BINATIONAL EXPEDITION
MEXICAN RESEARCHER FROM THE SCRIPPS INSTITUTE
OF OCEANOGRAPHY WILL PERFORM CIENTIFIC STUDIES
IN SOUTHERN BAJA CALIFORNIA WITH RENOWNED
AMERICAN OCEANOGRAPHIST WALTER MUNK
San Diego, CA.- Febrero 27, 2014. The Consulate General of Mexico in San Diego is pleased to announce that the Mexican researcher Octavio Aburto, from the Scripps Institute of Oceanography at the University of California in San Diego (UCSD); will carry out a scientific expedition from March 2nd-8th, 2014. Cabo Pulmo National Park located at Southern Baja California, Dr. Walter Munk, a well-known internationally researcher and one of the best oceanographers, will participate in the expedition.
The objective of the experimental mission is to study the behavior of the manta ray “Mobula munkiana” (named this way in honor of Dr. Munk). This species is known to take massive jumps from the ocean at the Gulf of California.
Dr. Munk, a 95 year-old American scientist, has been recognized and received various honors, both nationally and internationally, including the Vetlesen Award, the Gold Medal from the Society of Astronomy, the Agassiz medal from the National Academy of Sciences and the National medal of Science of Kyoto. In his distinguished career he has been distinguished for his contributions to systems of tide predictions with military intentions, detection of tsunamis and the use of acoustics for submarine research.
He has dedicated a large part of his career to the Scripps Institute of Oceanography at UCSD as professor of Geophysics, an active member of the faculty and the college community.
The group of five researchers that will visit Cabo Pulmo are part of the Marine Program at the Gulf of California in the Scripps Institute of Oceanography which is coordinated by Octavio Aburto, Mexican scientist and member of the San Diego Chapter of Mexican Talen network; an organization promoted by the Consulate General of Mexico in San Diego.
Remedios Gómez Arnau, Consul General of Mexico in San Diego, stated that the expedition to Cabo Pulmo represents a notable example of collaboration between American and Mexican researchers which opens the possibility of taking new actions of cooperation in the field of marine life sciences between both countries.
The Consul General also stressed the importance that a proposal promoted by members of the San Diego Chapter of Mexican Talent network includes a prominent scientific figure like Dr. Munk.
Dr. Octavio Aburto informed the media that a documentary will be produced on the activities of his investigation that will be produced in three trips with the idea of spreading and promoting ecotourism, biodiversity and scientific investigation of the Cabo Pulmo marine life reservation.
In correspondence to a petition of the Mexican Consulate, the results of the expedition will be accessible to the public in a workshop centered on scientific journalism that is organized by the Institute of the Americas in La Jolla.
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