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To instill a sense of wonder, respect and stewardship for the Pacific Ocean, its DR. JERRY SCHUBEL, PRESIDENT/CEO
inhabitants and ecosystems
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
4 Congratulatory Letters From
20 Aquarium Of The Pacific:
Gov. Jerry Brown and Mayor Bob Foster
15 Years Of Service In The Community
5 Congratulatory Letters From Supervisor Don
26 The Aquarium’s Charter Volunteers
Knabe and National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Administrator Kathryn Sullivan
28 Aquarium Of The Pacific Charter Employees
6 Q&A With Aquarium President & CEO Dr. Jerry Schubel
32 A Look Back – The Aquarium’s Timeline
16 Technology Helps Visitors
34 Upcoming Aquarium Events
Learn Science At The Aquarium
18 Art Programs And Events Communicate Science At The Aquarium
36 Warren Iliff – ‘Everybody Loved Him’ 38 Thank You Aquarium Staff
A Special Thank You To The Following For Supporting The Aquarium’s 15th Anniversary Publication AAA Flag & Banner Advantage Age of Aquariums Alliant Insurance Services American Wave Machine Anaheim Orange County Visitor & Convention Bureau Automobile Club of Southern California Aztlan Events Bio Models Bowman Design Group California State University, Long Beach Certified Folder Display Service City Light & Power Don Miller & Son’s Plumbing Supply Downtown Long Beach Associates Edison International Edwards Technologies Falcon Waterfree Technologies Fiesta Grand Prix Association of Long Beach H & H Nursery Halbert Hargrove Harbor Breeze Yacht Charters & Cruises International City Bank Marathon & Half Marathon Kahn Solar KC Artists Keesal Young & Logan Long Beach Airport Long Beach Area Chamber of Commerce
Long Beach Convention & Entertainment Center Long Beach Convention & Visitors Bureau Long Beach Environmental Services Bureau Long Beach Museum of Art Long Beach Water Department Los Angeles Zoo Lyon Studios Management Resources Mediaspot Miller Children’s Hospital Mobile Plastic Works Molina Healthcare Monroe Laboratories NUVIS Pacific Tugboat Service Port of Long Beach Port of Los Angeles PR Sunglasses Preferred Freezer Services Queen Mary RK2 Systems Safari Sea Dwelling Creatures State Fish Company Tel-Max Communications TG Construction The Pike at Rainbow Harbor Water Replenishment District of Southern California Wildlife Artists
Prepared May 21, 2013, by the Long Beach Business Journal for the Aquarium of the Pacific. All articles written by Business Journal and Aquarium staff. With a few exceptions, all photographs, including the cover photograph, are by the Business Journal’s Thomas McConville; other photographs provided by the Aquarium. The Business Journal may be reached at 562/988-1222 or visit the website: www.lbbusinessjournal.com. The Aquarium’s may be reached at 562/590-3100; website is: www.aquariumofpacific.org.
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er ob Fosct B r o y h a a M L o n g Be City of
May 2013 nds of the Long
Beach Aquariu
m:
the ngratulations to my heartfelt co d nd ite te ed ex cr to ac re th sary. An a pleasu r 15 Anniver ng Beach, it is c sits on bration of thei le As Mayor of Lo m of the Pacifi ce iu e ar th qu on A c e fi th ci s, Pa ion m e ill iu th m ar of 5 mes 1. and Aqu Aquarium iation of Zoos d proudly welco oc an ss r A bo e ar th H of r ow membe ’s Rainb in Long Beach 5-acres of land year. ch ea s or ed by h its do Pacific has liv visitors throug quarium of the the Pacific Ocean, A e th , 98 19 p for June of and stewardshi to the public in to aid in onder, respect, Since opening and programs w s of ie e lic ns po se l a ra ill ve st arium se in g qu to A tin e on en th 2009, its missi s – implem er the years. In them as one of the ov and ecosystem s cy nt en ta ci bi fi ha ef in its ergy izing Award recogn t of citywide en as a the enhancemen awarded the Super Nova Star 50 million, and $1 r de un es nu as ve ors for w re on al fic H l ci nu ta Pa of the sses with an Governmen ne ed si iv bu ce t re en ci so fi al e most energy ef Aquarium has ronment and th rst Business,” the California envi the fi of h rt bi certified “Green ting and enhancing both the ite -s d the on otec to Hagfish, an ng Beach their role in pr s, to Penguins, wed City of Lo et lo ke al ri s Lo ha c om fi ci Fr Pa y. ed the door to e en om th op on of ec ns that have e Aquarium tio Th , va al no Se in r ul bo rf male Har ss wonde a part of countle e. residents to be Ocean’s wildlif r ou s d the unity view t and CEO, an how our comm hubel, Presiden rs for their hard Sc y rr Je r. D ition to voluntee ium has a special recogn aff, board of directors, and st I want to give pact the Aquar rts to c im fi e ci Pa tiv si e th po e of fo Th m ef iu s. s ar ar es the tirel st 15 ye entire Aqu n over the pa tal. I applaud tio en ca um di on de m d is an work Beach e City of Long t and economy. ’s environmen made within th ty ci r ou e nc rvice. d enha help protect an d community se commitment an of s ar ye 15 astic again on a fant Congratulations
Greetings Frie
Warmest Regar
ds,
ster Mayor Bob Fo each B ng Lo of ity C ach, CA 9080 th Floor/ Long Be an Blvd., 14 0-6538 57 ) 62 (5 x Fa 333 West Oce 6801/ Tel. (562) 570-
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The Aquarium of the Pacific is a nonprofit institution dedicated to environmental conservation education. Vision: To create an aquarium dedicated to conserving and building natural capital (nature and nature's services) by building social capital (the interactions between and among peoples).
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Dr. Jerry Schubel, right, with John Molina, chairman of the Aquarium Board of Directors. Molina’s two-year term as chair began in February.
A Q&A WITH DR. JERRY SCHUBEL
June 20th Marks The 15th Anniversary Of The Aquarium Of The Pacific
classroom as well as the carbon-neutral Molina Animal Care Center. Additionally, the Aquarium’s greenhouse gas emissions inventory is certified with the Climate Registry. Dr. Jerry Schubel, president and CEO since 2002, spearheads the Aquarium of the Pacific’s development. With his guidance, the Aquarium has added exhibits such as the June Keyes Penguin Habitat and continues to expand educational programs. Schubel is president and CEO Emeritus of the New England Aquarium and is former dean of Stony Brook University’s Marine Sciences Research Center. Various national marine research and conservation institutions, such as the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), count him as a member. He has chaired the National Sea Grant Review Panel, the National
This year marks the Aquarium of the Pacific’s 15th anniversary.
Research Council’s Marine Board and the Ocean Research and Resources Advisory Panel
Since opening on June 20, 1998, it has become the fourth most at-
(ORRAP). Under Schubel’s leadership, the number of visitors to the Aquarium has grown
tended aquarium in the nation. Over 50 exhibits feature marine life
to more than 1.5 million annually. Recently, Schubel spoke with the Business Journal to
from the waters of Baja California, the Northern Pacific and the
reflect upon the 15th anniversary and to share his vision for the Aquarium’s future.
Southern Pacific. Through its exhibits and educational programs, the
LBBJ: From the beginning, the Aquarium has taken a leadership role in promoting
Aquarium strives to build relationships with and among communities
sustainability for the future of the ocean. How has that focus narrowed to the urban
to promote conservation. It endeavors to fulfill its mission to “instill
ocean, specifically in Long Beach?
a sense of wonder, respect, and stewardship for the Pacific Ocean, its inhabitants and ecosystems.”
Schubel: We still focus on the world ocean, which provides context and perspective. There is only one ocean, and all the parts are connected. But it’s big, and the only way
Environmentally friendly business practices also rank among the
we can begin to correct some of its problems is if institutions focus on the local and re-
Aquarium’s priorities. The grounds feature a leadership in energy
gional ocean. That’s what we have done. In Southern California, we have a wonderful urban
and environmental design (LEED) platinum certified watershed
ocean that goes from Point Conception to the U.S. and Mexico border. We focus on that,
“During my six-plus years as California Secretary for Natural Resources, I found Dr. Schubel and the Aquarium of the Pacific to be very constructive partners in our work and clear leaders in informal science education regarding our marine resources here in California, nationally, and internationally.” Mike Chrisman, Director Southwestern Partnership Office National Fish and Wildlife Foundation; former California Secretary for Natural Resources
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Since its June 1998 opening, the Aquarium has provided environmental education to approximately 20 million visitors and millions more through offsite programs and national, statewide and regional partnerships.
and we encourage other institutions to focus on
Informal, free-choice learning is a totally different domain of the
the part of the world ocean closest to them.
educational landscape. We make a mistake when we think of our-
Over time, we hope we can create a mosaic
selves as an extension of K through 12 classrooms. We do get
where all of these pieces come together. In a
kids who come here on yellow buses, but they come maybe
sense we have narrowed the focus, but it is al-
once a year. The best thing that we can do is to excite those
ways within the context of the world ocean.
kids about the environment and science. The less we look like
The reason this part of the Southern Californian world ocean is so important is that
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a classroom, the better we are for those children. The other reason we do this is that with these topics – off-
we have over 22 million people. That’s more than the population of any state except Texas. Sixty percent of Californians live in Southern California. The population of the planet right now is 7.2 billion. When you look ahead, we are on our way to 9 billion by 2050 and 10 billion by 2100. The only way we can conserve earth’s living infrastructure is if we can learn how to promote conservation where we live and where we work. Yes, we will still need national parks, wildlife reserves and marine protected areas. But if we can’t conserve nature where we live and where we work, we lose the whole game. That’s another reason why we’re so bullish on doing something in Southern California. It’s a great laboratory. LBBJ: Last year the Aquarium began gathering input from the public to develop an Aquatic Forum. How successful has that campaign been so far, and do you expect to host aquatic forums in the future? Schubel: The Aquatic Forum is very important to us. It is one of our major vehicles for involving stakeholders with scientists and policy makers. We do two or three a year, and we will continue to do them. We’re increasingly using social media to find out what people want their environment to be like. We did a lot of that last summer. We have done two Aquatic Forums on shaping the future of the Southern California part of the ocean. First, you have to know what qualities and uses people want and what they want it to be like in 2050. Through the various vehicles we used – lectures, programs, social media – we reached hundreds of people. We need to get to thousands of people. But a very clear picture is beginning to emerge. The things that won hands down were healthy, productive ecosystems. Very close
shore aquaculture, coastal marine spatial plan-
behind that were healthy, economically viable coastal communities and appropriate uses of
ning and allocating uses – you have to get
the ocean by humans to promote the economy. The trick becomes how to accomplish both
them on the agenda either in Sacramento or in
of those. So we focused on allocating uses to different spaces within the ocean.
