Third annual series to feature nationwide experts in aquaculture and focus on the economics of the aquaculture industry.
AltaSea at the Port of Los Angeles, in collaboration with Cal State Northridge’s (CSUN) Institute for Sustainability, The Los Angeles Coalition for the Economy & Jobs, and Santa Monica College, announced today their third annual series of webinars and live, in-person panels focused on aquaculture. The series, “Blue + Green 2023,” will feature 4 sessions. Pre-registration is required for all events. Registration and more information can be found here: https://altasea-project-blue.org/events/
The 4-part series of panels and discussions will convene top minds from the aquaculture and sustainability fields, including experts from leading colleges and research institutions, as well as founders from some of the most innovative startup companies. The goal of the series is to shine a spotlight on the emerging aquaculture sector in the blue economy. The series reimagines the partnerships between business, universities, government, and communities through regenerative ocean research, exploration, and equity-based economic development.
“Highlighting the aquaculture sector of the emerging blue economy is important because it is a crucial area for the future of our oceans,” said AltaSea President & CEO Terry Tamminen. “Our partners on this series – CSUN’s Institute for Sustainability, Santa Monica College, and the Los Angeles Coalition for the Economy & Jobs – do a fantastic job with educating the community on aquaculture and creating pathways to sustainable, clean jobs in Los Angeles and beyond.”
“Events like the Blue + Green and The California Seaweed Festival connect our campus community with the blue economy that is the future of sustainable living on our coastline,” said Janet Kübler, professor at CSUN and founder of the California Seaweed Festival.
“The Blue Economy and the workforce that supports it is at the forefront of tackling some of mankind’s most perplexing challenges linked to our planet’s oceans,” said Michael Kelly, Executive Director at The Los Angeles Coalition. “This ‘Blue Economy,’ which includes aquaculture, algae fuels, and robotic exploration of the unmapped depths, is shaping the story of Southern California’s future, creating good middle-class jobs, and opportunities for all Angelenos to help drive a more sustainable future for us all.”
"It's important to develop the sustainable aquaculture workforce in tandem with the growing industry in Southern California, and to educate the general public to the conservation and regenerative potential of aquaculture in our state,” said Ferris Kawar, SMC’s Sustainability Project Manager. “Both of these goals can be accomplished by developing quality, science-driven curricula, informed by major aquacultural and academic voices in our state. This is exactly what Santa Monica College has done in the development of our new Aquaculture Certificate Program, and we're truly excited to see the first cohorts of skilled workers to graduate from our program."
The series is being sponsored by AltaSea at the Port of Los Angeles, The Los Angeles Coalition for the Economy & Jobs, Santa Monica College, and CSUN’s Institute for Sustainability. The events include:
Thursday, April 13 @ 3 PM PT: Aquaculture to Restore!
Panelists:
- Leslie Booher, Co-Founder of Sunken Seaweed
- Nancy Caruso, Founder of Get Inspired
- Aaron Eger, Founder and Program Director of Kelp Forest Alliance
Moderator: Janet Kübler, Ph.D., Biology Department at CSUN, Founder of the California Seaweed Festival
Location: Virtual, via Zoom
Tuesday, April 18 @ 3 PM: Building a Sustainable Workforce in an Emerging Blue Economy
Panelists:
- Samantha C. Leigh, PhD., Assistant Professor in the Department of Biological Sciences, Cal State Dominguez Hills
- Ely Fournier, Director of Economic Vitality at Strength-Based Community Change (SBCC)
- Rick Aguayo, Program Manager for the Career Pathways Program at SBCC
Moderator: Michael H. Kelly, Executive Director, The Los Angeles Coalition for the Economy & Jobs
Location:
SBCC’s Heart of the Harbor Community Farm
550 East L Street
Wilmington, CA 90744
Thursday, April 20 @ 3 PM: Integrated Multi-Trophic Aquaculture
Panelists:
- Mark A. Drawbridge, M.S., Senior Research Scientist and Director of Sustainable Seafood Program at Hubbs-SeaWorld Research Institute
- Dr. Kevin Marquez Johnson, California Sea Grant Aquaculture Extension Specialist at Cal Poly San Luis Obispo
- Dr. Rafael Cuevas Uribe, Professor at Cal Poly Humboldt Department of Fisheries Biology
Moderator: Dr. Nathan Churches, Aquaculture Faculty Lead at Santa Monica College & Chief Science Officer at Holdfast Aquaculture, Faculty Lecturer at San Francisco State University and College of San Mateo
Location: Virtual, via Zoom
Saturday, April 29 @ 10 AM: Breaking New Ground in the Ocean – Development of Offshore Aquaculture in the U.S.
Speaker: Nick Hajek, Director of Maritime Operations at Pacific 6
Location:
AltaSea at the Port of Los Angeles
2451 South Signal Street, Berth 59 Door 25
San Pedro, CA 90731
About AltaSea at the Port of Los Angeles
AltaSea at the Port of Los Angeles is dedicated to accelerating scientific collaboration, advancing an emerging blue economy through business innovation and job creation, and inspiring the next generation, all for a more sustainable, just, and equitable world.
For more information on AltaSea, please visit: https://altasea.org.
About California State University, Northridge, Institute for Sustainability
Founded in 2008, the Institute for Sustainability works with stakeholders across campus to integrate sustainability into all aspects of the university from operations and infrastructure to outreach, education, and research. The Institute serves all the colleges of the university, working to increase interdisciplinary and cross-functional communication, education, and research on sustainability.
About The Los Angeles Coalition for the Economy & Jobs
The L.A. Coalition brings together leaders from business, labor, academia, and nonprofits to advance initiatives that generate economic growth, create quality jobs and a skilled workforce, and improve the region's overall quality of life.
About Santa Monica College
Santa Monica College is a California Community College accredited by the Accrediting Commission for Community and Junior Colleges (ACCJC) of the Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC). For 31 consecutive years, SMC has been California’s leading transfer college to UCLA, UC Berkeley, and other University of California campuses. The college also tops in transfers to the University of Southern California and Loyola Marymount University and is the top feeder west of the Mississippi to the Ivy League Columbia University. More than 110 career training degrees and certificates at SMC—in fields ranging from the traditional (Accounting, Early Childhood Education, Nursing) to the emerging (Sustainable Technologies, Technical Theatre, and a baccalaureate degree in Interaction Design)—offer professional preparation for students interested in directly entering the job market, transferring to a four-year school, or upgrading specific skills. SMC provides news and cultural enrichment through its NPR radio station KCRW (89.9 FM), the Broad Stage at the SMC Performing Arts Center, and lifelong learning through distinctive programs such as its Emeritus Program for older adults.
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