A Bridge to Business

Scripps Institution of Oceanography at UC San Diego Director Tony Haymet declared Scripps “open for business” on June 6 in helping launch a new Scripps initiative that establishes relationships between business and science.

Scripps partnered with UCSD’s Rady School of Management to present its inaugural event, a two-day course entitled “Climate Change and Business: Demystifying Science, Risk, and Reward,” which helped executives and investors learn how to understand and assess climate change research presented through the mainstream media.  Executives also were counseled on relating that information to counterparts within their organizations.

“These relationships are geared not only to add to the corporate bottom line but also help heal the world,” said Scripps Assistant Director Stephen Bennett.

The course also covered corporate risk management practices and investment opportunities emerging as a result of the changing climate. Participants lauded the course as a timely educational experience as markets begin to take climate change effects as a reality.

“For me it was eye-opening on more than a few levels,” said participant Mark Bowles, founder and chief executive officer of technology start-up eRipple. “The impact for me was profound and the processing of this new knowledge will be ongoing for some time.”

The Scripps Partnership for Hazard and Environmental Applied Research (SPHEAR) hosted the event. SPHEAR is part of the initiative that seeks to leverage Scripps science within the business community.

Faculty members in the climate change course ranged from Scripps climate scientist Richard Somerville to Stu Ostro, senior director of weather communications at The Weather Channel, to Andreas Hoefert, chief global economist at UBS Wealth Management.  Lee Stein from Environmental Entrepreneurs and Bob Noble, CEO of Envision Solar, both demonstrated examples of profitable business strategies within a market becoming driven by climate change.

“The caliber of our course faculty was tremendous,” said Bennett, who also serves as SPHEAR Executive Director.

Bennett added that the course will be offered again next year.

“Judging by the response, this course highlights the need for a better link between the business and the scientific communities,” Bennett said.

— Robert Monroe