Washington, D.C. If they’re not on the agenda,
California has been the leader in designating marine protected areas. It is far and
they don’t get any attention. The people who
away the leader of any state in the nation. We think California also can be a leader in
get things on the agenda are the elected offi-
identifying spaces in the ocean for appropriate uses by humans, whether it is offshore
cials and some long-term government career
aquaculture or renewable energy. If you ask the public what values and uses they want,
people. Politicians react to the public. If we
everybody has the right to that opinion. When you start to allocate spaces so that one
could get enough people in the public believ-
use will have minimal conflict with other uses, then you have to rely more upon ex-
ing that we have this wonderful opportunity in
perts. It’s like when you go to the doctor; you rely on expert opinions. We struggle
Southern California, then I think politicians will respond.
with that in our society because everybody thinks he or she is an expert on the envi-
Then we can get something on the agenda. We do a lot to try
ronment. We’re making some progress. Everything we do focuses on converging on a
to get it on the agenda in California and in Washington.
healthier, more productive environment that benefits the economy.
LBBJ: The Aquarium facilities have evolved since you
LBBJ: The Aquarium hosts numerous forums on ecology and environmentalism.
came on board as CEO in 2002. How much money has
Why is it important for the Aquarium to host these forums and create an environment
been invested in infrastructure upgrades, and what has
for informal learning?
been done?
Schubel: We are an informal learning institution. We are not an extension of K to 12.
Schubel: As an agreement with the city, we spend $1.5
“Over its brief fifteen year history, the Aquarium of the Pacific has emerged as one of the leading aquariums in the world. It has combined outstanding live animal exhibits with state-of-theart media and technology to tell the larger stories of what is happening to our World Ocean and marine life. The institution and its mission and vision are so important to our quality of life.” Margaret Davidson, Director, NOAA Coastal Services Center
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million a year on small operating capital projects. They are not main-
certification process, but that would have
tenance. They are small capital projects that enhance the visitor expe-
been a LEED building too. The new gift
rience as well as safety and care of our animals. Since I’ve been here,
shop’s window facade with the kelp forest
we’ve spent about $20 million on nature projects including the Wa-
photo mural has just been awarded three
tershed Classroom and exhibit, the Molina Animal Care Center, the
Green Globes, which is the best any aquar-
Ocean Science Center and the penguin and the sea otter exhibit.
ium has ever done in this new rating system.
These are in Phase One of our capital campaign. At the Ocean
It’s something that our staff takes very se-
Conservation Awards Gala we will announce Phase Two, which
riously. One of the things that we’re doing in-
is a $50 million capital campaign. LBBJ: What impact has the Aquarium’s expansion had on attendance so far?
The Aquarium Board OFFICERS John Molina, Chairman Stephen Chazen, Vice Chairman Jennifer Hagle, Secretary Jerry Schubel, President and CEO Thomas Turney, Chairman, Marine Conservation Research Institute
volves saltwater. Right now, it comes in primarily from trucks. We now have a saltwater intake system from right here. We are fin-
Schubel: When I got here, our attendance was between
ishing the testing now, but it will begin to
1.1 and 1. 2 million. We’re now at one and a half million.
provide saltwater by this summer. By the end of this year, we will eliminate over 1,000 trips by diesel trucks bringing saltwater to the Aquarium. All of those things really help. You could be a green building and not do a darn thing other than be green. I think the remarkable thing is how much this aquarium does and how diverse its portfolio of offerings are while being green. That was the challenge. LBBJ: What are the Aquarium’s main sources of revenue, and what is its overall budget? Schubel: Our budget has gone up. Last year was the best year we’ve had in the history of
BOARDMEMBERS James Breslauer Howard Chambers Craig Cooning John Fielder Charlotte Ginsburg James Hankla Russell Hill Samuel King Bert Levy, Mediator Steven Mayer Janice Mazyck Mario Molina Stephan Morikawa Stephen Olson Douglas Otto Sean Pence Lynne Preslo Eugene “Rod” Roddenberry Christopher Rommel Kurt Schulzman Michael Sondermann Arlo Sorensen Eisuke Tsuyuzaki Stephen Young
the institution. The total budget was about $31
The Aquarium’s exhibits hold more than 1 million gallons of water. The water is filtered on-site using chemical, mechanical, and biological filtration methods at a rate µof about 1 million gallons per hour.
Our attendance has gone up
million. It was a 10 percent increase over 2011. In many ways we operate more like a
almost 30 percent. In addi-
for-profit institution than a not-for-profit. The relationship with the city encourages that
tion to that, we have worked
because we transfer $2.2 million every year to the city. Last year our earnings before in-
very hard to reduce our envi-
terest, taxes, depreciation and amortization (EBITDA) were over $2.8 million. For a $31
ronmental footprint. So while
million budget to have that kind of margin – there are a lot of for-profit companies that
our attendance has gone up
don’t do that. We have a lean, hardworking staff. They are a great group of people.
by 25 to 30 percent, our carbon footprint has gone down by 20 percent. Our water use has gone down by 30 percent and the amount of electricity that we buy off the grid from Southern California Edison hasn’t increased. It has gone down
The biggest source of revenue is the gate, when people buy tickets, spend at the gift shops and buy food. After that, the biggest source would be from donations. LBBJ: In the past, the Aquarium has struggled financially. How do you operate a world-class aquarium under budget constraints?
just a few percent. We have grown in size, we’ve added facilities and at-
Schubel: We haven’t struggled financially since the city decided it wanted to have
tendance has gone up, but our environmental footprint has gone down.
an aquarium. It restructured the debt. The city owns the building. The Aquarium of the
Our staff has worked very hard to make that happen.
Pacific, a 501(c)3 non-profit organization, operates the Aquarium on the city’s behalf.
The Watershed Classroom, which opened in 2008, was Long Beach’s
Since that happened, we have not struggled. I would say we’ve thrived. A few years
first LEED Platinum building, which is the highest environmental rat-
ago, the city commissioned a study of the top half-dozen aquariums to see how we
ing that you can achieve. It was the first carbon-neutral building of
ranked in terms of operating successfully financially. That was on a business model
any aquarium building in the United States. So it’s not adding any
with revenues versus expenses. We won hands down. In the first couple of years, the
emissions of carbon to the atmosphere. When we built the Molina
Aquarium did struggle, but it hasn’t for a long time.
Animal Care Center two years later, we never went through the full
LBBJ: In what ways do you think future, planned facility developments will im-
“We in this country are awakening to the deterioration that is occurring in what previously seemed to be a wilderness area – the World Ocean. This country is in need of better science and technology education for all citizens in every economic level. Put these elements together – a city with access to the sea, citizens of diverse ethnicities and economic backgrounds, and a place for all to learn – and what we have is the world-class Aquarium of the Pacific. This aquarium plays a very important role and can continue to play an important role in conserving our world’s biodiversity through education.” Edward O. Wilson, Professor, Harvard University
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symphony and the Art Center College of Design in Pasadena. There’s no other
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city I can think of that I would rather be in. Being in Southern California with this part of the world ocean and being in a city that has one of the world’s greatest, greenest ports, if I were picking a place it would be right here. I think we are really fortunate. LBBJ: Let’s discuss the very diverse events and programs at the Aquarium. Why is it important for the Aquarium to host multi-cultural events and festivals for visitors and the community? Schubel: Our working hypothesis, which is captured in our vision, is that
prove its place as one of the
Annual attendance has increased 26 percent while the Aquarium’s carbon footprint has decreased by 20 percent, and water use has decreased by 30 percent.
world’s leading aquariums? Schubel: I think you have to always have something new to keep people coming. The facil-
the greatest threat to natural capital is the unraveling of social capital – the relationships between and among people. Our vision then becomes that the best way to build, protect and conserve nature is to build social capital. When you bring people together, you’re building a community. Wendell Berry is probably America’s greatest living es-
ities we’re planning will add
sayist. He lives in Kentucky and calls himself a simple farmer, which is totally non-
new dimensions to this Aquar-
sense. He says a community is where people share space, values, hopes, dreams and
ium that will keep us as a
look out for each other. You can’t have virtual communities, in my opinion, unless
leader. We’re quite distinctive
they are rooted in real living communities with people who care. You can say, “I’ve
among aquariums in the extent
got 800 friends on Facebook, Jerry. How many do you have?” I don’t know that I have
to which we use technology and
any, because I’m not on Facebook. But those kinds of communities have to be rooted
have the aquatic forums and the
in real communities. So what we’ve tried to do year after year is to bring people to-
aquatic academies. We will con-
gether to care about each other and to share hopes and dreams. That’s why we do all
tinue to focus on being distinc-
of these events, whether they are Cambodian, Baja Splash, African-American, Native
tive. I think that’s one of the
American or even our Festival of Human Abilities. It’s to build communities.
primary reasons we have suc-
The Festival of Human Abilities is probably my favorite. We were the first in the
ceeded year after year while
country to acknowledge that every one of us has abilities and every one of us has dis-
some other aquariums have not done as well.
abilities. And so when we bring people with physical disabilities together – not to feel
We couldn’t have had a better city than Long Beach to create the
sorry for them, but to celebrate what they can do – it’s quite remarkable. Every year
kind of Aquarium that our board envisioned. There aren’t any turf
we have young women who are wheel chair hip-hop dancers. The interesting thing is
battles. If there were a science museum in this city, they would object
to watch little children who are in wheel chairs. They watch these women on the stage
to us having an ocean science center. We haven’t been bound by
and by the time the women are done, these little kids are rocking back and forth and
those turf battles and as a result we’ve been able to use technology and the arts. We have partnerships with the opera, the ballet, the
“As someone who has experienced all of Long Beach’s offerings, I can confidently say none have been more enjoyable or more important to our community than the Aquarium of the Pacific.” Ron Barnes, Executive Director, Kenneth T. and Eileen L. Norris Foundation
smiling. That’s what it’s about. LBBJ: The Aquarium has a new theme program every two years. What is the
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The Aquarium of the Pacific’s economic impact in the Los Angeles and Orange County region is estimated at $142 million annually. This creates approximately 1,240 jobs for residents of California.
Aquarium’s theme for the
different exploration ships. On July 21st, kids will be able to talk live to explorers on
15th anniversary?
these ships. There will be images on the walls. Kids will be able to ask questions. It
Schubel: The theme we will
is very important for us because NOAA, NASA, Department of State, Department of
launch in a couple of weeks is
Interior, EPA [U.S. Environmental Protection Agency] and National Science Founda-
ocean exploration. There is an
tion sponsor this forum. It is also sponsored by Google, Esri and the Roddenberry
exhibit that is part of that
Foundation. So for three days, it will put a very bright spotlight on Long Beach. LBBJ: How do you see the role of the Aquarium evolving in the future as environ-
called Wonders of the Deep. No more than 10 percent of
mental pressures continue to impact the world’s ocean?
the world ocean has been ex-
Schubel: My hope is it will continue to evolve along the same trajectory. The pres-
plored. Ninety-eight percent
sures on the environment, including the ocean, will continue to increase, so I think
of the volume of the world
the need for the kind of programs this Aquarium does will increase. I suppose when
ocean is in total darkness and
I move on somebody could turn it into a theme park, but I hope not. I hope we are
within a few degrees of freez-
going to continue to evolve in the same way that we have. We are a conservation or-
ing all of the time. Most peo-
ganization. You can do conservation in different ways. You can do it through litigation
ple don’t know that. We want
– that’s what the NRDC [National Resources Defense Council] does. You can do it
to introduce people to the
by buying up sensitive areas, which is what the Nature Conservancy does. You can
world ocean. We will have the
do it through research or you can do it by trying to make people better stewards.
exhibit and several films. In
That’s what we do. Stewardship is taking care of something that doesn’t belong to
the Great Hall there will be a
you. The ocean doesn’t belong to anyone; it belongs to everyone. I hope that we will
pillar reaching all way to the
continue to focus on making people better stewards, caring more about each other
ceiling, showing how thin the sunlit surface layer is.
and the environment.
