about 400,000, including more than 77,000 school children, and features more than 5,000 animals representing 380 species.
The hilltop site provides spectacular views of the Scripps Institution of Oceanography campus and the Pacific Ocean. In May 2007, Birch Aquarium at Scripps opened "Feeling the Heat: The Climate Challenge," an exhibit that presents the science of global warming and highlights Scripps Institution of Oceanography's half-century of pioneering research on climate change. That fall, the exhibit was named the Silver winner in museum design for the 2007 Event Design Awards. Sponsored by Connecticut-based Event Design Magazine, the annual awards recognize the best designs worldwide across events, exhibits and environments. The aquarium was established in 1903 after the Marine Biological Association of San Diego was created to conduct marine research in the local waters of the Pacific Ocean.
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Scary Fun Being Offered At Birch Aquarium
Enjoy a ‘Spook-tacular’ Halloween with Birch Aquarium at Scripps Scripps Institution of Oceanography/UC San Diego
Haunted Birch Aquarium
Where science goes mad
Oct. 24, 25 & 26, 2008 — 6-9 p.m.
Cost: $15
RSVP: 858-534-7336
Ghouls and buoys of all ages are invited to spend a safe and “spirited” Halloween with Birch Aquarium at Scripps Institution of Oceanography, UC San Diego.
Enjoy a night of science gone awry Oct. 24-26 as Birch Aquarium transforms into a haunted aquarium from 6-9 p.m. Encounter creeps from the deep and experiments with wacky, mad scientists. Explore the aquarium for tricky-treats, slimy encounters, spooky activities and monstrous live music. Wrap your tentacles around the horrors of life without water in the new exploration courtyard. Put your knowledge and skills to the test in a maze of haunted activities.
Come dressed to impress for a costume contest held each evening, when prizes will be awarded for the best marine-themed, family-themed and most creative costumes.
Haunted Birch Aquarium is open to guests of all ages. Cost is $15 per person. Children under 16 must be accompanied by an adult. Light refreshments will be provided. To register, please call 858-534-7336.
Beware … and be there!
Wayne Martin Belger to Make Special Dive at Birch Aquarium
Acclaimed photographer Wayne Martin Belger will take the plunge inside Birch Aquarium¹s 70,000-gallon kelp forest habitat to capture life under the sea with a unique underwater pinhole camera. The photographs will appear in Belger¹s forthcoming book, Deep Worlds, a collection of his images demonstrating the artistry of North American aquariums. The images and Belger¹s camera also will be on display at Device Gallery in La Jolla from July 19 Sept. 2. Belger Dive Schedule: Saturday, July 12 & Sunday, July 13 Noon 1 p.m. WHERE: Birch Aquarium at Scripps 2300 Expedition Way, La Jolla (Media can park in traffic circle) NOTE: During the public dive shows, Belger will wear a special communication mask that allows him to field questions from the audience. He will be available for media interviews. BACKGROUND: Belger is a Tucson-based artist who designs, fabricates and specializes in pinhole cameras. His work has been featured in nearly two-dozen galleries on the West Coast. More information can be found on his Web site,
CAMERA:
Pinhole cameras have no lens. They consist of a lightproof box, a 4- by 5-inch piece of film and an extremely small hole, typically the size of a pin. Light enters through the hole, forming an image on the film. Pinhole photographs generally have a soft focus with darker areas at the edges a style difficult to emulate with modern cameras.
Acclaimed Photographer to Make Special Dive
The 70,000-gallon kelp forest habitat at Birch Aquarium at Scripps Institution of Oceanography, UC San Diego, will become the setting for a wet ‘n’ wild photo shoot when acclaimed photographer Wayne Martin Belger takes the plunge to capture life under the sea with an underwater pinhole camera.
On July 12 & 13, Belger will dive inside the kelp tank to photograph the ocean world as part of his forthcoming book Deep Worlds, a collection of his images demonstrating the artistry of North American aquariums. The images taken inside Birch Aquarium’s kelp forest habitat and Belger’s pinhole camera also will be on display at Device Gallery in
Belger’s dives, which take place at noon on both days, are open to the public and included with aquarium admission. He will wear a special communications mask inside the tank that allows him to field questions from the audience. He will be available for media interviews following the dive.
Pinhole cameras, which were invented in the 1850s, have no lens. They consist of a lightproof box, a 4- by 5-inch piece of film and an extremely small hole, typically the size of a pin. Light enters through the hole, forming an image on the film. Because of the pinhole’s size, there is infinite depth of field, making faraway objects appear as sharp as those captured from any distance. Pinhole photographs generally have a soft focus with darker areas at the edges – a style difficult to emulate with modern cameras.
Belger built his own underwater version of the camera in 2003. Named Yemaya after the Afro-Cuban goddess of the ocean, the camera is made from aluminum, brass, titanium and other materials. A quarter-inch acrylic pane covers the pinhole to block out water.
