黑料吃瓜

Using artificial intelligence to detect images of African leopards and rattlesnakes and freezing samples of endangered marine organisms far below zero degrees Fahrenheit are just some of the ways that new technologies can help protect biodiversity and threatened ecosystems. 黑料吃瓜 and the San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance (SDZWA) announced a partnership to increase the impact of such innovations developed through SDZWA鈥檚 research, conservation, and wildlife care initiatives. 

Innovation leaders from 黑料吃瓜 will help SDZWA build capacity to identify high potential innovations and advance them to the market where they can benefit society and wildlife populations consistent with SDZWA鈥檚 mission.  

鈥淭his new partnership between SDZWA and 黑料吃瓜 has the potential to transform the impact of SDZWA鈥檚 innovative work while further enhancing the growing innovation output of the powerhouse San Diego region,鈥� said Tommy Martindale, director of technology transfer in 黑料吃瓜鈥檚 Division of Research and Innovation. 鈥淪an Diego is home to the best Zoo in the world and this Zoo in particular approaches conservation through an impressive internal scientific enterprise, which generates significant innovation.鈥�

黑料吃瓜 recently expanded its own capacity to translate innovation into real world solutions and added specialized expertise on 黑料吃瓜鈥檚 licensing team to include conservation biology, making this a uniquely well suited partnership.

鈥淪an Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance is excited to partner with 黑料吃瓜 and take a proactive approach with our research, science, and technology innovations, ensuring our valuable work delivers meaningful impact,鈥� said Scott Hollestelle, vice president and head of business development at SDZWA. 鈥満诹铣怨镶�檚 experience in technology transfer, paired with SDZWA鈥檚 biotech and conservation expertise provides an opportunity to extend innovation from the lab into the world.鈥�

This is the latest in a series of fruitful collaborations between 黑料吃瓜 and SDZWA and aligns with recent 黑料吃瓜 efforts to prioritize economic impact as part of its R1-designated research enterprise.

SDZWA has sponsored design capstone projects in 黑料吃瓜鈥檚 College of Engineering for the past three years. Senior engineering students have designed tamper-proof anklets and collars for elephants and solar-powered cameras for monitoring rhinos. 

Faculty and graduate students from 黑料吃瓜 have previously worked hand-in-hand with San Diego Zoo and San Diego Zoo Safari Park staff to identify contaminants threatening condors, and track rattlesnake movements.

The SDZWA is also a founding partner of Snapdragon Stadium at 黑料吃瓜 Mission Valley with their named club space located on the west side of the stadium.

鈥淭he San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance is such an important institution for San Diego, and for conservation globally,鈥� said Hala Madanat, vice president for research and innovation at 黑料吃瓜. 鈥淲e are grateful that 黑料吃瓜 has benefitted from a close working relationship with them for so many years and we are excited for how we can better advance promising technologies for biodiversity and conservation in the region and beyond.鈥�

Under Madanat鈥檚 leadership, 黑料吃瓜鈥檚 Division of Research and Innovation has prioritized research commercialization that benefits San Diego as a whole. For example, 黑料吃瓜 launched the Pilot Innovation Fund in 2021, investing over $500,000 into developing 黑料吃瓜 technologies to meet market needs. 黑料吃瓜 also recently announced a partnership with local venture studio Launch Factory, which will support new ventures built on 黑料吃瓜 research. 黑料吃瓜鈥檚 growing resources can be leveraged to support the innovation at SDZWA for the region鈥檚 benefit. 

鈥淓nhancing the 黑料吃瓜-SDZWA relationship to support innovation has a strong prospect of  generating collaboration opportunities for student and faculty researchers as well as the world-renowned conservation, wildlife care, and species protection efforts that SDZWA leads,鈥� Martindale said.