We have been asked by NOAA to hold the very first national forum
LBBJ: If you had unlimited funds for Aquarium use, how would you allocate them?
on ocean exploration. One hundred of America’s greatest explorers
Schubel: The first thing I would do is complete the campus master plan, because that
will be here on July 19th and 20th to shape the future of ocean ex-
expands our capacity to accommodate more visitors. We are about at capacity right now
ploration in the United States. July 21st will be the public day to
at 1.5 million, unless we could increase the people that come in the shoulder seasons.
put a face on ocean exploration, and some of the explorers will
There are good reasons most of them come in the summer, like school vacations.
hang around and talk to kids. We have a partnership now with three
The second thing I would do is invest in staff, because the staff are the ones who
“The Aquarium of the Pacific is a tremendous asset to not only the learning center network but also to the Coastal America partnership. The Aquarium excels at delivering data and information of the Coastal America federal partners in an entertaining and enlightening way through their exhibitry, programs, and activities. The many successes of the learning center network are due in part to the Aquarium of the Pacific’s extraordinary leadership, creativity, and dedication to educating the public about the ocean environment. The Aquarium has inspired or has piloted several exciting initiatives that we have taken network-wide, including a National Student Ocean Art Contest with the Smithsonian Institution and interactive Ocean Today Kiosks with current ocean stories and daily updated information.” Virginia Tippie, Executive Director, Coastal America
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now have this bulging portfolio of programs that includes adults, whether it is the Aquatic Academy or the Aquatic Forum or our lecture series. And it hasn’t come at the cost of reducing the kids’ programs. They’ve grown too. We have the most diverse portfolio of any aquarium and it makes us a true center for life-long learning. I probably would put that at the top. I also would say this Aquarium is highly regarded nationally, being involved in these big issues. When NOAA has an issue or they want to try something out, they call up this Aquarium. It’s recognition that we are doing some of the things that need to be done. The Aquarium uses technology to tell big stories. If we were just a wet menagerie or a wet zoo, it wouldn’t be very exciting. We are telling the big stories about what people are doing to life in the world ocean. This is one of two aquariums in the country that has a NOAA Science on a Sphere. We involve the arts as well as technology. You probably know that we had a performance by the Long Beach Ballet last year
The Aquarium is home to more than 11,000 animals representing nearly 500 species from the Pacific Ocean.
have the ideas and create the programs and
and we helped develop the theme. We had one by the Long Beach Opera. Recently
the exhibits. We have a leaner staff than
we commissioned an original composition that was performed in April by the Long
any aquarium in the country. We normalize
Beach Symphony Orchestra. It’s called the Urban Ocean, by Stephen Mackey, who
our staff compared to the number of visi-
is the chairman of the music department at Princeton University. He has won a
tors we have or the area of the facility. So
Grammy and a number of other awards, and he really captured the urban ocean.
I would expand the staff. Then I would ex-
There are sounds of marine life and sounds of people, and when he brings them to-
pand the kind of programs they do. I would also lower barriers to entry. We try hard to keep the Aquarium
gether they all co-exist. Those would be the things that I am proudest of. LBBJ: Is there anything else you would like to add?
affordable, but there are a lot of people in this city who don’t have very
Schubel: I would just reinforce that I have been here now 11 years. It has been the
much money. And while we’re a lot cheaper than going to Disneyland
happiest, most exciting 11 years of my entire life. We have a wonderful relationship with
or other places, it’s still a stretch. Those are the things I would focus on.
the city, the mayor, the city manager and the city council. I would like to think that we
LBBJ: What three things are you most proud of that the Aquarium
can become an iconic institution so that people come to Long Beach because of this
has accomplished over the past 15 years? Schubel: When I got here, we had a wonderful portfolio of educational programs for kids. One of the things I am proudest of is that we
Aquarium. When the Los Angeles Times did that survey last summer about the two favorite local places, we were tied with Disneyland. That’s pretty good. I think Long Beach is underestimated. It’s a wonderful city. ■
“Congratulations to the Aquarium of the Pacific for fifteen years of conservation, discovery, and insight into our oceans both locally and all over the world. We are proud to be part of a city that includes an organization like the Aquarium of the Pacific, where there is a true commitment to education and fun.” Mario Rodriguez, Director, Long Beach Airport
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Congratulations Aquarium of the Pacific for 15 fabulous years and thanks for partnering with Kahn Solar and SunPower on your solar projects.
www.kahnsolar.com | Michael Kahn 818-612-6453
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Technology Helps Visitors Learn Science At The Aquarium With today’s technology-savvy public, it has become more important than ever to use technology to engage and educate visitors at public institutions like zoos, aquariums and science centers. Survey data have shown that these tools have become effective modes of facilitating learning at the Aquarium of the Pacific. The Aquarium has emphasized the use of hightech tools and systems to diversify, modernize and expand its educational offerings. The Aquarium is one of two in the nation to install the innovative Science on a Sphere®, a six-foot-diameter global display system created by the Na-
ocean phenomena and their impacts.
tional Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA).
Housed in the Ocean Science Center, it fea-
Educators use Science on a Sphere datasets collected by
tures daily shows on issues like sea levels,
NOAA and NASA to illustrate current ocean and earth sci-
maritime trade and marine conservation.
ence and weather activity, allowing students and other vis-
Visitors can learn about ocean health from
itors to interpret these phenomena in near-real time. In 2012
a global perspective in shows like Ocean in
the Aquarium hosted a live webcast with NOAA National
Motion, which demonstrates the links be-
Every year the Aquarium hosts between thirty and forty experts – including scientists, authors, artists, and journalists – who give lectures in the institution’s Guest Speaker Series.
tween marine life and human activity to tell a compelling story about humans’ dependence on the ocean. NASA awarded the Aquarium of the Pacific a $331,000 grant to oversee the creation of new programs for Science on a Sphere in conjunction with NASA’s Goddard Visitor Center and the Oregon Museum of Science and Industry (OMSI). A new program entitled Our Instrumented Earth will debut at each of these institutions in 2013. This program will focus on how satellites and other observation systems contribute to our understanding of how Earth is changing and what those changes may mean for humans. The Aquarium has also formed a partnership with Cisco that extends the institution’s geographic reach through telepresence and videoconferencing, making it possible to bring data and information in real time to a network of 19 flat screens distributed throughout the institution. Visitors can also enhance their experience by downloading the Aquarium’s smartphone app, which includes the daily schedule of shows and events, species I.D. program and map and visitors guide. Weather Service Meteorologist Mark Jackson, who demonstrated and
Another way the Aquarium is using technology to reach new audiences is by teaching
explained super storm Sandy’s path using satellite images that were
live marine science lessons in a videoconferencing studio built with the support of the
less than a few hours old. He also incorporated animations showing
Roddenberry Foundation. The videoconferencing has expanded the Aquarium’s educa-
ocean surface temperatures and the path of Hurricane Katrina. The Aquarium employs Science on a Sphere to tell stories about
tional reach to audiences across the country and even internationally. While students in kindergarten through 12th grade comprise the largest audience for this program, any or-
“America is arguably the most important maritime nation in history. It is therefore important that those who study the ocean professionally have access to the best marine information. Equally important is that voters and elected officials are also informed on the ocean and the major issues surrounding it: climate change, acidification, renewable energy potential, pollution, coastal development and its partner coastal conservation; observing the ocean as we would the weather; and the whole range of commercial practices that must proceed responsibly in the ocean like fishing, mariculture, shipping, tourism, and minerals extraction. These are large and complex issues that policy makers, citizens, and scientists must manage. They learn about such issues best in places like the Aquarium of the Pacific. The Aquarium is a lovely place for a leisurely visit, but its real purpose is to gain and propagate knowledge about America’s greatest natural resource – its coasts and oceans. The Aquarium of the Pacific is a leader in this arena.” Paul G. Gaffney II, Vice Admiral, U.S. Navy (Ret.); President, Monmouth University; Commissioner, U.S. Commission on Ocean Policy; Chairman, Ocean Research and Resources Advisory Panel
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Arts Programs And Events Communicate Science At The Aquarium One might not expect to find ballet dancers or painters at an aquarium, but the Aquarium of the Pacific has made the arts a regular part of its offerings. As an educational institution, the Aquarium of the Pacific works to identify the most effective ways to communicate information so that visitors can understand scientific concepts and environmental issues and be eager to learn and to act. The Aquarium approaches this task holistically, using a wide variety of opportunities for guests to engage in learning, including the performing and the visual arts. For many, science can be difficult to absorb, or it’s simply not initially seen as fun and ganization with video-
exciting. Bringing arts and science together can help make both subjects more accessible
conferencing capabil-
and enhance Aquarium visitors’ understanding of new topics. Hosting performing arts
part.
events and art exhibits can also help attract visitors who might not otherwise come to the
educators
Aquarium. These events draw people together, making the Aquarium a gathering place
interact with viewers
where community members can learn, be entertained, participate in activities and expand
during the sessions
their understanding of the world. Seeing dancers’ movements imitating the movement of
and can even lead
marine animals or seeing visually stunning underwater photographs of a coral reef can
ity
can
Aquarium
take
squid dissections. This same system is being used to broadcast live programs at Miller Children’s Hospital Long Beach, with funding from the Miller Foundation, allowing patients and their families to interact with Aquarium educators and view marine life from playrooms and patient rooms. The Aquarium offers live streaming webcasts of its Guest Speaker Series, featuring scientists, artists, wildlife photographers, authors and other experts who share current research, unique experiences, and specialized knowledge. Visitors to the Aquarium’s website can also view live webcams in the June Keyes Penguin Habitat, Honda Blue Cavern, Tropical Reef Habitat and Sex Change Exhibit at aquariumofpacific.org/aquariumlive. Also on the web, interactive online exhibits and games allow people to learn more about marine life and the environment. Web interactives include an interactive map on sea levels rising, the Sea Otter Challenge, and Build a Fish games. The Aquarium also offers an iPad app in which users can design a garden using drought-tolerant plants native to Southern California. As advances in technology continue to democratize the flow of information and handheld devices like smartphones become even more pervasive, the Aquarium will continue to develop programs, exhibits, apps and other new methods for teaching the public about the ocean. ■
help illustrate our connection to the natural world in a memorable way. The arts also resonate with people emotionally – something science doesn’t do for everyone. The arts play a key role in fulfilling the Aquarium’s vision of protecting and building nat-
“The Aquarium of the Pacific has provided a venue for the region's indigenous people to showcase our work, our values, and our concerns. It has given us an opportunity to share with the public and helps others to understand that we are still here. The Aquarium has also brought together the local native community and that has helped us strengthen our ties to one another and share our culture. I am particularly touched at how our cultures are valued by the Aquarium. We have had the opportunity to honor our elders, present the Heritage Award yearly to a deserving member of our community, and bring our children on an overnight sleepover at the Aquarium. All these events and efforts have contributed to the well-being of our Native communities and have helped our younger generations understand the importance and tradition of stewardship. I personally feel respected, supported, and valued by the Aquarium and all the staff.” Deborah Sanchez, Co-chair, Barbareno Chumash Council; Los Angeles County Superior Court Judge
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a partnership with the Art Center College of Design in Pasadena. Aquarium experts meet with students in the college’s Designmatters department to col-
20
laborate on projects to create educational tools and raise awareness about environmental issues. Each year, students’ projects about ocean issues are displayed in the Aquarium’s Great Hall. Other art exhibits at the Aquarium in 2012 included underwater photographs by National Geographic photographer Brian Skerry and a set of ocean animal sculptures called Ocean Armor by various designers commissioned by the Surfrider ural capital by building social capital – the connections be-
Foundation. In 2013, the Aquarium hosted a traveling exhibition on the global impact of
tween and among people. Long Beach is one of the most di-
plastic on terrestrial and marine ecosystems. Developed by 5 Gyres Institute, Saving Our
verse cities in the United States, and the Aquarium’s guests
Synthetic Seas included collected objects and castings made from plastic trash.