About Wayne Martin Belger
Belger is a Tucson-based artist who designs, fabricates and specializes in pinhole cameras. He is recognized for the unusual organic materials he uses to construct the devices, including human skulls, bones, organs and blood. His work has been featured in nearly two-dozen galleries on the West Coast. More information can be found on his Web site, www.boyofblue.com.
About Birch Aquarium at Scripps
Birch Aquarium at Scripps is the public exploration center for the world-renowned Scripps Institution of Oceanography at UC San Diego. Perched on a bluff overlooking the Pacific Ocean, the aquarium features more than 60 habitats of fish and invertebrates from the cold waters of the Pacific Northwest to the tropical waters of
Birch Aquarium at Scripps Recognized
Birch Aquarium at Scripps Recognized in Ranch & Coast Magazine’s Annual ‘Best’ List
Birch Aquarium at Scripps, the public exploration center for the world-renowned Scripps Institution of Oceanography at UC San Diego, has been named San Diego’s Best Children’s Activity Center or Museum in Ranch & Coast magazine’s third-annual “Readers’ Choice: Best of 2008” survey.
The magazine, which has a 37,000 monthly distribution, highlighted Birch Aquarium’s award-winning climate change exhibit, Feeling the Heat: The Climate Challenge, as one of the ways the aquarium makes it fun to learn about science.
“From the colorful displays of sea life to the aquarium’s popular annual summer learning adventures … Birch teaches kids about the ocean, the environment and how every individual can make a difference,” the magazine reported.
“We are very honored to be recognized by Ranch & Coast’s readers,” Birch Aquarium at Scripps Executive Director Nigella Hillgarth said. “We strive to create an educational and interactive atmosphere where children are not only entertained, but also inspired to respect and protect our fragile planet.”
Accredited by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums, Birch Aquarium at Scripps has an annual attendance of more than 400,000, including more than 77,000 school children, and features more than 5,000 animals representing 380 species. The hilltop site provides spectacular views of the Scripps Oceanography campus and the Pacific Ocean. Its mission is to provide ocean science education, to interpret Scripps research and to promote ocean conservation.
Scripps Oceanography to Host Fast-Paced Ocean Science Competitio
Scripps Oceanography to Host Fast-Paced Ocean Science Competition for Local High Schools Scripps Institution of Oceanography/UC San Diego A dozen teams from regional high schools will converge upon UC San Diego¹s Scripps Institution of Oceanography on Feb. 23 to prove they know the most about the coast during the annual La Jolla Surf Bowl. Part of the National Ocean Sciences Bowl (NOSB), this one-day regional ocean science competition will test students¹ knowledge of marine sciences during exciting challenges that include a fast-paced, Jeopardy-style quiz. The overall winning team will represent Southern California at the NOSB National Finals in Seward, Alaska, April 25-27, 2008. NOSB is an educational program aimed at stimulating high school students¹ interest in ocean sciences and broadening public understanding of the value of ocean research. The competition offers students who have an interest in math and science national recognition for their academic excellence. NOSB aims to foster the next generation of marine scientists, educators and policymakers. The 12 regional teams will compete in a round-robin, double-elimination format, answering questions prepared by top national researchers and educators. Students will be tested on their marine science knowledge with rapid-fire questions in biology, chemistry, geography, geology, navigation, physics and related history and literature. Regional high schools participating in La Jolla Surf Bowl 2008: · Carlsbad High School, Carlsbad · Christian High School, El Cajon · Dana Hills High School, Dana Point · Francis Parker School, San Diego · Helix Charter High School, La Mesa · Hilltop High School, Chula Vista · La Jolla High School, La Jolla · Palomar High School, Chula Vista · Sage Hill School, Newport Coast · San Ysidro High School, San Ysidro · Scripps Ranch High School, San Diego · University City High School, San Diego Students will be asked three types of questions during the regional competition: toss-up, bonus and team challenge. The toss-up and bonus questions are multiple choice or short answer questions. The team challenge questions give the students the chance to test critical thinking skills by analyzing real-time data and answering questions involving cutting-edge research and policy issues. Approximately 2,000 high school students and educators from an estimated 400 U.S. high schools will compete in regional competitions in February. Scripps Oceanography, one of 25 regional sites around the country, is hosting the NOSB competition for the 11th consecutive year. Scripps graduate students, alumni and staff will participate as judges, timekeepers and science advisors. Scripps Oceanography and Birch Aquarium at Scripps provide training and academic support for all teams competing in the La Jolla Surf Bowl. In addition to traditional studying, students participate in whale watching cruises, tours of Scripps Oceanography research facilities, tidepooling excursions and scrimmages. Regional sponsors for the La Jolla Surf Bowl 2008 include Birch Aquarium at Scripps, Scripps Institution of Oceanography, 24 Hour Fitness, Acorn Naturalists, Allied Media, Aquarium of the Pacific, Brockton Villa Restaurant, Cohn Restaurant Group, Compass Publications, Costco Wholesale, County of San Diego, County of San Diego Tijuana River Valley Regional Park, ³E-The Environmental Magazine,² Extreme Pizza, Fish Market Del Mar, Hansen Surfboards, San Diego Harbor Excursion, I Love a Clean San Diego, Images of Nature, Leave Only Bubbles, National Wildlife Federation, San Diego Natural History Museum, Nature Conservancy San Diego Office, National Marine Educators Association, OEX, Pacific Theaters, Pacific Pete Snack Co., Prana Yoga Center, REI, Ruben H. Fleet Science Center, Sammy¹s Woodfired Pizza, San Diego Chargers, San Diego Zoo, Sea World San Diego, Sticky Bumps, Southwest Marine and Aquatic Educators¹ Association, Surf Diva, Surfshot Media, Inc., and the UCSD Bookstore. NOSB is managed by the Consortium for Ocean Leadership, a Washington, D.C.-based nonprofit organization that represents 95 of the leading public and private ocean research education institutions, aquaria and industry. Its mission is to advance research, education and sound ocean policy. NOSB is funded through the National Oceanographic Partnership Program, a collaboration of federal agencies, as well as by corporations, foundations and other non-governmental organizations.
