Support
Scripps Oceanography
For more than a century, Scripps Institution of Oceanography at UC San Diego has played an important role in creating a healthier planet for future generations, and philanthropy continues to play a vital part in helping Scripps achieve that goal.
Scripps Oceanography’s Philanthropic Priorities
Enhancing the Student Experience
Graduate Support
Support fellowship funds at Scripps which enable graduate students to follow their research interests and pursue their scientific dreams.
Student Diversity
UC San Diego offers the Strategic Enhancement of Excellence through Diversity (SEED) fellowship as a means to increase campus diversity to enhance the quality of the educational experience for all students.
Sparking Research and Innovation
Climate Change and Resilience to Hazards
As humankind faces unprecedented changes in climate patterns, sea level, ocean acidity, oxygen levels, and ecosystems, researchers engage with engineering, policy, social science, and business to discover and test adaptation solutions. Using environmental records and novel instruments, they also study natural hazards and the threats they pose to communities, agencies, and first responders to become more prepared and resilient in the face of earthquakes, wildfires, tsunamis, and coastal flooding.
Human Health and the Oceans
Modern societies face unique threats to health from our environment. With infection and antibiotic resistance on the rise, as well as land-based resources for new drugs showing little progress, modern medicine is now looking to the sea. Scripps researchers study human health and analyze threats from environmental pollutants and climate change, as well as the potential of marine natural products.
Innovative Technologies
Scripps researchers develop, install, and operate long-term global and regional systems to monitor, study, and predict environmental events. These technologies improve our understanding of environmental change and hazards from earthquakes to wildfires and to harmful algal blooms.
Enriching our Campus Community
Unrestricted Support
Support Scripps Oceanography and Birch Aquarium to address the current needs of research and campus needs, including areas affected by the COVID-19 crisis.
Capital Infrastructure
Enhancing the abilities of our students, faculty, and researchers is an investment in the future of scientific discoveries and advancements. By providing modern, state-of-the-art facilities and the physical space needed to conduct vital research and teach the next generation of scientists is crucial to remaining a leader in oceanographic, environmental, and atmospheric sciences. Our current capital priority is the new Marine Conservation and Technology Facility, a state-of-the-art hub for interdisciplinary research on marine biodiversity and conservation.
Walter Munk Endowed Chair in Ocean Exploration
After his passing in 2019, the Walter Munk Endowed Chair in Ocean Exploration celebrates his 80 years at Scripps as a scientist, innovator, and mentor. Celebrating his legacy in surf wave prediction (critical to the landing at Normandy in 1944) and his passion for ocean acoustics, this fund will allow talented faculty to continue their work with a continuous, reliable source of support.
Birch Aquarium at Scripps
As part of the charter founding Scripps Institution of Oceanography in 1903, an aquarium to showcase and communicate scientific research was established to connect the public to the ocean. Since then, generations of visitors have discovered the ocean world through exhibits, educational programs, and Scripps science showcased. Today, more than 500,000 people visit Birch Aquarium at Scripps each year.
Marine Conservation and Technology Facility
This new facility will support undergraduate and graduate coursework in marine biodiversity, conservation, resource management, advanced statistical analysis, and associated disciplines. It will house the Center for Marine Biodiversity and Conservation (CMBC) and will be home to the research labs of Stuart Sandin and Jennifer Smith, experts in coral reef ecology and marine biodiversity. The facility will feature a state-of-the-art saltwater research aquarium with seawater pumped directly from the Pacific Ocean.
Ways to Support Research and
Education Programming
By being part of the E.W. Scripps Associates, Friends of the Collections, and/or Friends of Birch Aquarium, you have a direct impact on the research and education that makes Scripps Oceanography and Birch Aquarium important resources to the scientific and public community.
E.W. Scripps Associates
E.W. Scripps Associates (EWSA) is a premier group of annual donors who make a difference in the global research conducted by Scripps scientists. New and exciting programs are supported and executed on the vessels of the Scripps fleet.
Friends of the Collections
Friends of the Collections support the largest university-based oceanographic collection in the world, comprised of millions of biological and geological marine specimens. This library of the ocean’s history is a resource to researchers and students all over the world.
Friends of Birch Aquarium
Friends of the Birch Aquarium furthers youth access and education through support of the Aquarium’s mission to provide ocean science education, interpret Scripps research, and promote ocean conservation. With a focus on providing San Diego’s underserved students with ocean science programming, the aquarium works with many Title I schools.
Development Events
No events are currently scheduled.
Reach out
Learn more about giving opportunities, upcoming philanthropic events, and ways to support Scripps Institution of Oceanography at UC San Diego.