Daily Business Report-Sept. 24, 2019
Chemistry researcher Jing Gu is working on making fuel cell technology affordable and green. (Video outtake: Ethan Garcia for SDSU. Video Editing: Scott Hargrove)
Mimicking photosynthesis to make
fuel cells affordable and green
By Padma Nagappan | SDSU
There has been so much hype about hydrogen powered fuel cell vehicles, but the concept has yet to take off on a large scale because it’s hampered by two major obstacles – it’s very expensive to produce hydrogen, and hydrogen is derived from fossil fuel power plants, making it not so green.
Chemistry researcher and assistant professor Jing Gu, with San Diego State University, is focused on making it both affordable and green, through artificial photosynthesis that mimics the plants to convert solar energy into hydrocarbons that stores energy in chemical bonds.
“Hydrogen is an energy carrier and can even send shuttles into space. It has high energy density and when burned it only creates water as a byproduct, so it’s clean burning,” Gu said.
In traditional manufacturing methods, hydrogen is produced using high temperature and high pressure, so her lab has been looking at more sustainable ways to generate it, from small and large devices that can be located on site.
The water molecule – H2O – needs to be split up to extract hydrogen and separate it from oxygen, and she has collaborated with Princeton University to look at extracting it from wastewater sources, because it contains bacteria that can be used to treat the wastewater and generate electricity.
Gu’s contribution to that research project was a photovoltaic converter device which converts water into hydrogen under solar irradiation. It simulates sunlight using a solar lamp, and the electrode or semiconductor Jing uses after coating it with catalytic materials converts solar lamp energy into hydrogen.
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MTS to work with UC San Diego to upgrade
outdoor seismic simulation system
MTS Systems Corporation, a global supplier of high-performance test systems, motion simulators and sensors, announced plans to work with the University of California San Diego to upgrade the world’s largest outdoor seismic simulation system located at the university’s Englekirk Structural Engineering Center in Scripps Ranch. Researchers will use the system, also known as a shake table, to improve accuracy of simulated ground motion effects on large structures, such as multi-story buildings and bridge components, with the goal of minimizing damage and protecting critical infrastructure during an earthquake.
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Biochemist Jennifer Doudna to receive 2019
Nierenberg Prize for Science in the Public Interest
Renowned biochemist and genomics researcher Jennifer Doudna has been selected as the recipient of the 2019 Nierenberg Prize for Science in the Public Interest by Scripps Institution of Oceanography. The public is invited to attend the award ceremony and a presentation from Doudna in a free event on Oct. 7 at 6 p.m. at the Robert Paine Scripps Forum for Science, Society and the Environment on the Scripps campus.
TheNierenberg Prize for Science in the Public Interesthas been awarded annually by Scripps Oceanography since 2001. The prize, which includes a bronze medal and $25,000, is awarded for outstanding contributions to science in the public interest. Previous Nierenberg Prize winners include NASA astronaut and administrator Charles Bolden, filmmaker Sir David Attenborough, primatologist Dame Jane Goodall, and filmmaker James Cameron.
Doudna is the Li Ka Shing Chancellor’s Chair and a professor in the Departments of Chemistry and of Molecular and Cell Biology at the University of California, Berkeley. She is also an investigator of the Howard Hughes Medical Institute.
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Medical Examiner: Drugs, falls, cars,
suicides lead death investigations
Drugs, alcohol, vehicles, falls, guns and suicide continue to be leading causes of deaths investigated by the San Diego County Medical Examiner’s Office, according to its just-released 2018 Annual Report.
Suicides increased from 458 in 2017 to 465, continuing a trend that has seen suicide numbers increase 13 percent over the past 10 years, taking population growth into account. Homicides decreased from 106 to 104. And accidental deaths, which include fatalities from drugs, alcohol, falls, traffic, drowning, choking, asphyxiation and other causes, increased from 1,522 in 2017 to 1,583.
“Every case represents a person’s death, mourned by loved ones and friends,” said County Medical Examiner Dr. Glenn Wagner, explaining that the numbers are more than statistics.
“We publish these numbers in this report and through the County’s Open Data Portal,” Wagner said, “to give us all opportunities to learn about injuries and illnesses, find ways to address risks and hopefully, save lives in the future.”
Both the annual report, which covers the 2018 calendar year, and quarterly reports including one for the first three months of 2019, can be found on the Medical Examiner’s Reports and Statistics webpage.
Some of the 2018 Annual Report’s findings included:
The three leading causes of accidental and sudden, unexpected deaths —accounting for 88 percent of all accidental deaths — were drugs, falls, and being killed in or by vehicles.