Lecture Showcases Scientists of the Future
Leading the Way
Birch Aquarium at Scripps Lecture Showcases Scientists of the Future
Scripps Institution of Oceanography/UC
Monday, Feb. 11
6:30-8 p.m.
Future Stewards of Our Planet
Scripps Oceanography Fellowship Students
Public: $8
Students/Educators: $5
RSVP: 858-534-5771
The world is changing dramatically and students from Scripps Institution of Oceanography at UC San Diego will help society make sense of crucial and complex environmental concerns in the future. Learn about the challenging research work of three outstanding Scripps Oceanography fellowship students during the Feb. 11 presentation of the Jeffrey B. Graham Perspectives on Ocean Science Lecture Series at Birch Aquarium at Scripps.
The students will explore topics as diverse as climate science, coral forensics and Native American aquaculture, giving brief presentations on their research discoveries and sharing visions for the future of their research. The Scripps students are Guillaume Mauger, Jessica Carilli and Damien Cie.
The Jeffrey B. Graham Perspectives on Ocean Science Lecture Series provides concise, comprehensive presentations of research conducted worldwide by Scripps Oceanography scientists. Scripps scientists are world-renowned, exploring Earth's mysteries in hundreds
of projects and on every continent. Join us to learn about the science at Scripps and travel the world with its researchers.
Reservations are required. Please call 858-534-5771. The lecture is intended for a lay audience. Birch Aquarium admission and parking are included. Light refreshments will be served.
Past lectures air on UCSD-TV and broadcast to more than 16 million viewers via satellite and cable television. For more information, visit: http://ucsd.tv/oceanscience.
Birch Aquarium at Scripps and Sally Ride Science Present Climate
Birch Aquarium at Scripps Institution of Oceanography and Sally Ride Science have joined forces to offer a new Educator Institute that will equip elementary and middle school educators with the information they need to teach the next generation about climate change.
“Connecting with Climate Change: The CO2 Story” is a one-day professional development workshop for teachers that explores the latest findings on climate change and shares tips and strategies for incorporating the science of Earth’s changing climate into classroom curriculum. Designed for fifth through eighth grade teachers, the Educator Institute includes hands-on activities followed by time for teachers to customize lessons for their classrooms.
The first Educator Institute will be held March 1 from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. at Birch Aquarium at Scripps in
The program will be taught by Debbie Zmarzly, Birch Aquarium program scientist and curator of the aquarium’s award-winning climate change exhibit, Feeling the Heat: The Climate Challenge; Karen Flammer, space physicist at UC San Diego and co-founder and senior vice-president at Sally Ride Science; Judith Coats, Birch Aquarium school programs coordinator; and Season Mussey,
science teacher at The Preuss School UCSD.
The institute also features a presentation by Richard Somerville, a distinguished professor at Scripps Institution of Oceanography at UC San Diego.
The program joins two organizations that are uniquely positioned to help teachers share the planet’s hottest topic with their students. A half-century ago, Scripps Institution of Oceanography sounded the first alarm that humans were warming the earth – a groundbreaking declaration that launched the modern era of climate change research and has changed the way society thinks about its impact on the environment. Today, Scripps scientists continue to make pioneering discoveries in climate research.
Sally Ride Science is an innovative science content company dedicated to fueling girls’ and boys’ interests in science, math and technology. Sally Ride, best known as
For more information or to sign up for the Educator Institute, visit www.sallyridescience.com or call 1-800-561-5161.
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