represent one of the most diverse aquarium visitorships in the
In 2013, the Aquarium’s connections to the arts expanded to include symphonic music
country. The Aquarium features numerous cultural festivals
when the Long Beach Symphony Orchestra premiered a piece on the urban ocean by
each year, bringing the arts into the Aquarium and celebrating
Grammy Award-winning composer Steven Mackey, commissioned by supporters Dennis
our local diversity and the connection different cultural com-
and Suzanne Poulson for the Aquarium.
munities have with the ocean. Singers, dancers, storytellers,
In the coming months and years, the Aquarium will continue to foster connections with
and artisans share their skills with guests, making an Aquar-
the arts, inviting artists to perform and display their work and inviting the public to in-
ium visit extra special. The annual Urban Ocean Festival in-
vestigate ocean issues through the lenses of the visual and performing arts. ■
corporates the arts in many ways,
The Aquarium hosts two Aquatic Forums each year, bringing dozens of scientists, policymakers, and other experts together to address pressing environmental issues.
including ocean-themed art, poetry and fashion contests and the opportunity for visitors to paint murals on the front plaza during the festival. The Aquarium has partnered with
Aquarium Of The Pacific: 15 Years Of Service In The Community
arts organizations to bring ever more innovative programming to the Aquarium, including perform-
The staff of the Aquarium of the Pacific believes that people can only begin to tackle en-
ances by the Long Beach Symphony Orchestra Chamber Players,
vironmental issues on a local and even global scale when they understand and respect one
Long Beach Opera and Long Beach Ballet. In 2012 the Long Beach
another, and are empowered to overcome the challenges they face personally and as a society.
Opera debuted composer Gavin Bryars’ Paper Nautilus in the Aquar-
Throughout its history the Aquarium has
ium's Great Hall. The Long Beach Ballet will be reprising its per-
fostered a sense of community to fulfill
formance of its original work, Guardians, at the Aquarium this fall on
its vision: to conserve and build natural
November 15 and 16. This performance debuted at the Aquarium last
capital by building social capital, the in-
year. Guardians portrays humans’ relationship with marine life and our
teractions and connections between and
responsibilities as guardians through dance, music, and video imagery.
among people.
Art exhibits of all kinds are housed in the Aquarium throughout the
The Aquarium brings together scien-
year. The Aquarium has hosted Coastal America’s regional student art
tists, policymakers, other experts and
contest and has sent the most winning entries on to the national level of
stakeholders to deal with pressing en-
any institution in the Coastal America Learning Center Network. In
vironmental issues through its Aquatic
hosting the regional art contest, the Aquarium aimed to engage local
Forums. During these meetings, partic-
audiences in pressing environmental topics and to promote ocean lit-
ipants search for solutions, often working together and sharing knowledge, hopes and
eracy among people of all ages, especially students.
dreams for the first time. The Aquarium also empowers community members to become
Students are also engaged in arts and science at the Aquarium through
engaged in these same issues through its Aquatic Academy courses and Guest Speaker
“Congratulations to the Aquarium of the Pacific on this momentous occasion of its 15th year anniversary. We are very fortunate to have a first-class aquarium in our city that provides unique and fascinating opportunities for us to explore the world’s oceans and urban environments and learn of our responsibilities to preserve and protect as well as enjoy.” Laura Kingsford, Dean College of Natural Sciences and Mathematics California State University, Long Beach
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Series. Both of these public programs bring regional, national, and interna22
tional figures to the Aquarium to share their expertise. Through these and other programs, including cultural festivals, outreach initiatives, hiring practices and volunteer training, the Aquarium celebrates and empowers our local communities. Providing underserved groups and those with special needs a venue to come together and connect with each other and to the ocean and nature has been for many a life-changing experience.
Festivals Empower Attendees Since 2001 the Aquarium has hosted cultural festivals to celebrate our diverse communities through song, dance, exhibits and crafts. These festivals serve as a venue to gather and empower community groups, while helping to overcome stereotypes by engaging the public in a family atmosphere. The celebration of cultural and social diversity leads to acceptance and appreciation of what makes us dif-
active programs, personal lessons, live performances and demonstrations, the Aquarium builds knowledge and understanding, bridges the gap between able-bodied people and those with physical disabilities, and encourages people with disabilities to experience the wonders of the Aquarium. This first-of-its kind festival has been presented at the American Zoo and Aquarium Association annual meeting and the Leadership Exchange in Arts and Disability conference and has been emulated by the Georgia Aquarium. The Aquarium of the Pacific
ferent and recogni-
reaches out to the community by offering free admission for people with disabilities and
tion of how alike
an attendant. The Aquarium also adds special enhancements to its year-round commit-
we are and how
ment to accessibility, such as sign language interpreters at all major presentations during
much we share.
the festival weekend.
festi-
Other community-based festivals and events include Autism Families Night (a special
also
evening where families can enjoy the Aquarium in a quiet, friendly environment), the
helped us to attract
African-American Festival, International Children’s Day, the Pacific Islander Festival,
one of the most di-
Baja Splash (celebrating Hispanic cultures), Southeast Asia Day, the Autumn Festival
verse audiences of
(celebrating the cultures of Japan, China, Korea, and the Philippines) and Moompetam
any aquarium in
(celebrating local maritime Native American cultures). This festival is considered by the
the nation.
participants to be a continuation of their traditional gathering of coastal tribes, in which
Aquarium vals
have
The Festival of
they encourage tribal respect and understanding by sharing stories, dances and music.
Human Abilities is
At each cultural festival, the Aquarium honors an outstanding leader in the community
a key example of
with the Heritage Award to celebrate his or her work in empowering and helping the com-
these efforts. It celebrates the creative spirit of people with disabilities,
munity. These individuals or organizations are honored with a public ceremony and in-
including dancers, musicians, artists and divers. It embraces the reality
cluded in our member magazine to draw awareness for their cause and work.
that each of us has abilities and disabilities. It offers free classes led
Notable honorees include Rev. James M. Lawson Jr., a pioneer in the civil rights move-
by artists with disabilities for others with disabilities. Through inter-
ment in the United States who worked with Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.; the late Frank D.
“Hearty congratulations to the Aquarium of the Pacific on fifteen fabulous years of revealing the ocean’s secrets and engaging people in discovery and stewardship.” Jane Lubchenco, former NOAA Administrator
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Godden, who worked with pioneering scientist Dr. George Washington Carver, founded the George Wash24
ington Carver Museum of California, and successfully campaigned for the repeal of segregation laws; Chief Red Blood Anthony Morales, tribal leader of the San Gabriel Band of Mission Indians, who was honored for his work in preserving Native American culture and ensuring equal treatment for all Native Americans; Cody Unser, who became the first person who is paralyzed to dive at the Aquarium and who has worked to introduce others with disabilities to diving, including wounded veterans; the U.S. Japan Council for its efforts in helping the victims of the March 2011 earthquake and tsunami in Japan; and Antonio Resendiz for his work in sea turtle conservation, transforming poachers into eco-tourism guides in Baja California.
Diverse Staffing Reflects Community One of the strengths of the Aquarium of the Pacific is its diverse staff. In a supportive and respectful environ-
of hiring people over the age of 50. In April the Aquarium was named by the Los Angeles News Group one of the top 25 best companies to work for in the Los Angeles area, ranking 7th out of 25 companies.
Opening The Aquarium To The Community
ment, people of all backgrounds and abilities work to-
In 2012, the Aquarium provided educational programs for nearly 190,000 students, teachers, and community members; 18,800 children from 195 schools received free admission and on-site educational programming through the Aquarium’s scholarship program.
gether for a common
Whenever possible, the Aquarium provides charities and community groups free
good. The Aquarium
access to the Aquarium facilities for events. Examples include AIDS Walk, a fundrais-
has a history of hiring
ing event held annually on the Aquarium’s front lawn, and a Hurricane Katrina
individuals with phys-
Fundraiser. The Aquarium also partners with the Long Beach Marathon to host a free
ical and developmen-
one-mile Kids Fun Run to promote a healthy lifestyle and empowerment for kids to
tal disabilities. From
set and achieve goals.
employees who re-
The Aquarium makes efforts to reach out to those who might not be able to make a
quire job coaching to
visit to the Aquarium, like patients at Miller Children’s Hospital Long Beach. Through
those who are fairly
a new high-tech education program called Aquarium Live, hospitalized children and
independent, people of all abilities who are able to perform the job
their families can view live bi-weekly, 30-minute programs on different ocean topics
for which they are hired – with accommodation where necessary ¬
broadcast from the Aquarium’s state-of-the-art Roddenberry Foundation Education
are welcomed to the Aquarium.
Videoconferencing Studio. Patients can call in with questions or play along with puz-
The Aquarium also has with a number of volunteers with varying
zles and games from their rooms or from the hospital’s playrooms. This partnership
degrees of disability who donate their time. The Aquarium works with
was developed between the Aquarium and the Child Life Program at Miller Children’s
Westview, an agency that provides a team of volunteers with severe
Hospital to help make the hospital experience more positive for children of all ages.
cognitive impairment, to assist with various projects. The Long Beach
The Miller Foundation funded this program.
