Daily Business Report: January 22, 2024
Cal State faculty strike across all 23 campuses
in historic labor walkout
By Mikhail Zinshteyn | CalMatters
After more than half a year of failed negotiations to increase their pay by 12 percent and expand other benefits, the faculty of the California State University today began a historic strike at all 23 campuses.
The planned one-week work stoppage is the first time the California Faculty Association has walked off the job at every campus since the union was founded in 1983. It’s part of an escalation of tactics by the faculty group, which staged one-day strikes at four campuses last month and vowed then to up the ante if their demands weren’t met.
“It’s a constant struggle to make ends meet,” said Dirk Horn, a full-time political science lecturer at Cal State Bakersfield who augments his salary of just under $63,000 by teaching at nearby community college locations, other schools and picking up gigwork as an Uber driver.
Some days, his teaching shifts require nearly 80 miles of driving across three campuses. Receiving the raises the union is seeking would let him work less — and earn more.
For Cal State, the strike represents a likely loss of learning for many of its nearly 460,000 students at the nation’s largest public four-year university system.
Photo: California Faculty Association members strike at Cal State Pomona on Dec. 4, 2023. Photo by (Lauren Justice for CalMatters)
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Strike effect on San Diego State University
SDSU remains open. The university is open and will also be open Jan. 22-26, 2024. Instruction, events, support services and other activities will continue during strike activities.
SDSU has not canceled classes. However, individual classes may be canceled by faculty members who choose to honor the strike. Students should review my.SDSU and Canvas and consult with their instructors for information related to their specific courses. The strike should not interfere with students’ ability to complete their spring 2024 courses and graduate on time.
SDSU has adjusted add/drop deadlines. To accommodate any additional time needed for spring 2024 courses, the university has adjusted several deadlines on behalf of faculty and students. See the FAQ section (Background and Updates) for more information.
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UC San Diego’s bioengineering team
uses TSCC at SDSC for bioinformatics tool
By Kimberly Mann Bruch | UC San Diego
Over 18 million people worldwide are annually diagnosed with cancer, with each case hiding many mutations in its genome. Understanding these mutations furthers cancer research, while also providing a deeper understanding to create possible cures, therapies and prevention strategies. The Triton Shared Computer Cluster (TSCC) at the San Diego Supercomputer Center (SDSC) at UC San Diego was recently used by a team of researchers to develop and test SigProfilerMatrixGenerator, a novel bioinformatics tool, that can classify and visualize large-scale mutational events – mutations that affect more than 50 DNA base pairs.
“Our new bioinformatics tool revolutionizes the way we visualize and explore structural variations (SV) and copy number variations (CNV) to decipher genomic anomalies in cancer development,” said Ludmil Alexandrov, an associate professor of bioengineering and cellular and molecular medicine at UC San Diego. “Without access to SDSC’s TSCC, we would not have been able to develop and test SigProfilerMatrixGenerator – we especially utilized the high-performance GPU and CPU computing on the cluster for our work.”
Salk Researchers earn $1.3 million W.M. Keck
Foundation award to study aging brain
Salk Institute Professor Rusty Gage and Assistant Professor Pallav Kosuri have been awarded $1.3 million by the W. M. Keck Foundation to fund a novel investigation into the way brain and heart cell functions decline over time due to ribosubstitution events—cellular repair of DNA damage with RNA building blocks rather than DNA building blocks. The award combines the biological discovery of ribosubstitution made by Senior Research Associate Jeff Jones in Gage’s lab with the technological advancements established by Postdoctoral Researcher Yuening Liu in Kosuri’s lab. The W. M. Keck Foundation was established with the goal of generating far-reaching benefits for humanity by supporting outstanding science, engineering, and medical research.
Advanced Lateral Flow Conference 2024
agenda now available for download
The organizers of the Advanced Lateral Flow Conference (ALFC) 2024 announced that the full conference agenda is now available for download. This year’s conference, set to take place on Feb. 12-14, at the Hard Rock Hotel San Diego, promises to be an enriching experience for professionals in the lateral flow industry. The ALFC 2024 is a premier event that brings together experts, innovators, and thought leaders in the field of lateral flow technology. To download the complete agenda for ALFC 2024, visit alfc2024.com.
