UCSB’s World Renowned Marine Science Institute Celebrates 40 Years of Ocean Discovery(Santa Barbara, CA)…..This year marks the 40th anniversary of the UCSB’s Marine Science Institute, a research unit established in 1969. To celebrate the milestone, MSI will hold an Open House and Reception on Friday September 25, beginning with open labs and offices from 3 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. followed by a reception from 5:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m.Now housed in a stunning 36,000 square foot laboratory and office building overlooking the Pacific which opened in 2004, MSI began its existence in one trailer at UCSB’s Campus Point. In the early 1970’s there were four full time staff people, 16 faculty and two professional researchers. The Institute administered $524,000 in funds which represented 12 grants.Four decades later, MSI is the largest organized research unit at UCSB with 115 faculty and professional researchers, and currently administering over $120 million in funds representing more than 300 grants. As recently as the early nineties the total amount in funds administered was about $17 million supporting half the current number of grants.  Currently there are 19 full time administrative staff working at MSI and between 500 and 600 total employees including students, faculty, researchers and technicians.What have the scientists at MSI been focusing on for four decades? MSI’s charter describes as major thrust of its research “multidisciplinary research in ocean and ocean-related science” An unforeseen event in 1969 that impacted MSI’s future was the Santa Barbara Oil Spill which led Robert Holmes, the first director of MSI along with the Faculty Advisory Committee to enlarge its view of MSI’s role to include research involving the interactions between the coast and the sea.MSI’s charter has continued to expand in the decades since. The scope of research has resulted in MSI developing as a leader in marine science and policy, sustaining projects that involve faculty, students and researchers spanning 15 academic disciplines. The location of MSI, at its origins and now, is ideal to draw on richly diverse marine, aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems. Other areas of research that represent cutting edge contributions to ecology, conservation and marine exploration are ocean exploration, bio-diversity and genomics, marine resources and marine conservation and policy.  Educational outreach is also been a key ingredient in MSI’s past, present and future. Part of MSI’s earliest mission, outreach established itself at The REEF, Research Experience and Education Facility, located at Campus Point. For two decades school children from all over the state have visited annually to meet and learn about the sea critters who reside there. In the last year nearly 20,000 k-12 students have been served by REEF programs and activities and its traveling adjunct, The Mobile REEF. The outreach programs will take a giant leap forward with the construction, to begin in winter 2010 of OCTOS, the OutreachCenter for Teaching Ocean Science. OCTOS will open a new window on the sea for students of all ages. Using the latest technology, visitors will be immersed in the ocean to explore its critical role on the planet and to seek solutions to its most pressing challenges.Wine for the reception has been generously donated by Summerland Winery and Lucas and Lewellen of Solvang; beer has been donated by Hollister Brewing Company.For more information about the MSI Open House and Reception, please contact msi-40th@msi.ucsb.edu or call 805-893-3423. AttachmentSizeAttachmentSizeMSI 40th Invite.pdf277.77 KBOpen House Program.pdf513.84 KB