Unified School District and Long Beach City College special educa-
Adult education programs at the Aquarium include Aquatic Academy courses and
tion departments provide volunteers to help with housekeeping proj-
Guest Speaker Series. Both programs are broadcast live on the Aquarium’s website.
ects. Changing Spirits, an organization that assists individuals
Admission to the Guest Speaker Series is free for seniors, teachers and students with
overcoming challenges with drug and alcohol addictions, help with
valid I.D. and advance reservations. Through these and other efforts the Aquarium prioritizes giving back to and creating
set-up and break-down for our cultural festivals. The Aquarium of the Pacific hires people in all stages of life. The
connections within the community it serves. Building these connections helps bring
institution has been recognized by Retirementjobs.com for being
people together to learn new things and build momentum toward protecting the envi-
an age-friendly employer because of the institution’s strong record
ronment, both locally and globally. ■
“The NAACP Long Beach Branch has partnered with the Aquarium of the Pacific since 2002, providing educational and cultural programming to help African Americans and many other ethnic groups to understand the impact humans have on the ocean and what they can do to make a difference. Through its African-American Festival, the Aquarium has established vital relationships, exposing a diversity of communities to the rich and varied cultural heritage of those of continental African and African-American descent living here in Southern California. The Aquarium has consistently and steadfastly maintained its commitment to being not only a nationally renowned educational and conservationist institution, but also a local establishment fully integrated into its surrounding community.” Naomi Rainey, President National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) Long Beach Branch
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The Aquarium’s Charter Volunteers Leah Young – Marketing And Aquarist Volunteer Leah Young developed a fascination with the sea and its
teer, but it sounded like an interesting adventure so I signed up.” She joined a volunteer training class before the Aquarium opened in June of 1998. Anders is the education day captain Thursdays at the Aquarium, helping guests find certain exhibits, managing schedules
The Aquarium has a dedicated corps of volunteers that provides invaluable assistance in every department. In 2012 alone, 1,456 volunteers and interns contributed more than 154,000 hours of service.
of the education volunteers and their inter-
creatures at a young age. When she
pretation station assignments. “Education volunteers are stationed at these spots to in-
heard that Long Beach was building an
teract with the quests as well as ensure the safety of the live animals in the exhibits,”
aquarium, she immediately inquired
Anders said. Interpretation stations include the invertebrate touch lab, the ray pool, Shark
about volunteer positions and signed up
Lagoon, the jelly touch lab and others.
on the spot – 15 years ago this June.
One of the best things about volunteering at the Aquarium, Anders said, is being able
“Being an Aquarium volunteer has
to meet interesting people. “The volunteers are from a variety of backgrounds and age
been one of the best experiences of my
groups, the staff is great to work with and the guests are there to have a good time,” she
life,” Young said. “I was in the second vol-
said. “We are constantly learning new things about fascinating creatures in the ocean.
unteer training class that began March
Most important of all, we are helping people to develop an awareness of the importance
1998. Our class graduated in May and
of preserving our ocean and surrounding lands to support the Aquarium’s mission.”
began volunteering immediately.” Though she wears a few different hats
Vicki Gausepohl – Guest Services Volunteer
as a volunteer, Young primarily works
With Vicki Gausepohl’s background working as a parks and recreation professional
with the Aquarium’s Community Out-
and administering volunteer programs,
reach Booth Program and the Speaker’s
becoming a volunteer at the Aquarium of
Bureau through the marketing department. She manages
the Pacific was “an obvious fit.”
booths and tables at various eco and community events, drives
“Long before the Aquarium opened and
the Aquarium’s “yellow submarine” in parades and conducts
was just a concept-idea being bounced
presentations to the public throughout Southern California.
around Long Beach, I became aware of it
Young also conducts research, writes some of the animal fact
and was immediately enthusiastic about its
sheets for the Aquarium’s website and spends her Sundays volun-
coming existence,” Gausepohl said. She
teering in animal husbandry with the sharks in Shark Lagoon. “My
has volunteered with the Aquarium and
favorite thing about being an Aquarium volunteer is being able to help
been a member since it opened in 1998.
educate the public on our local ocean, its inhabitants and issues,” Young
Gausepohl works on Thursdays as the
said. “I have made many new friends that
day captain for the guest services depart-
I wouldn't have even met had it not been
ment, managing a small crew known as
for being an Aquarium volunteer.”
The True Blue Thursday Crew. “We all
Barbara Anders – Education Volunteer Looking for volunteer opportunities following retirement from a career in teaching, Barbara Anders discovered the Aquarium of the Pacific.
have cheerfully worked together on Thursdays for almost all the past 15 years,” she said. “We all take great pride in ‘our’ Aquarium and enjoy greeting our guests, informing them about what’s in store for them as they explore the three regions of the Pacific Ocean, its inhabitants and environs.” Her years of service at the Aquarium came in handy when Gausepohl and her husband moved to Shanghai, China, in 2005. She discovered the Shanghai Ocean Aquar-
“The Aquarium was under construc-
ium just a mile from their apartment, and became that aquarium’s first ever volunteer.
tion and was starting a training pro-
The relationship was maintained when Gausepohl and her husband returned to Cali-
gram,” Anders said. “I had neither
fornia; she was asked to assist with volunteers for the 2008 International Aquarium
marine biology background nor any idea
Conference in Shanghai. “Shanghai and the Aquarium [of the Pacific] have a special
of what would be involved as a volun-
place in my heart,” Gausepohl said. ■
“The Aquarium of the Pacific has helped our cultural group showcase our Hmong culture to the community. It has been a great pleasure to support the Aquarium of the Pacific’s educational and cultural program.” Seu Yang, Hmong Association of Long Beach
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Aquarium Of The Pacific Charter Employees
Aquarium, Rouse managed ticketing, housekeeping and security. Over the years his responsibilities grew to overseeing the retail department, audio/visual department, life support department, facilities management and exhibits. He also manages the relationship with the Aquarium’s food service vendor, SAVOR, for its restaurant, Café Scuba. He has served as vice president of operations for about five years now. “I have a great team,” Rouse said. “I’ve had people work with me for a long time, over 15 years for some of them. Everybody is great. It’s really fun to work here.” The
John Rouse – Vice President Of Operations Drawing from his experience working with grand openings and
best thing about his job, Rouse said, is the diversity of what he gets to work on. “No day is ever the same. What I do changes on a daily basis.”
Sean Devereaux – Volunteer Services Manager
with attractions, John Rouse was
Having grown up in rural Ohio with
brought on board in August of 1997
Jacques Cousteau and movie character In-
as the director of guest services.
diana Jones as heroes, Sean Devereaux
Rouse said he can deal with stress
has worked with animals his entire life.
well – a testament to this is having
Shortly after graduating from college,
helped operate the Aquarium facili-
Devereaux relocated to Southern Califor-
ties from the ground up. “[The
nia. He landed in Long Beach the summer
Aquarium] needed someone who had
of 1997 and learned the day he arrived of
some grand-opening experience, so
the city’s new project – the Aquarium of
that’s why I ended up here,” he said.
the Pacific. “I just knew that I needed to
Rouse’s career in attractions began with a summer job at Knott’s
be involved somehow,” he said. “My pas-
Berry Farm in 1979 that lasted 14 years. He transitioned to a family
sion for the biological world was ingrained in my heart and soul. I did everything I could
fun center where he worked for three years before being hired on at
to become involved at the Aquarium. I was a man on a mission.”
the Aquarium.
Devereaux started his career at the Aquarium as an aquarist volunteer, two months be-
“I’ve only had three jobs, really, in my tenure,” Rouse said. “It’s
fore the grand opening. Shortly thereafter he was hired as an aquarist in the North Pacific
kind of rare these days.” In the first decade of his career with the
Gallery. Today, as volunteer services manager, Devereaux is responsible for making sure
“For 15 years, the Aquarium of the Pacific has educated and entertained thousands and thousands of visitors with information on the ocean’s underwater world. It is truly a Long Beach treasure, and we look forward to many, many more years of discovery and exploration. Congratulations on your 15th anniversary.” F. King Alexander, President California State University, Long Beach
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all departments are fully staffed with both volunteers and interns at all times – about 1,500 people each year. He has two people on his team 30
to support this task. “I feel incredibly indebted to the Aquarium for the privilege to work here for the past 15 years. The Aquarium provided me an initial opportunity to become engaged and involved as a volunteer. That was a fortuitous opportunity, and it literally changed my life. From that moment forward, it became my personal mission to engage others as I had been engaged, to provide opportunities for others as I had been provided, and to share my passion for the biological world with others as I had been afforded by virtue of my involvement at the Aquarium.”
Perry Hampton – Vice President Of Animal Husbandry A volunteer experience with the New England Aquarium in Boston led Perry Hampton into a career surrounded by ma-
Sandy Trautwein – Curator Of Fish And Invertebrates
rine life and the ocean. Hampton was working as an animal care specialist and diver at the National Aquarium in Baltimore when he learned of the
Sandy Trautwein is the most senior
Aquarium of the Pacific project in Long
employee at the Aquarium of the Pa-
Beach. He jumped at the chance to be a part
cific, having been brought on board
of its opening and joined the staff in 1997.
about a year and a half prior to the
As vice president of animal husbandry,
Aquarium’s opening in 1998. Though
Hampton’s responsibility is to oversee a department of 50 paid pro-
she had worked at aquariums before,
fessionals and more than 250 volunteers who care for the Aquarium’s
Trautwein had never been part of open-
living animal collection. He also coordinates with other departments
No two giant clams share the exact same coloration. Giant clams live in warm, shallow waters on coral reefs.
“I knew it would be challenging and a
terviews with the media and more. “It takes
great learning opportunity,” she said. “I
a lot of dedicated people to run an aquarium
was intrigued with the idea of working with such a diverse animal collection including
as large and complex as ours and we are
live corals, sea dragons and multitude of other fascinating creatures.”
very fortunate to have the best team I have seen anywhere,” he said.
Giant spider crabs can live up to 100 years. Southern California red sea urchins can live to be about 50 years old.
Sea lions may ingest rocks to help them sink to the sea floor to find food.
ing a new public aquarium.
on programs, animal encounters, tours, in-
Hampton said he really enjoys interacting with Aquarium guests, offering them
As the curator of fish and invertebrates, Trautwein is responsible for the health and well being of about 10,000 creatures at the Aquarium. She also develops new exhibit themes, procures new specimens and establishes protocols for the daily operations of the Aquarium’s animal husbandry department.
“special secrets” and tidbits about the gal-
“My goal as curator is to push the boundaries of animal husbandry and exhibitry in
leries and exhibits. “I feel very fortunate
order to create innovative, engaging exhibits that are both healthy for the animals and en-
to be able to work at such an amazing
joyable for our guests,” Trautwein said. Most recently, Trautwein has been working with
place with so many wonderful and dedi-
her colleagues on a new exhibition called Wonders of the Deep, featuring rare and unusual
cated people,” he said. “Long Beach is a
deep sea animals like flashlight fish, chambered nautilus and giant isopods.
great city with lots of terrific attributes,
“My life is filled with wonderful experiences because of my tenure at the Aquarium
but I’m proud to say that the Aquarium of
of the Pacific,” Trautwein said. “I can honestly say that I love my job, and I am proud
the Pacific is the jewel in the crown.”
to be part of this world-class team.” ■
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2002
A Look Back – The Aquarium Timeline 1998 Aquarium opens to the public on June 20, 1998 After three years of construction, the Aquarium of the Pacific opens in Long Beach as the only aquarium in the world dedicated entirely to the Pacific Ocean. Its mission is to instill a sense of wonder, respect, and stewardship for the Pacific Ocean and its inhabitants. The word “ecosystems” is added in subsequent years to better reflect the Aquarium’s more global approach to conserving the ocean.
