The Scripps Institution of Oceanography (SIO) is a research institute located in La Jolla, California. It is part of the University of California, San Diego (UCSD). SIO is one of the oldest and largest oceanographic institutes in the world. Its main campus is on the cliffs overlooking the Pacific Ocean, with several smaller campuses scattered around southern California.
SIO’s research programs cover a wide range of topics related to earth, ocean, and atmospheric sciences. These include studies of Earth’s interior and climate change; investigations of plate tectonics and earthquakes; analysis of marine sediments and ocean ecosystems; development of new instrumentation and observational techniques; numerical modeling of physical, chemical, biological, and geological processes; and education and outreach programs aimed at increasing public understanding and appreciation of science.
SIO has more than 700 staff members, including about 350 faculty members, postdoctoral fellows, graduate students, visiting scholars, technicians, support staff, and administrative personnel. The majority of SIO’s faculty members are affiliated with UCSD’s Department of Earth Sciences (which includes SIO), but many also hold joint appointments with other departments at UCSD or elsewhere. In addition to its academic programs, SIO operates two major field stations: one in Point Loma near downtown San Diego (the Coastal Marine Institute), and the other atScripps Pier in La Jolla Shores (the Birch Aquarium). Both facilities are open to the public.
SIO was founded in 1903 by William Ewing Scripps as the Marine Biological Associationof San Diego (MBASD). MBASD was an outgrowthof earlier efforts by scripps’ grandfatherEzekiel MarksonScripps(1835-1926)to establisha laboratoryfor marine biologyin La Jollaand by his fatherJames Morningside Scrippsto develope a similar facilityon nearby Coronado Island(later called GloriettaBay). EzekielScrippswas a wealthy newspaperpublisherwho had made his fortunein Ohioand then movedto Detroitwhere he establishedThe Detroit Newsin 1873. Jameswas born in Detroitand later followedhis fatherinto journalismafter studyingat Yale Universityand Cornell University.
In 1902–03William Scrippsmade several trips to Europe to consultwith leading scientistsabout plans for his proposedmarine laboratoryin La Jolla.On his first visithe met with Danish zoologist JohannesJuel-Nielsen(1879-1965), who had just completeda new marine stationat Frederiksborg Castle northof Copenhagen . Impressedby what he saw there , Scrippswas determinedto build something similarin California . On subsequenttrips he visitedother Europeaninstitutions , includingthe Stazione Zoologica Anton Dohrn in Naples , Italy ; the Zoological Museumin Berlin , Germany ;