Skill Money Games launches with Full Swing
Skill Money Games is revolutionizing indoor golf through its patented AI technology that offers personalized, skill-based cash challenges. Available now on Full Swing, the leader in golf simulators, Skill Money Games has launched a groundbreaking Closest-to-the-Pin real money challenge which caters to players of diverse skill levels. This gaming innovation is currently showcased at Swing Social in San Diego.
Larry Bellack joins Multifamily Utility Company
Revolutionizing the multifamily industry, Larry Bellack, a visionary leader with over 30 years of experience, has joined Multifamily Utility Company as its chief revenue officer. Bellack, a seasoned executive, will leverage his deep knowledge of the rental housing industry to help owners and operators recover utility costs, increase net operating income, reduce operating expense, and maintain a low carbon footprint by utilizing the suite of MUC solutions.
Sony Electronics announces software update to mocopi
Sony Electronics Inc. announced a significant update to mocopi, its popular motion capture system, integrating it with SlimeVR to provide an option for VRChat users to connect through PC. Sony’s mocopi system has been at the forefront of mobile virtual reality (VR) technology, known for its ease of use and accessibility. Listening to customer feedback, this update, which is available now, strengthens mocopi’s position in mobile VR and establishes mocopi as a key player in the PC-connected VR space.
Bumble Bee Seafoods wins ‘Best Package Design’ award
Bumble Bee Seafoods has been on a brand reinvention journey, working to inspire consumers everywhere to eat well no matter what. That includes the development of a new brand identity and packaging design, recently announced as the winner of Chief Marketer’s 2023 Pro Award for Best Package Design. The seafood company continues its reinvention efforts with a unique new brand identity and modern update to its product packaging design, created by PKG Brand Design.
Intelligent Blends installs new 280kW solar system
Intelligent Blends, an innovative manufacturer of coffee, tea, and functional beverages announces the expansion of its commitment to sustainability with the installation of a new 280kW solar system. This comes on the heels of the successful deployment of a 284kW solar system in 2020, showcasing the company’s dedication to environmental responsibility and its pursuit of carbon neutrality. The additional 280kW solar installation reflects Intelligent Blends’ ongoing efforts to reduce its carbon footprint.
Marrow Fine opens showroom in Chicago
San Diego-based Marrow Fine the celebrated fine and bridal jewelry brand whose fans include Margot Robbie, Megan Fox, Machine Gun Kelly, and Richa Moorjani among others, unveils its new showroom in the Gold Coast neighborhood of Chicago, with an official opening on Saturday, Jan 20. The boutique, the brand’s third, is on the ground floor of the 9 West Walton building.
Eric Rochette named chief technology officer at GoSecure
GoSecure, a leading provider of managed detection and response solutions along with expert professional services, announced the promotion of Eric Rochette to the role of chief technology officer (CTO). Rochette’s appointment marks a milestone in his over 15 years of distinguished service in the field of information security and is set to lead GoSecure into an era of unmatched innovation and excellence. Rochette previously headed the company’s Advisory team.
Startup Science selected as tech platform
for Entrepreneurship Initiative
Startup Science announced the selection of its Gravity platform to support Fulbright Canada’s revolutionary new Entrepreneurship Initiative. The Fulbright Entrepreneurship Initiative is a visionary project designed to harness the transformative power of entrepreneurship in addressing some of the world’s most pressing challenges, including climate change, ecological and social sustainability, and economic parity. The project will be a collaborative effort between Fulbright Canada, Startup Science, and the Alacrity international network of accelerators.
Soapy Joe’s launches $10,000 Grand Slam Getaway contest
Soapy Joe’s Car Wash, a locally- and family-owned car wash operator with 23 locations across San Diego County, announced the launch of its $10,000 Grand Slam Getaway contest. The grand prize is a $10,000 trip to see a professional baseball international season opener in March 2024. Additional prizes include former professional baseball outfielder Tony Gwynn Jr. signed memorabilia, annual wash memberships and more.