1999 Sea Otter Summer celebration launches In celebration of the arrival of a sea otter named Summer, the Aquarium features a summer-long program highlighting this newest addition to the Aquarium family.
2000 Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA) accredits Aquarium of the Pacific The Aquarium of the Pacific goes through a rigorous accreditation process every five years. The Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA) accredits the Aquarium in March of 2000. Membership in AZA is important for many reasons. One of the most important is that the Aquarium receives an independent, unbiased review of its operations by expert industry professionals. Special exhibit gallery opens with Jellies: Phantoms of the Deep The first major addition to the Aquarium, the Special Exhibits Gallery, opens with Jellies: Phantoms of the Deep, an immersive exhibit featuring sea jellies. The Special Exhibit Gallery has since featured a variety of exhibits and starting this summer will house Wonders of the Deep.
2001 Lorikeet Forest opens With the opening of this new aviary for birds, the Aquarium expanded its educational messages to animals that live along coasts. The Lorikeet Forest exhibit features various species of Rainbow Lorikeets and allows guest to hand-feed the birds with cups of nectar. Aquarium establishes Marine Conservation Research Institute (MCRI) The Marine Conservation Research Institute is created by the Aquarium of the Pacific in late 2001. Through MCRI, the Aquarium furthers its commitment to the understanding of the ocean, its inhabitants, and ecosystems through research, conservation, and education. MCRI hosts special presentations for the public and forums for policymakers and stakeholders on important marine issues. Coastal America designates the Aquarium as a Coastal Ecosystem Learning Center Coastal America is a partnership among federal, state, local, and tribal governments and private alliances that protects, preserves, and restores our nation's coastal ecosystems. The Aquarium of the Pacific is designated as a Coastal Ecosystem Learning Center, an honor which had only been bestowed upon fourteen other organizations in the nation.
Shark Lagoon opens The Aquarium’s Shark Lagoon exhibit opens as the nation’s first fullscale shark exhibit that allows guests to touch sharks, helping to break the many stereotypes surrounding these important and easily misunderstood animals. Aquarium awarded for being the first facility to successfully breed weedy sea dragons Aquarium husbandry staff’s work to propagate sea dragons culminates when it is discovered that a female weedy sea dragon had successfully transferred her brood of 47 eggs to a male named “Big Daddy” on May 5, 2001. The first tiny babies are born on June 9. Of the 47 eggs, 18 developed into baby sea dragons. This is the first time in the world that a weedy sea dragon successfully hatched eggs in a zoo or aquarium. The Aquarium receives the AZA’s highest honor for this accomplishment, the Edward H. Bean Award, in 2002 for the successful reproduction of an animal species in a zoo or aquarium in North America. Aquarium holds first cultural festival The Aquarium holds its first cultural festival, Baja Splash, beginning an ongoing annual tradition of celebrating local communities and cultures through music, dance, storytelling, craft demonstration, and other live performances. Aquarium holds first Aquatic Forum The Aquatic Forum is established to foster exploration of complex ocean and environmental issues by serving as a venue where scientists, policymakers, and other stakeholders work together in a search for creative and sustainable solutions. Aquarium establishes Aquatic Academy The Aquarium creates the Aquatic Academy for all those who have an interest in and concern for the environment. The Academy provides four-week series of courses focusing on a particular issue, bringing scientists and other top expert speakers to the Aquarium to discuss these issues with attendees. The first course was titled “California and Water.”
2003 Aquarium celebrates Pacific Island Summer The summer of 2003 is dedicated to celebrating the rich cultures, food, arts, and animals of the Pacific Islands. Demonstrations representing Hawaiian, Tahitian, Maori, Fijian, Chamoru, Samoan, and many other cultures are held daily in the Aquarium’s Great Hall. Aquarium wins the Los Angeles Regional Water Quality Control Board Award for Public Education in Water Quality The Los Angeles Region of the California Water Quality Control Board honors the Aquarium of the Pacific with its 2003 Water Quality Award for Public Education. The award recognized the Aquarium for its educational programs for providing hands-on and often first-time introductions to the Pacific Ocean and the marine life it supports. Association of Fundraising Professionals honors the Aquarium as Outstanding Volunteer Organization The Los Angeles Chapter of the Association of Fundraising Professionals presents the Aquarium of the Pacific with its award for Outstanding Volunteer Organization. The Aquarium receives this award because of the dedicated efforts of Aquarium staff, including more than 750 volunteers who logged a total of more than 100,000 hours in 2003.
2004 Weird, Wild, and Wonderful exhibit opens
This year-long program highlights the strange-but-true ways ocean animals survive and thrive in their watery world. It presents bioluminescent pinecone fishes, the remarkable mudskipper that survives on land and in the sea, and a sea of other unusual creatures. Premiere of Whales: Voices in the Sea
This interactive kiosk allows guests to listen to the songs of whales, imitate their calls as well as to hear interviews with cetacean experts. This exhibit wins the MUSE Silver Award for best new interactive science exhibit in the United States from the American Association of Museums in 2005.
2005 Rios de la Vida: Our Watershed Story mural and exhibits debut on Aquarium front plaza
The Rios de la Vida mosaic mural explores the journey of water from the mountains to the sea, starting at the rivers’ headwaters in our local San Gabriel Mountains. The mural’s images remind visitors of the diversity of wildlife that still call the Los Angeles and San Gabriel Rivers home.
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Whales: A Journey with Giants multimedia show opens
This immersive experience in the Aquarium’s Great Hall takes guests on a virtual tour through the world of a blue whale and her calf with the use of state-of-the-art lighting, video, and sound.
2006 Aquarium launches Dazzling & Dangerous exhibit and programming
This year-long program highlights the beautiful but dangerous animals that lurk in the ocean and on land. Dazzling and Dangerous –Venomous Creatures unraveled the truth behind the myths as to why venom is the weapon of choice for these animals. Aquarium mourns the passing of Founding President and CEO Warren Iliff The Aquarium of the Pacific reaches the end of an era with the passing of Founding President Warren Iliff on August 5, 2006. He leaves an important mark on the Aquarium and the entire zoo and aquarium industry with his kindness, humor, and achievements, including the successful launch of the Aquarium of the Pacific.
2007 Aquarium of the Pacific becomes the first among museums, zoos, and aquariums in the U.S. to join the Climate Action Registry. The Aquarium of the Pacific successfully certifies its greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions inventory with the Climate Action Registry, becoming the first among museums, zoos, and aquariums in United States to earn the status of a Climate Action Leader™. By joining the Registry, the Aquarium of the Pacific demonstrates its concern regarding global climate change by measuring, certifying, and voluntarily reporting its GHG emissions to the Registry and to the public. Shorebird Sanctuary opens Designed to resemble a tidal wetland, this outdoor exhibit features BlackNecked Stilts, Black-Bellied Plovers, Western Snowy Plovers, a killdeer, and Ruddy Ducks. Premiere of Catch a Wave exhibit and programming This exhibit and program highlights the power and beauty of waves. Guests learn about tsunamis and what creates the waves right here in Southern California. It explores how animals survive in the surf and captured the heart-pounding beauty of surfing as well as showcasing local surf culture.
2008 Enhanced Gulf of California exhibit opens in partnership with the World Wildlife Fund Because the Gulf of California is in need of protection in terms of both the natural habitat and the livelihoods of the local peoples, the Aquarium of the Pacific partners with World Wildlife Fund (WWF) to protect this treasure found between the Baja Peninsula and mainland Mexico. The Aquarium opened its Gulf California exhibit to provide public education on this important habitat. Aquarium celebrates 10th anniversary, highlights Top Ten ocean issues The Aquarium of the Pacific celebrates its tenth anniversary. In its first decade the Aquarium achieved many milestones, including successes in animal breeding, ocean education, celebrating cultural diversity, volunteerism, and more. During its year-long anniversary celebration the Aquarium opens a special exhibit called Ocean on the Edge: Top Ten Ocean Issues, focusing on the most important issues affecting the ocean and, ultimately, all life on our ocean planet. Our Watersheds: Pathway to the Pacific opens This new exhibit focuses on the watersheds of San Pedro Bay, which include the San Gabriel and Los Angeles Rivers and the Dominguez Channel. Our Watersheds teaches about the choices that can be made at home to conserve water as well as what we can do.
2009 Aquarium launches Seafood for the Future program Seafood for the Future is a nonprofit seafood advisory and promotional program based at the Aquarium with a mission of encouraging healthy and responsible seafood choices. Staff members work with restaurants, fishermen, and distributors to promote seafood from well-managed fisheries or farms. Shark Summer highlights importance of these threatened predators Throughout the summer, programs, exhibits, films, lectures, and kids’ activities focus on the majesty and ecological importance of sharks. Visitors discover the characteristics of sharks and rays that have helped them survive on Earth for more than 400 million years, as well as the threats sharks face and what conservation efforts to take to protect them.
2010 Earth-Friendly Garden on the Front Lawn unveiled The Aquarium of the Pacific opens its new 4,700 square-foot Earth-Friendly Garden on its front lawn. Illustrating part of the solution to Southern California’s ongoing water shortage, the garden features California native and drought-resistant plants, as well as a water efficient irrigation system. This garden is made possible by grant funding from the United States Bureau of Reclamation and a partnership with the Long Beach Water Department.
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BP Sea Otter Habitat debuts The Aquarium transforms the sea otter habitat to make it more immersive for guests. New features include design elements to represent a rocky coastline environment, lighting, new seating, and the interactive Sea Otter Journey game. Molina Animal Care Center opens The Molina Animal Care Center provides state-ofthe-art examination, treatment, and recovery facilities for the Aquarium’s animals. Funded by the Molina family and Molina Healthcare, the veterinary hospital also makes it possible for Aquarium visitors to watch animal exams and surgeries as they happen. VolunTEENS program is established High school students participating in this eighty-hour program receive special instruction on marine life and the Pacific Ocean. They earn service learning hours and work in the Aquarium’s education department as interpreters at interactive stations around the facility.
