Daily Business Report-June 7, 2018
A 2014 experiment at Scripps identified microbes in sea spray aerosols. (Photo: Christina McCluskey/Colorado State University)
Researchers identify bacteria
and viruses ejected from the ocean
Certain types of bacteria and viruses are readily ejected into the atmosphere when waves break while other taxa are less likely to be transported by sea spray into the air, researchers reported May 22.
An interdisciplinary team of scientists from Scripps Institution of Oceanography, the University of California San Diego, and the J. Craig Venter Institute (JCVI) reached this conclusion after replicating a phytoplankton bloom in a unique ocean-atmosphere wave facility developed by scientists in the National Science Foundation-funded Center for Aerosol Impacts on Chemistry of the Environment (CAICE) on the Scripps campus. They found that bacteria and viruses coated by waxy substances or lipids appear in greater quantity and are enriched in sea spray aerosols. According to researchers, the results suggest that the water-repellent properties of the surfaces of these microbes are what make them more likely to be cast out of the ocean as waves break at the sea surface.
The team in the National Science Foundation-funded study included chemists, oceanographers, microbiologists, geneticists, and pediatric medicine specialists who are attempting to understand how far potentially infectious bacteria and viruses can travel and if those that pose the greatest risks to public health are among those most likely to escape the ocean. In previous studies, individual members of the team have characterized sea spray aerosols, which form when waves break and bubbles burst at the ocean surface.
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Joseph F. Johnson named interim
provost of San Diego State University
San Diego State University College of Education Dean Joseph F. Johnson was named interim provost of the university. Following input from SDSU faculty, staff and administrators in the Division of Academic Affairs and in consultation with the University Senate Executive Committee, President-Designate Adela de la Torre asked Johnson to serve for at least one year or longer — if necessary — to successfully complete a search for a permanent provost.
Prior to his appointment, Johnson planned to retire at the end of this month from his current roles as dean of the College of Education and interim dean of the College of Extended Studies. “Serving as interim provost is an unexpected honor. I look forward to working alongside President-Designate de la Torre as we journey into this new chapter in SDSU history,” said Johnson.
In addition to his new post as interim provost, Johnson will continue his work with the National Center for Urban School Transformation where he works to identify successful student achievement practices in the urban environment and bring them to struggling K-12 schools nationwide.
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Sales open at Altura at
Pacific Ridge in Oceanside
Cornerstone Communities and Presidio Residential Capital announced sales are open at Altura at Pacific Ridge, a new Oceanside community offering 72 upscale two-story single-family detached homes within Pacific Ridge, a 30-acre, 314-unit gated community. Prices start at $623,990.
The three- and four-bedroom, two-and-a-half-bathroom homes range from 1,771 to 2,021 square feet and have two-car garages as well as private fenced yards for outdoor living and entertaining. Some floorplans include offices, tech spaces and lofts, and optional balconies off the master bedroom are available.
Community amenities, which are spread across several recreational areas, include a community pool, a spa, barbecues and covered seating areas. Altura at Pacific Ridge offers several playgrounds with bench seating and a large turf area.
In addition to Altura, Cornerstone has developed Lucero offering 125 townhomes, as well as Brisas offering 117 triplex homes — all within the Pacific Ridge Rancho del Oro.
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Mitchell International acquires
Medical Consultants Network
Mitchell International, a provider of technology, connectivity and information solutions to the property and casualty insurance and collision repair industries, announced that it has completed the acquisition of Medical Consultants Network (MCN) – one of the nation’s largest providers of independent medical exam services.
The acquisition will give Mitchell and its customers access to an extensive national panel and network of providers – nearly 13,000 physicians with over 17,800 provider specialty-jurisdiction combinations.
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UC San Diego ranked 3rd among
public universities in high-quality research
The University of California San Diego ranked 3rd among public research universities in the United States in this year’s annual ranking of high-quality scientific research papers by the journal Nature. In the Nature Index 2018 Annual Tables, the La Jolla campus ranked 12th in the world out of 500 institutions and 6th among U.S. universities in the research results its faculty, students and staff published in 82 high-quality journals in 2017.
