Join Scripps at the Oceanology International Americas Conference and Exhibit

Ocean leaders from around the world will soon gather in San Diego for Oceanology International Americas (OiA) 2019, a leading marine science and ocean technology forum that will be celebrating its 50th anniversary.

Hosted Feb. 25-27 at the San Diego Convention Center, the biennial OiA conference and exhibition is open to anyone interested in exploring, monitoring, developing or protecting the world’s oceans—from seabed to surface and beyond. 

Scripps Institution of Oceanography at the University of California San Diego will be participating in the conference through technical talks, a session on ocean exploration, and a hosted exhibition to highlight education and research opportunities in ocean science.

“Oceanology International provides an excellent forum for academicians, companies, and policymakers to interact and educate each other,” said Jules Jaffe, a research oceanographer at Scripps Oceanography. “It’s very unusual in that regard and provides an interesting venue for hearing and meeting with folks that are outside of our typical academic conferences.”

Jaffe and Scripps postdoctoral fellow Eric Orenstein are featured speakers for a technical session on Automation and AI (Artificial Intelligence) on Feb. 25. They’ll be discussing their work with the Jaffe Laboratory for Underwater Imaging, where researchers are using machine learning to automatically identify plankton in the one billion images collected so far by the Scripps Plankton Camera System.

For the duration of the conference, Scripps Oceanography will be hosting the Marine Institutes Pavilion, an exhibition and academic hub that will bring together marine science organizations from around the world. There will be a sponsored reception on Feb. 25 from 4-5 p.m. in the pavilion, where attendees can connect with scientists, industry and government visitors, and exhibitors.

On Feb. 26, OiA will present Catch the Next Wave, a program organized in partnership with the Explorers Club that highlights how the spirit of exploration drives forward science and technology, with tangible benefits to society and the environment. Scripps marine microbiologist Douglas Bartlett will discuss curious creatures found in the deep during a seafloor-focused session, and Scripps Director Margaret Leinen will close the event with a keynote on the frontiers of exploration.

Scripps will also participate in OiA’s Careers Day program, scheduled Feb. 27 on the main show floor. Organized in association with The Maritime Alliance, the program will provide education, insight, and professional advice for young people looking to enter the fields of ocean science and technology. The program is free and those who wish to attend can register here. There will be buses available to bring UC San Diego students to the Convention Center from the Scripps campus at select times. Shuttle details will be confirmed with all who RSVP here.

OiA exhibit hall badges are free and those wishing to attend can register here. To attend the full conference and technical presentations, register with this link and receive a 10% discount.

For more information, contact Gwen Nero, Director of Corporate Affiliates, Business Development, Industry Outreach, and Innovation: gnero@ucsd.edu