Upcoming Aquarium Events 100 Aquarium Way, Long Beach, CA 90802 562-590-3100 • www.aquariumofpacific.org Friday, May 24, 2013 – February 1, 2014 Aquarium’s New Ocean Exploration Program opens to the Public 9:00 a.m.-6:00 p.m. Journey to the unexplored depths of the ocean, and uncover mysteries as you explore the Aquarium’s new Ocean Exploration program, featuring the Wonders of the Deep gallery. Ocean Exploration will feature marine animals, educational displays, films, art, and more. About 95 percent of the ocean remains unexplored. Through this exhibit, the Aquarium hopes to inspire a push to explore our planet’s last frontier. Cost: General Admission – $25.95 adult (12+), $22.95 senior (62+), $14.95 child (3-11), and free for children under age 3 and Aquarium members. Sunday & Monday, May 26-27, 2013 Aquarium of the Pacific Memorial Day Weekend Late Nights 5:00 p.m.-8:30 p.m. The public is invited to enjoy the Aquarium of the Pacific after hours while taking advantage of special savings. In celebration of Memorial Day Weekend, the Aquarium will offer its Late Nights where admission will be just $14.95 for adults and children after 5:00 p.m., and the Aquarium will remain open until 8:30 p.m. Visitors will have the opportunity to journey through the Pacific Ocean to meet over 11,000 animals, including more than 150 sharks they can touch. In addition, the Aquarium’s short films will be shown in the Ocean Theater throughout the evening. Please note: the Lorikeet Forest aviary closes at 4:30 p.m. Cost: $14.95 per person and free for kids ages 3 and under and Aquarium members. Tuesday, May 28, 2013 Lecture & Book Signing: Gerrie Schipske Topic: Early Long Beach Gerrie Schipske will discuss her book, Early Long Beach, and the natural assets, the people, and the events that shaped the first fifty years of history in Long Beach, California, her native city. She will cover its residents, from the Tongva people to the Spanish, to real estate speculators; its history as a resort area, a landing strip for early aviators, a fishing industry site, a port for shipbuilding and trade, and a location for the United States Navy to anchor its battle fleet in 1919; the discovery of oil in 1921; and its role in the Southern California war effort after 1938. Schipske serves on the Long Beach City Council and is the author of Rosie the Riveter in Long Beach and Early Aviation in Long Beach. Cost: $5 for the public and free for members, teachers, seniors (62+), and students with valid ID and advance reservations. Saturday & Sunday, June 1-2, 2013 Pacific Islander Festival – 10th Anniversary 9:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m. Discover the rich and diverse cultures of the Pacific Islands through traditional craft demonstrations, ethnic cuisine, educational programs, storytelling, and an ocean of entertainment, including music and dance
Arctic & Antarctic: Our Polar Regions in Peril exhibit debuts The Arctic & Antarctic exhibit highlights the animals, plants, and people of these regions and investigated how climate change is putting these fragile ecosystems at risk. Ocean Science Center opens The Ocean Science Center houses the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s Science on a Sphere® (SOS), a six-foot-diameter global display system. SOS shows play daily on rotation in the Ocean Science Center, featuring topics such as sea level rise, maritime trade, and ocean environmental health. City of Long Beach in its Green Business Recognition Program awards certification The City of Long Beach Office of Sustainability names the Aquarium of the Pacific in its Green Business Recognition Program. The Office of Sustainability includes recognition for the institution’s most progressive, environmentally conscious practices. These include green building practices, purchasing sustainable products, using solar panels and natural light to reduce energy consumption, promoting the use of mass transit and biking, purchasing sustainable seafood, and providing climate change information to the public. Roddenberry Foundation Education Videoconferencing Studio opens The Roddenberry Foundation Education Videoconferencing Studio allows the Aquarium to send its programming to classrooms around the world. Teachers and other program planners can request videoconferencing sessions with an Aquarium educator in a screen-to-screen format similar to video chatting.
performances. Watch hula, listen to Tahitian drumming, try out ancient Hawaiian games, enjoy island cuisine, and admire artisans as they create traditional weavings. The tenth annual Pacific Islander Festival will feature various cultures, including Hawaiian, Fijian, Marshallese, Chamoru, Tahitian, Samoan, Tokelau, Tongan, and Maori. Cost: General Admission – $25.95 adult (12+), $22.95 senior (62+), $14.95 child (3-11), and free for children under age 3 and Aquarium members. Sunday evenings, June 2 through September 1, 2013 Aquarium of the Pacific Summer Late Nights Discover Ocean Exploration at a Discounted Price 5:00 p.m.-8:30 p.m. The public is invited to enjoy the Aquarium of the Pacific after hours while taking advantage of special savings. During Sundays in the summer the Aquarium will offer its Late Nights where admission will be just $14.95 for adults and children after 5:00 p.m., and the Aquarium will remain open until 8:30 p.m. Visitors will have the opportunity to discover Ocean Exploration and the new Wonders of the Deep exhibit gallery at a discounted price. Guests will also journey through the Pacific Ocean to meet over 11,000 animals, including more than 150 sharks they can touch and the June Keyes Penguin Habitat. In addition, the Aquarium’s new Ocean Exploration short films will be shown in the Ocean Theater and Great Hall throughout the evening. Please note: the Lorikeet Forest aviary closes at 4:30 p.m. Cost: $14.95 per person and free for kids ages 3 and under and Aquarium members. Go to our website for a full list of Discounted Late Nights. Saturday, June 15, 2013 15th Anniversary Ocean Conservation Awards Gala 7 p.m.-11 p.m. The Aquarium will celebrate its fifteenth anniversary during its annual Ocean Conservation Awards gala, which will be open to the public this year. Attendees will enjoy food, music, and a look forward to the Aquarium’s future. The event will also feature the recording of a new symphonic work commissioned by the Aquarium on the theme of Southern California’s urban ocean. Cost: $500 per person Sunday, June 16, 2013 Father’s Day BBQ 11:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m. Celebrate Father’s Day with the entire family at the Aquarium of the Pacific’s annual picnic. Savor lunch, enjoy picturesque views of Rainbow Harbor, and delight in the underwater sea life of the Aquarium. Pet sharks and rays with your dad, and discover cool ocean dads like seahorses and sea dragons. Cost: $42 per adult (12+), $32 per child; $32 per member adult, $22 per member child. Tuesday, June 18, 2013 Guest Lecture: Exploring the Deep Frontier/Sylvia Earle 7:00 p.m.-9:00 p.m. Delve into the wonders of the deep sea with ocean explorer Sylvia Earle as she presents at the Aquarium of the Pacific. Earle is an oceanographer, explorer, author, and lecturer with experience as a field research scientist. In 1970 she led the first team of women aquanauts during the Tektite Project and set a record for solo diving to a depth of 3,000 feet. In her lecture she will share stories of exploration and discovery. Former chief scientist of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Earle is founder of the Mission Blue Foundation, chair of the Advisory Council for the Harte Research Institute for Gulf of Mexico Studies, and an explorer-in-residence at the National Geographic Society. She has led more than sixty expeditions and logged more than 6,000 hours underwater. Earle will also be honored with the Ocean Conservation Award at the Aquarium of the Pacific’s 15th Anniversary Gala on June 15. Cost: $5 for the public and FREE for Aquarium members, seniors (age 62+), teachers, and students with valid ID and advance reservations. Thursday, July 4, 2013 July 4th Late Night and BBQ 5:00 p.m.-10:00 p.m. (BBQ 6:00 p.m.-8:00 p.m.) Celebrate Independence Day with the red, white, and blue fish at the Aquarium of the Pacific. Families will be able to witness the ambiance of the Aquarium at night and get a fish-eye view of the City of Long Beach fireworks display. Wave the flag, watch the fireworks, and enjoy some freshly grilled BBQ with the Aquarium of the Pacific. You’ll also be able to journey inside the Aquarium to see wonders of the sea. Cost: $14.95 per person and free for kids ages 3 and under and Aquarium members (does not in-
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2012 Governor’s Environmental and Economic Leadership Award Governor Edmund G. “Jerry” Brown recognizes the Aquarium of the Pacific for its role in California’s environment and economy. The Aquarium of the Pacific is the first among museums, zoos, and aquariums to receive the Governor’s Environmental and Economic Leadership Award (GEELA). California’s most prestigious environmental award program, according to the California Environmental Protection Agency, GEELA recognizes those responsible for conserving California’s resources, protecting and enhancing the environment, and building private-public partnerships. Bixby the harbor seal is born Bixby, a female harbor seal pup, is born at the Aquarium on April 26, 2012. She is born to two of the Aquarium’s harbor seals, Shelby and Troy. Shelby came to the Aquarium in 1998. Troy, the Aquarium’s only male harbor seal, came to the Aquarium in 2007. Aquarium opens the June Keyes Penguin Habitat with the first penguins in its collection More than a dozen Magellanic Penguins call the June Keyes Penguin Habitat home. The permanent exhibit allows visitors to watch penguins both above and below the water and includes interactive touch-screens that provide information about the world’s seventeen penguin species.
2013 Aquarium receives State Superintendent’s Award for Excellence in Museum Education The Aquarium wins a 2013 Superintendent’s Award for Excellence in Museum Education for its interactive videoconferencing program. The Superintendent’s Awards for Excellence in Museum Education competition is a joint project between the California Association of Museums (CAM) and the Office of the State Superintendent of Public Instruction. After a formal evaluation and scoring by three reviewers, California Superintendent of Public Instruction Tom Torlakson chose six recipients, including the Aquarium of the Pacific. clude food). BBQ-Admission Combo Cost: $42 per adult (12+), $32 per child; $32 per member adult, $22 per member child. Tuesday, July 9, 2013 Guest Lecture: Looking Backwards at the Future – Exploring the Deepest Oceans / Captain Don Walsh, Ph.D. 7:00 p.m.-9:00 p.m. In 1960 Captain Don Walsh of the U.S. Navy (now retired) and Jacques Piccard dove the bathyscaph Trieste to the deepest place in the world, the Challenger Deep, at 35,840 feet in the Mariana Trench. However, it was not until fifty-two years later that this dive was repeated when filmmaker James Cameron dove his one-person Deepsea Challenger at the same location. Walsh was a member of Cameron’s deep dive expedition in 2012 and has been involved with the design, construction, and operation of submersibles for more than a half century. Bathyscaphs, or “deep boats,” were pioneered in the mid-1930s by Swiss professor Auguste Piccard. Walsh will be honored with the Ocean Conservation Award at the Aquarium of the Pacific’s 15th Anniversary Gala on June 15. Hear Walsh talk about his many experiences in exploring the deep ocean. Cost: $5 for the public and FREE for Aquarium members, seniors (age 62+), teachers, and students with valid ID and advance reservations. Tuesday, July 16, 2013 Guest Lecture: Creatures of the Deep and Treasure Maps of the Ocean Floor/Dawn Wright 7:00 p.m.-9:00 p.m. In the last ten to 20 years new sophisticated technologies have created tremendous potential for mapping and interpreting the ocean in unprecedented detail. This talk will focus on recent technical advances in mapping the deepest parts of our planet. The development and improvement of deep-ocean mapping technologies is important not only for scientific discovery, but also to meet additional demands in government and conservation. Dawn Wright was appointed chief scientist of the Environmental Systems Research Institute in 2011. She maintains an affiliated faculty appointment as professor of geography and oceanography in the College of Earth, Ocean, and Atmospheric Sciences at Oregon State University. She has participated in more than twenty oceanographic research expeditions, including three dives in the Alvin submersible (which was the first deep-sea submersible capable of carrying passengers and can now make dives to a maximum depth of 14,764 ft.) Cost: $5 for the public and FREE for Aquarium members, seniors (age 62+), teachers, and students with valid ID and advance reservations. Sunday, July 21, 2013 Explorers Day 9:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. The Aquarium of the Pacific is offering the public the opportunity to dive into the unknown, the final frontier of our planet, during Explorers Day on Sunday, July 21. Guests will have the opportunity to meet and hear from historical and modern-day ocean explorers, see demonstrations of remotely operated vehicles (ROVs) under water, and watch live video feeds from three deep-sea exploration vessels. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), NASA, and other agencies and organizations engaged in ocean exploration will feature educational booths at this event. Kid’s activities will take place, including guest appearances by the Octonauts throughout the day. Cost: $25.95 adults (12+), $22.95 senior (62+), $14.95 child (3-11), and free for children under age 3 and Aquarium members. Thursday, August 8, 2013 Guest Lecture: Ocean Mapping: Exposing the Secrets of the Deep/Larry Mayer 7:00 p.m.-9:00 p.m. Over the past 50 years there have been remarkable advances in our ability to use sonar to map the seafloor and the water column. These advances combine sophisticated sonar technology with advanced visualization tools and are providing new perspectives of the seafloor, including the discovery of 10,000-foot mountains in the Arctic, D-Day wrecks, and fisheries. They also provide insight into the aftermath of events like the Deepwater Horizon spill. Larry Mayer is a professor and the director of the Center for Coastal and Ocean Mapping at the University of New Hampshire. He serves as a co-chair of NOAA’s Ocean Exploration Advisory Working Group, a member of the National Science Foundation’s Ocean Observatories Initiative Program Advisory Committee, and on the State Department’s Extended Continental Shelf Task Force. Cost: $5 for the public and FREE for Aquarium members, seniors (age 62+), teachers, and students with valid ID and advance reservations.