577 deaths were caused by overdoses: from illegal drugs, from misused or illegally obtained prescription drugs, and alcohol. Of those, fentanyl deaths continued to rise, from 33 in 2016, to 84 in 2017 and 92 in 2018. Methamphetamine deaths also increased by 21 percent in 2018.
488 people were killed by falls, mainly in the home, but also at jobs, outside in rural and urban areas, from bridges, mountains and beach cliffs.
316 people — 24 more than 2017 — were killed by being hit by vehicles, or in vehicle accidents. That included 107 pedestrians, an increase of six over 2017, which was already the highest number of pedestrian deaths in San Diego County in 24 years.
Motorcycle wrecks killed 48 people, a 51 percent decrease.
Accidental drownings in bathtubs and spas increased significantly, from eight to 18 in bathtubs and from three to 10 in spas.
Firearms killed 235 people: 61 in homicides and 174 in suicides.
Men made up 68 percent of all the deaths the Medical Examiner’s Office fully investigated: 2,196 men to 1,034 women.
Under law, the County Medical Examiner’s Office investigates all “unnatural” deaths, such as suspected homicides, suicides, accidents, and natural deaths that are sudden and unexpected.
In 2018, more than 22,000 deaths occurred in the county. The Medical Examiner’s Office was asked to investigate 8,346. Of those, initial investigations determined that 5,115 deaths were natural and needed no further investigation by the Medical Examiner, leaving 3,232 for full investigations.
Of that group, another 1,031 were concluded to be from natural causes, 1,583 were deemed accidental, 51 could not be determined, 102 were homicides and 465 were suicides.
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Sabre Springs Plaza sold to
private investor for $6.8 million
Sabre Springs Plaza in San Diego, a 15,038-square-foot retail convenience center, has been sold for $6.8 million to a Los Angeles-based private investor. Built in 2004, Sabre Springs Plaza is situated on 1.35 acres, just east of the I-15 and located at 11385-11395 Poway Road. Tenants include 7-Eleven and 12 other retail, restaurant and service-oriented tenants.
Philip Voorhees, Sean Heitzler, Megan Wood, and Reg Kobzi of CBRE represented the seller, Capstone Advisors. Gary Stache and Kevin Foley, also of CBRE, represented the buyer.
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Scripps Health named among
most wired health systems
Scripps Health has been named one of the “Most Wired” health systems in the nation by the College of Healthcare Information Management Executives (CHIME), which conducts an annual survey assessing how effectively health care organizations apply core and advanced technologies to their clinical and business programs.
Scripps was among 654 hospitals and health systems that made the 2019 version of the list, which was released Monday. The list is based on an annual survey conducted by CHIME among 16,138 organizations, which looked at the adoption, integration and impact of technologies in healthcare organizations at all stages of development.
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Wendy Taylor named executive director
of San Diego Children’s Discovery Museum
Wendy Taylor has been selected as the executive director of the San Diego Children’s Discovery Museum.
Taylor has been leading the museum in various capacities since January 2012. Most recently, she served as the museum’s interim managing director. With more than 15 years of experience in nonprofit management and leadership, Taylor believes every child should have the chance to experience diverse and authentic life experiences through informal learning.
Under Taylor’s leadership, the museum has built on its strengths, developed new and reinforced existing partnerships, and introduced dynamic new programs and exhibits. The board of directors anticipates Taylor will continue to leverage these achievements to help the museum further expand its services to benefit even more San Diego County children and families.
“We are extremely excited to have Wendy move into the role of executive director,” said Kim Dunham Bergsma, board president. “Her outstanding combination of energy, dedication, and proven leadership will continue to pave the way for children’s museums in San Diego and beyond.”
Taylor is the museum’s third executive director, following Javier Guerrero, who had come into the role in 2010.
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Todd Kaprielian named president
of Downtown San Diego Lions Club
Todd Kaprielian, chief development officer for the St. Paul’s Senior Services Foundation, is the new president of the Downtown San Diego Lions Club. The one-year term began on July 1.
“I am honored to take on this position,” said Kaprielian. “Serving seniors – and the greater San Diego community – is something that I feel very passionate about.”
Chartered in 1922, the Downtown San Diego Lions Club is celebrating its 98th year of community service. This year the club’s membership will oversee the distribution of more than $150,000 funds that provide a number of opportunities for local youth and adults in need, including the following: Lions Camp Jack; college scholarships; Downtown Lions Baseball Tournament; Lions Manor.
