Coast Guard, Members of Congress Launch Center of Expertise at Scripps Oceanography

Military branch will leverage Scripps' R&D capability to improve maritime awareness. U.S. Coast Guard officials and federal legislators christened a center at Scripps Institution of Oceanography at UC San Diego Friday that will accelerate the assimilation of Scripps Oceanography technology into Coast Guard operations. Coast Guard Vice Admiral Michael McAllister said the Scripps "Blue Technology Center of Expertise" and other similar collaborations around the country are an answer for meeting the needs of a military branch that does not have an extensive budget for research and development. A range of buoys, gliders, drones, and other instruments developed at Scripps Oceanography could enhance search and rescue operations, stop illegal fishing, and speed containment of oil spills. "We're always trying to take the 'search' part out of search and rescue, using technology to find people in distress faster," said McAllister. "Technology can improve our ability to save people's lives by reducing the amount of searching we have to do ahead of time." UC San Diego Chancellor Pradeep K. Khosla and U.S. Representatives John Garamendi (CA-03), Scott Peters (CA-50), and Mike Levin (CA-49) were among the other speakers at the ribbon-cutting at Scripps Oceanography's Pawka Green. The center initially will consist of a pair of offices to be occupied by two Coast Guard officers later this year.