Aquarium Live debuts at Miller Children’s Hospital The Aquarium of the Pacific and Miller Children’s Hospital Long Beach are partnering to bring the wonders of ocean learning to hospitalized children and their families. Through the new Aquarium Live education program, patients can take a live look at animal exhibits as they learn and interact with Aquarium staff in real time. Educators will deliver bi-weekly, thirty-minute programs on different ocean topics live from the Aquarium’s state-ofthe-art Roddenberry Foundation Education Videoconferencing Studio. Viewers can call in live to participate in the program, asking questions and playing games with Aquarium educators. Ocean Exploration programs and Wonders of the Deep gallery open The Aquarium of the Pacific highlights ocean exploration this summer and debuts a new Wonders of the Deep gallery. Visitors learn about what possibilities for discovery lie beneath the vast, unexplored ocean. Ocean Exploration programs include new films, live feeds from ocean exploration vessels at sea, and a new smartphone app that uses augmented reality to bring exhibits to life. Aquarium celebrates 15th Anniversary in June 2013 The Aquarium of the Pacific will celebrate its fifteen years of mission- and vision-driven programs and exhibits and honor three of the world’s most renowned ocean explorers at the Ocean Conservation Awards on June 15, 2013. ■ Tuesday, August 13, 2013 Guest Lecture: Exploring the Deep Pacific: Dragonfish, Spookfish and Other Unbelievable Animals/Bruce Robison 7:00 p.m.-9:00 p.m. Bruce Robison will discuss recent discoveries made using both manned and robotic submersibles to explore the deep sea. The results include many animals new to science, novel behavior patterns, the widespread use of bioluminescence (emission of light by living organisms), remarkable adaptations for living in the deep, and the effects of climate change on deep-sea animals. Robison studies the biology and ecology of the animals that inhabit the ocean’s deep water column. He pioneered the use of undersea vehicles for these studies and he led the first team of scientists trained as research submersible pilots. Robison is a fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science and a fellow of the California Academy of Sciences. In 2012 he was appointed as a research associate at the Smithsonian Institution. Cost: $5 for the public and FREE for Aquarium members, seniors (age 62+), teachers, and students with valid ID and advance reservations. Tuesday, August 27, 2013 Guest Lecture: The Kraken Revealed – the Story Behind Finding the Giant Squid/Edith Widder 7:00 p.m.-9:00 p.m. Explore the mysterious world beyond the reach of sunlight in the deep sea where giants dwell. Share in rare sightings and spectacular living light shows in the ocean with Edith Widder at the Aquarium of the Pacific. Widder is a deep-sea explorer, oceanographer, marine biologist, and co-founder of the Ocean Research and Conservation Association. She has made hundreds of deep-sea submersible dives into the dark ocean and was the first to capture video recordings of bioluminescent animals and the first to film the giant squid in its natural habitat. She creates and invents methods and apparatus that help facilitate ocean exploration. She has spoken at TED and has been featured in BBC, PBS, Discovery Channel, and National Geographic television productions. Most recently her use of bioluminescence to lure in the giant squid was featured in the Discovery Channel documentary Monster Squid: The Giant is Real. Cost: $5 for the public and FREE for Aquarium members, seniors (age 62+), teachers, and students with valid ID and advance reservations. ■
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Warren Iliff – ‘Everybody Loved Him’
community to not be afraid of them. “He wanted to show the people what wealth they had in the forest around them,” according to his wife Ghislaine (Gigi) Iliff. Once others became interested in animals, Iliff was able to convince wealthy Hondurans to invest in a zoo to attract tourism and economic benefits to the community. Not too long after, Gigi said Iliff was in a bad helicopter accident. “He could not
Warren and Gigi Iliff
Warren Iliff, founding
continue and wanted to go back home [to the U.S.],” she said. They did, moved to
director and the first
Washington, D.C., and Iliff got a job working for the zoo there. “The director took
president/CEO of the
him under his wing right away and let him go through the stages to become a profes-
Aquarium of the Pacific,
sional in the zoo world,” Gigi said. “After several years, he became assistant director.
earned the respect and
That’s when we met.”
admiration of the many
Gigi, who worked for the Belgian Embassy, met Iliff in 1968 at a gala sponsored by
people he encountered
the Smithsonian Institute. Their first date – dinner in Georgetown – was cut short
throughout his career
when Iliff learned he needed to attend to a sick gorilla at the zoo. He asked Gigi if
working with animals.
she would come along.
Though Iliff passed away
“I said, ‘Sure,’ because I really liked him right away,” Gigi said. The two spent about
in 2006, the positive ef-
five hours in the zoo’s primate center before the gorilla died. “Warren was in tears,”
fect of his charisma lives
she remembered. “So was I. You normally think animals are animals, not humans. But
on through the Aquarium
that gorilla looked like a human with her expression. That day I just fell in love with
and with those whom he
Warren and I think we clicked.”
impacted personally and professionally. In his early years, Iliff studied business at Harvard University before joining the U.S. Marine Corps, where he
While waiting to ambush unsuspecting prey, weedy scorpionfish can remain in the same spot for weeks or even months at a time.
job as zoo director was in Portland, Oregon, in 1970. After 10 years, the couple moved to Dallas, where he led the city zoo out of financial hardship.
learned to fly helicopters.
“He had such charisma,” Gigi said. “He was so enthusiastic with what he expected
Post-military, he landed a
for the zoo and how wonderful it would be for people to have a better understanding
job working for a fruit
of animals.” It was there that Iliff established the exhibit “Wilds Of Africa”, with the
company based in Hon-
support of primate advocate Jane Goodall, the mayor and Barbara Bush, the wife of
duras. It was there that he
then-Gov. George H. W. Bush.
cultivated his passion for
The temperature of the sand in which sea turtle eggs are incubated determines the sex of hatchlings. Warmer temperatures ield more female offspring; cooler temperatures yield more males.
The two married and, before long, Iliff decided he was ready to run a zoo. His first
animals.
Iliff was soon sought to assist with a financial turnaround at the Phoenix Zoo in Arizona. It took quite an effort to get attendance up and to create financial stability
He began collecting
at that zoo, Gigi remembered. “He went out of his way to play golf with all of the big
various species on his
names,” she said, continually developing and maintaining relationships with the people
property in Honduras –
of the city until he made the business successful.
birds, reptiles and more
Jim Gray, a banking executive who was chairman of the board for the Aquarium of
– to show others in the
the Pacific, heard about Iliff ’s success and asked him to take the helm at the new attraction in Long Beach. “He was an amazing CEO at the Phoenix Zoo. . . . We con-
The decorator crab is unable to match its surroundings on its own, so it will collect pieces of its habitat to blend in. It has modified hair-like structures that allow it to hook on different marine organisms for camouflage.
vinced him to come.” Iliff became president of the Aquarium and spent most of his time recruiting Aquarium employees, developing programs, financial planning and monitoring construction. Gigi recalled Iliff hosting a hard-hat party, inviting the community to see the Aquarium during initial construction while educating potential members about the different ex-
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hibits, holding tanks and how the attraction would come together. Iliff was also in charge of collecting the sea creatures to fill the Aquarium, accepting specimens from other aquariums in the state as well as from private fishing crews. Iliff is also the source behind the giant, life size replica of a blue whale inside the Aquarium, known as “Edi” and her baby whale “Edison,” paid for by Southern California Edison. Iliff retired from the Aquarium in 2002 but remained involved as president emeritus until he died of lung cancer four years later. “Warren was a wonderful, warm, kind, generous human being,” Jerry Schubel, Iliff ’s successor and current CEO/president of the Aquarium, told the Business Journal. “He’s the guy who got the Aquarium launched and made all of the connections to the community. Everybody loved him. I probably wouldn’t be here if it hadn’t been for Warren. When he told the board he wanted to retire, he recommended that they see if I would be interested. After I arrived, while he was still alive, he was a great colleague, a great friend, a good source of advice and I miss him.” Iliff laid the groundwork and Schubel built upon it, always following the Aquarium’s core mission, Gigi said. “When Warren passed away, so many people came to tell me what a wonderful man he was,” she said. “I received memorials and appreciation not only from California, but also from Portland and the zoo world. It was very touching.” Iliff is remembered for his contributions to the financing and operations of the Aquarium and of zoos across the country, and for his enthusiasm and dedication as a champion of animals. “Warren was the perfect person to open the Aquarium,” said Theresa Duncan, director of development for the Aquarium. Duncan’s employment overlapped with Iliff ’s term as president emeritus briefly, but enough for her to recognize the kind of positivity and influence Iliff possessed. “He had the kind of energy and charisma that inspires people. He had this wonderful sense of really connecting with people. He knew the name of every single employee and volunteer at the Aquarium and attracted really good staff, too.” In his memory, the Aquarium
“In addition to our local community, we believe very strongly that this aquarium belongs to all the people of the Pacific Rim, the Pacific Basin. We want the people who live on and around the regions represented here – people from Japan, Korea, Mexico, Cambodia, Australia and the Pacific Northwest – to have a sense
created the Warren Iliff Infectious Enthusiasm Award, awarded an-
of ownership. We want them to come here and to realize that this
nually to a teacher who embodies Iliff ’s enthusiasm to educate and
isn’t only Long Beach’s aquarium or America’s aquarium,
connect with people. “Warren really embodied that,” Duncan said.
but truly, it is, the Aquarium of the Pacific.”
“If I look back to all of the people I’ve met in my life, he’s by far one of the most memorable.” ■
Warren Iliff in a June 1998 interview with the Long Beach Business Journal
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Thank You Aquarium Staff
Carol
Kim Tyler George
Jasmine
Michael Isis Nina Breyana
Michael
Ramiro Carl
Cara
Jackie
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Michael
Sharon
Eve
Barbara
Connie
Donald
Katherine Nicole
Lindsay
Teresa
Aileen Briana
Janelle
Photographs by the Business Journal’s Thomas McConville
Janice
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