Daily Business Report: Dec. 5, 2023
Viewpoint: Fueling the biotech
boom and bridging educational gaps
By Sunita Cooke, superintendent/president, MiraCosta Community College District
Biotechnology is not just another industry; it’s a transformative force that has the potential to revolutionize healthcare, agriculture and even our approach to combating climate change.
In recent years, North San Diego County has emerged as a rapidly expanding bioscience hub, attracting some of the most innovative firms in the biotech sector. However, this industry’s swift growth presents challenges, most notably the urgent demand for a specialized workforce.
At MiraCosta College, we anticipated this need within our community because of our future focus. As one of 15 community colleges within the state of California to offer a bachelor’s degree, we responded by creating a program in biomanufacturing. This initiative has become pivotal for regional development, educastional equity and employment excellence.
When the community called for qualified professionals in the rapidly expanding biotech sector, MiraCosta College answered. But we didn’t do it alone. By forming strategic partnerships with local biotech firms, we developed a novel and specialized biomanufacturing bachelor’s program designed to meet industry demands.
In collaboration with our industry partners, we’ve also established pathways for students to receive grants for paid internships and earn-and-learn opportunities.
Photo: MiraCosta College offers a specialized biomanufacturing bachelor’s program designed to meet industry demands. (Photo: MiraCosta)
___________________________________________________________________
Border Patrol dropped 42,000 migrants on
San Diego streets. Now, county, groups seek help
By Justo Robles, Alejandra Reyes-Velarde and Wendy Fry | CalMatters
On a late September night, Rev. Brad Mills was surprised by the sound of knocking on his parish doors. His small San Diego church didn’t usually receive visitors past mass hours.
Two Venezuelan men at the door said they needed help and were looking for a place to sleep, Mills said.
The church booked them a hotel room for the night and directed them to local shelters and resources, Mills said. But the next night, the men were back. There was no room in any nearby shelters.
And the following night, another four migrants showed up at the church’s door.
Two months later this church, whose leaders ask that it not be named for safety reasons, continues to be one of many San Diego-area nonprofits and faith organizations struggling to provide resources and shelter to tens of thousands of migrants border agents have been releasing onto San Diego streets.
From September through November, U.S. border authorities have dropped off more than 42,000 people on San Diego County streets with no direction or assistance, county officials said.
___________________________________________________________________
Christopher Manning named VP for student
affairs and campus diversity at SDSU
Following a nationwide search, San Diego State University President Adela de la Torre has announced that higher education leader and scholar Christopher Manning has been appointed to serve as vice president for student affairs and campus diversity, beginning Feb. 29, 2024.
Manning, vice president and chief inclusion and diversity officer at University of Southern California (USC), is regarded for driving initiatives that foster a culture of equity, inclusion and belonging, and for delivering training programs, courses and professional development offerings to faculty, staff and students.
Scientists publish 37-year record of ocean
acidification off Southern California
By Brittany Hook | UC San Diego
For the first time, scientists at Scripps Institution of Oceanography have published nearly four decades’ worth of dissolved carbon dioxide measurements from waters off Southern California. The measurements reveal a slight but consistent trend of ocean acidification,
a process characterized by a decrease in the ocean’s pH over time due to its absorption of carbon dioxide (CO2) from the atmosphere.
“We’re tracking a climate signal in a spot in the ocean where we really have never seen those measurements published before,” said Scripps Oceanography marine chemist Todd Martz, one of the lead authors on the paper. “Fewer than 10 places in the world have time series that are similar in length, which underscores the significance of publishing these findings.”
___________________________________________________________________
New center supports next-gen Air Force vehicle design
A multidisciplinary team of engineers at the University of California San Diego has been awarded a $3.6 million grant from the Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) to make the design and risk assessment of next-gen Air Force vehicles more efficient.
The six-year grant supports the new AFRL-UC San Diego Collaborative Center for Optimal Risk-quantified and robust Design of aerospace vehicles (ACCORD). The goal of the center is to advance the computational design methods that are crucial for the development of next-generation Air Force vehicles, including electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) aircraft and supersonic air vehicles.
Jacobs School mechanical and aerospace engineering faculty members Boris Kramer and Oliver Schmidt will contribute to the center, as will structural engineering professor J.S. Chen. Markus Rumpfkeil, on faculty in the Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering at the University of Dayton, is also part of the team in an advisory role.