The Nature Index took into account the total number of papers at each institution as well as the share of authorship of each paper in pulling together its ranking of the top 500 universities in the world. Harvard University, Stanford University and the Massachusetts Institutes of Technology took the world’s top three spots for academic institutions.
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One Paseo announces first 4 retail tenants
One Paseo, a mixed-use development bringing shops, restaurants, apartments, offices, and public spaces to Del Mar Heights, has announced its first four retailers. The new development will soon house Van De Vort, an upscale women’s bohemian-inspired boutique; West of Camden, an artist-driven men’s and women’s clothing, accessories and unique soft goods retail store; antique and accessory specialty shop Whiskey x Leather; and SoulCycle, a one-of-a-kind fitness destination and indoor cycling studio.
The shops are scheduled to open in early 2019.
These four retailers join a culinary lineup that includes International Smoke, Tocaya Organica, Sweetfin Poké, Ways & Means Oyster House, Shake Shack, Parakeet Café, Tender Greens, Joe & The Juice, The Butchery and North Italia — which were announced earlier this year.
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Solute Inc. receives $13.4 million Navy contract
Solute Inc. in San Diego has been awarded a $13,390,442 contract by the Space and Naval Warfare Systems Center Pacific for engineering services to provide development, technical, management and engineering services for intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance systems.
This two-year contract includes one, three-year option which, if exercised, would bring the cumulative value of this contract to an estimated $34,525,808. Work will be performed in San Diego and is expected to be completed by June 5, 2020.
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Northrop Grumman completes
Orbital ATK Inc. acquisition
Northrop Grumman Corporation announced it has closed the acquisition of Orbital ATK Inc., a global leader in aerospace and defense technologies. Orbital ATK is now Northrop Grumman Innovation Systems, a new, fourth business sector.
Northrop Grumman’s board of directors has elected Blake Larson as corporate vice president and president of Northrop Grumman Innovation Systems, reporting to Kathy Warden, Northrop Grumman’s president and chief operating officer. Larson previously served as the chief operating officer of Orbital ATK.
“We welcome Orbital ATK’s talented employees,” said Wes Bush, chairman and chief executive officer of Northrop Grumman. “We are delighted to have them join the Northrop Grumman team, and we are very excited about the value creation our combination represents for our customers, shareholders and employees.”
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General Atomics receives federal funding
for its Energy Multiplier Module concept
General Atomics has been awarded a total of nearly $3 million by the U.S. Department of Energy’s Advanced Research Projects Agency-Energy to continue development of two key technologies associated with GA’s Energy Multiplier Module (EM2) concept. The awards are part of ARPA-E’s Modeling-Enhanced Innovations Trailblazing Nuclear Energy Reinvigoration (MEITNER) program, which is providing up to $24 million to support development of advanced nuclear energy.
Since 2009, GA has been developing the EM2 advanced reactor concept, which addresses the four core challenges facing nuclear energy – safety, waste, cost and non-proliferation.
The first ARPA-E award of approximately $1.45 million will focus on design and optimization of the reactor’s innovative power conversion system. The second award, for $1.53 million, will be used to develop modular methods for large-scale concrete construction, which holds the promise to significantly cut plant construction timelines.
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Personnel Announcements
Dowling & Yahnke adds financial planners
Kelly Feldmann and Peggy Kahn have joined Dowling & Yahnke as financial planners. Feldmann and Kahn join Tracy Burgett, director of financial planning, in providing financial planning strategies including financial goals analysis, estate planning, education planning, tax efficiencies, college savings, social security, and executive compensation for clients.
Feldmann holds a Master of Business Administration from San Diego State University. She completed her undergraduate work in finance at San Diego State University.
Kahn holds an Executive Certificate in advanced financial planning from San Diego State University. She completed her undergraduate work in business administration at California State University San Marcos, graduating cum laude.
