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Lecture series returns to Birch Aquarium with an eco-positive spin

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Lecture series returns to Birch Aquarium with an eco-positive spin


For more than two decades, Birch Aquarium in La Jolla has hosted a lecture series aiming to shed light on worldwide research conducted by scientists at its home, UC San Diego’s Scripps Institution of Oceanography. But this year’s version of the Jeffrey B. Graham Perspectives on Ocean Science Lecture Series is unique for two reasons.

First, it will align with a theme of eco-optimism. And it will be the first series held at the aquarium’s new exhibition “Living Seas.”

The Perspectives on Ocean Science Lecture Series enables scientists to share their research with the public in distinct presentations.

Octavio Aburto, a marine ecologist and Scripps Oceanography professor, will kick off the series Monday, Sept. 8.

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Then on Monday, Oct. 6, Scripps professor Brad Moore and his graduate student Natalie Grayson will discuss the institution’s Center for Marine Biotechnology and Biomedicine and its connections to society.

On Monday, Nov. 10, Scripps assistant professor of biological oceanography Colleen Petrik will talk about her research on computer-simulated ocean ecosystems, as well as sustainable commercial fisheries and ecosystems.

Harry Helling, executive director of Birch Aquarium, speaks at a Perspectives on Ocean Science lecture in 2019. (Birch Aquarium)

Aburto arrived at Scripps in 2003 and got a faculty position a decade later. The Mexico-born researcher has long conducted studies in the Gulf of California and will be appearing in the series for the third time.

In lectures more than a decade ago, he discussed sea mounts in the gulf and the formation of Cabo Pulmo National Park, a marine protected area.

This year, he will deliver a recap of 25 years of gulf research, discuss why long-term monitoring programs matter and explore how they can shift conversations about marine conservation.

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Central to his lecture is the rebranding of marine protected areas — parts of the ocean dedicated to conservation purposes — to “marine prosperity areas,” combining conservation, economic growth, environmental responsibility and social policy.

“We are showing that not only in the Gulf of California but in many coastal areas, we need to start promoting prosperity, because not only do we need to restore ecosystems, we need to restore human well-being and start funding blue economies if we really want to change the planet.”

That notion ties into the larger theme of eco-optimism.

Series organizer Cheryl Peach said the aquarium recently constructed broad themes for the lecture series. This year’s talks — two of which are currently unannounced — range “from the development of new, economically grounded strategies for sustaining critical ecosystems and fisheries to innovative research at the intersection of oceanography and human health,” she said.

“Birch Aquarium is the public outreach center for the Scripps Institution of Oceanography,” Peach said. “Whenever possible, we endeavor to tie our ever-evolving exhibits at the aquarium to our speakers’ presentations.”

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The reimagined “Living Seas” space marked the aquarium’s biggest capital improvement project since its current facility opened in 1992 at Scripps Oceanography. This year, it will serve as the site of the lecture series.

“The new gallery showcases the wide variety of marine ecosystems studied by Scripps scientists, including those featured in Octavio’s research, and illuminates humankind’s many connections to our living ocean,” Peach said.

Aburto said he’s excited to share his research with aquarium guests of varying ages and backgrounds.

“Every time Birch Aquarium presents a new exhibition, I think it’s part of our goal and our responsibility as an academic institution to inspire not only the community in San Diego but all the visitors that come from many places,” Aburto said.

Each lecture in the series is free for Birch Aquarium members and $12 for non-members. Registration is required. For more information, visit aquarium.ucsd.edu/events/lectures. ♦

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San Diego, CA

Game 21: San Diego Padres at Los Angeles Angels

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Game 21: San Diego Padres at Los Angeles Angels


San Diego Padres (14-7) at Los Angeles Angels (11-11), April 19, 2026, 1:07 p.m. PST

Watch: Padres.TV

Location: Angel Stadium – Anaheim, Calif.

Listen: 97.3 The Fan

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Solans, Luna, Guilavogui help RSL beat slumping San Diego, extend unbeaten streak to 6 games :: WRALSportsFan.com

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Solans, Luna, Guilavogui help RSL beat slumping San Diego, extend unbeaten streak to 6 games :: WRALSportsFan.com


— SANDY, Utah (AP) — Sergi Solans had two goals and an assist, Diego Luna added a goal and two assists, and Real Salt Lake beat San Diego FC 4-2 on Saturday night to extend its unbeaten streak to six games.

Morgan Guilavogui scored his first goal in MLS and had an assist for Real Salt Lake (5-1-1). The 28-year-old designated player has five goal contributions in his first six career games.

RSL hasn’t lost since a 1-0 defeat at Vancouver in the season opener.

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San Diego (3-3-2) has lost three in a row and is winless in five straight.

Luna opened the scoring in the fifth minute when he re-directed a misplayed pass by Duran Ferree, San Diego’s 19-year-old goalkeeper, into the net.

Moments later, Solans headed home a perfectly-placed cross played by Luna from outside the right corner of the 18-yard box to the back post to make it 2-0. Solans, a 23-year-old forward, flicked a header from the center of the area inside the right post and past the outstretched arm of Ferree to make it 3-1 in the 37th minute.