PriceSmart opens sixth warehouse club in Guatemala
PriceSmart Inc. announced that the company opened its newest warehouse club in Escuintla, Guatemala, bringing the total number of warehouse clubs in operation by the company to 53. The Escuintla club is the sixth club in Guatemala and was constructed on a five-acre property. PriceSmart, headquartered in San Diego, owns and operates U.S.-style membership shopping warehouse clubs in Latin America and the Caribbean, selling high quality merchandise and services at low prices to PriceSmart Members.
Greater Than Tech to hold inaugural fundraiser
Greater Than Tech, a San Diego-based organization dedicated to advancing diversity, equity, and inclusion in the tech industry, announces its inaugural fundraising event, Tech Over Tapas. The event is set to take place on Wednesday Dec. 6, at the San Diego Central Library, and promises to be a captivating evening bringing together thought leaders, industry professionals, and supporters of the organization’s mission. Reception at 5 p.m., main event 6 to 8 p.m.
American Specialty Health has banner year for awards
American Specialty Health (ASH), one of the nation’s premier independent and privately-owned specialty health organizations, achieved remarkable success in 2023, culminating in a Top Workplaces award from the San Diego Union-Tribune. Winning organizations were selected based solely on employee feedback. This marks the second consecutive year that ASH has been recognized as a Top Workplace in San Diego.
EROAD and Thermo King forge data-sharing partnership
EROAD, a leading provider of transportation technology solutions, headquartered in San Diego, and Thermo King, a global leader in sustainable transport temperature control solutions based in Minneapolis, announced their strategic data sharing partnership. This collaboration empowers EROAD to seamlessly integrate with Thermo King’s TracKing telematics equipment, a standard feature on Thermo King Precedent trailer refrigeration units since 2018.
Trovata and Jiko announce strategic partnership
Trovata, the global leader in bank API-powered cash management, and Jako, a bank and technology leader offering real-time, programmatic access to the yield and safety of US Treasury bills via Jiko Corporate, announced a strategic partnership and referral program. With Trovata and Jiko Corporate, customers can utilize the combined power of Trovata’s insightful cash-management platform and Jiko’s secure and flexible technology to easily and precisely allocate operating cash into T-bill investment according to liquidity needs and to earn competitive yield.
Moriah Elizabeth partners with Bonkers Toys
Social media sensation Moriah Elizabeth has partnered with Bonker Toys to launch a mystery plush set inspired by by the characters that have charmed millions of fans. The Moriah Elizabetj 6 Mystery Plush Series 1 hits mass retail for the first time and is now available at Walmat stores nationwide. The products will roll out to all retailers in the United States at Walmart stores nationwiee.
UC San Diego ranks No. 7 globally on Clarivate’s report
Coming ahead of Oxford and Yale, UC San Diego ranked seventh in the world on Clarivate’s Highly Cited Researchers report with 71 of the most widely cited researchers in science, medicine, engineering and economics. The report features an additional 36 scientists spread throughout local research institutions including San Diego State University, Scripps Research, and the Sanford Burnham Medical Discovery Institute.
City of San Diego unveils digital permitting tool
To expedite permit processing times, the City of San Diego’s Development Services Department has launched Permit Finder, an interactive platform with records dating back 20 years. The tool aims to make it easier for DSD staff to assist business owners and residents in advancing new project plans. This follows a recent collaboration with EDC to stand up the city’s Life Science Industry Pilot Progrsm which provides dedicated resources and information to help the life sciences industry expand in San Diego.
Boviet Solar to exhibit at Intersolar NA in San Diego
Boviet Solar Technology Co. Ltd., solar energy technology company specializing in manufacturing Monocrystalline PERC and TOPCon PV cells, Gamma Series Monofacial, and Vega Series Bifacial PV Modules, will exhibit at Intersolar NA Jan. 17-19 at the San Diego Convention Center. Boviet Solar has been a Bloomberg New Energy Finance Tier 1 PV Module Manufacturer since 2017. Boviet Solar’s PV modules are known for their power, performance, and quality.
San Diego’s Taoglas shoots for the stars in Ireland’s first satellite
San Diego-based Taoglas, a trusted provider of antennas and IoT components that help solve complex engineering problems, announced its pivotal role in the launch of Ireland’s first satellite, the Educational Irish Research Satellite 1 (EIRSAT-1). Developed by a highly skilled team of researchers and students at University College Dublin (UCD), with the support of the European Space Agency’s Education Programme, EIRSAT-1 launched on Friday, Dec. 1, on a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket. This marks a historic milestone for Ireland’s entry into space exploration.