Guilavogui slammed home a first-touch shot to give RSL a three-goal lead in the 45th.

Marcus Ingvartsen scored a goal in the 14th minute and Anders Dreyer converted from the penalty spot in the 66th for San Diego.

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Ingvartsen has five goals and an assist this season and has 10 goal contributions (seven goals, three assists) in 16 career MLS appearances.

Rafael Cabral had three saves for RSL.

Ferree finished with five saves.

___

AP soccer: https://apnews.com/soccer

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How San Diego Has Quietly Emerged as One of America’s Great Dining Destinations

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How San Diego Has Quietly Emerged as One of America’s Great Dining Destinations


When John Resnick opened Campfire on a quaint little street in Carlsbad, Calif., in 2016, some locals weren’t sure what to think. The coastal enclave wasn’t exactly awash in innovative, chef-driven establishments, so it was a shock to see the dining room consistently full. Early on, one woman wondered aloud to Resnick, “Where did all these people come from?”

It’s a moment he remembers vividly. “I was struck by her statement, because I think she was surprised that so many other people in Carlsbad were there,” Resnick says. 

The rest of the culinary world would take some time to catch up to what was happening. In 2019, when Michelin expanded to rate restaurants throughout all of California—not just the San Francisco area—Addison was the only one in San Diego to earn a star. But since emerging from the pandemic, the region’s food scene has grown dramatically. Driven by outstanding farms, ingredients, a bumper crop of talented chefs, and a G.D.P. approximately the size of New Zealand or Greece, San Diego County has become one of America’s most underrated dining destinations.

Campfire’s octopus, chorizo, and celery-root entrée.

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Gage Forster

Perhaps no single restaurant is a better emblem for this shift than chef William Bradley’s Addison, which opened in 2006. After landing his first star, Bradley knew he wanted more. To get them, he transformed his French-leaning fare to serve what he calls California Gastronomy, which combines the cultures of SoCal with impeccable ingredients and wildly impressive techniques, prizing flavor over flair. Michelin responded, awarding Addison a second star in 2022, and making it the first Southern California three-star restaurant just a year later. The accolade has created a halo effect, attracting culinary tourists from around the world.

Berry beet tartlets at San Diego’s three-star stalwart Addison.

Berry beet tartlets at San Diego’s three-star stalwart Addison.

Eric Wolfinger

“Earning three stars forces the global dining community to pay attention to a place that may not have been on their radar before,” says chef Eric Bost, a partner in Resnick’s four Carlsbad establishments. 

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Resnick recruited Bost, who spent time at award-winning outposts of Restaurant Guy Savoy, to run Jeune et Jolie, which he led to a star in 2021. They’ve since taken over an old boogie-board factory down the street and converted it to an all-day restaurant and bakery, Wildland. The space also hosts an exquisite tasting-counter experience called Lilo, which was given a Michelin star mere months after opening in April 2025. And as Resnick and Bost grew their successful Carlsbad operation, chef Roberto Alcocer earned a Michelin star for his Mexican fine-dining spot Valle in nearby Oceanside.

The stylish tasting counter at Michelin one-star Lilo in Carlsbad.

The stylish tasting counter at Michelin one-star Lilo in Carlsbad.

Kimberly Motos

About 25 miles to the south, another affluent coastal community is going through its own culinary glow up. In La Jolla, chef Tara Monsod and the hospitality group Puffer Malarkey Collective opened the stylish French steakhouse Le Coq. Chef Erik Anderson, formerly of Michelin two-star Coi, is preparing to launch Roseacre. And last year, Per Se alums Elijah Arizmendi and Brian Hung left New York to open the elegant tasting-menu restaurant Lucien, lured by the ingredients they’d get to serve. “A major reason we chose San Diego is the quality and diversity of the produce,” Arizmendi explains. “San Diego County has more small farms than anywhere else in the U.S., and its many microclimates allow farmers to grow an incredible range of ingredients year-round.”

Wildland’s spicy Italian sandwich.

Wildland’s spicy Italian sandwich.

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Gage Forster

Chef Travis Swikard has also been a tireless advocate for the region’s ingredients since he returned to San Diego, his hometown, and opened Mediterranean-influenced Callie in 2021. There’s no sophomore slump with his latest effort, the French Riviera–inspired Fleurette in La Jolla, where he’s serving his take on classics like leeks vinaigrette and his San Diego “Bouillabaisse” with local red sheepshead fish and spiny lobster. Its food is bright, produce-driven, and attentive in execution, while the dining room maintains a relaxed and unpretentious style of service. And Swikard sees that approach cohering into a regional style with a strong network of professionals behind it.

“It’s really nice that we are developing our own identity, not trying to be like L.A. or any other market, just highlighting what’s great about the San Diego lifestyle and ingredients,” he says. “Similar to New York, a chef community is starting to develop where chefs are supporting each other. There is a true sense of pride to be cooking here.”

Top: In La Jolla, Lucien serves ocean whitefish with tomatoes turned into concasse, sabayon, and other expressions.





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