Rumor has it…

Northrop Grumman has got a new spectator sport in the works and it is… let's just call it "drone-tastic.” Word around the Mesa is that the first official game goes down at the end of summer. I've been sworn to secrecy—but think drones, hoops, beams, balls, and baskets.

I also heard that one Sir Richard Branson is popping in for high tea next Tuesday. Fancy a biscuit? Really though, the British visioneer is flying in for just a few hours to speak on his latest crusade, the decriminalization of drugs worldwide. Have I got a ticket to the private reception? Indeed.

Finally, looks like one of our universities has snatched itself a global leader. The ever-inspiring Naila Chowdhury will be making San Diego her permanent residence for the next few years. Hold on tight, boys and girls. This woman’s expertise in social impact is jaw dropping and she’s about to take San Diego global!

Upcoming events (I'll be at the fun table…)

• An Unconventional Women’s Conference of Extraordinary Ideas
  You had me at unconventional. The Women’s Business Enterprise Council West brings San Diego its inaugural conference. This group promises to present serious content, in a seriously different format. Some our favorite local gurus will be speaking. You can catch Navrina Singh breaking it down on Innovation. Lauren Avenius and Lolita Taub will also speak about multi-generational teams. Can’t wait to see what this new event is all about. The power women of SD are so inspiring.
  May 26, 9:00 a.m.-4:00 p.m., Sony Electronics
• Global Drug Decriminalization & Tijuana’s AIDS/HIV Epidemic
  The UC San Diego Global Health Institute will host a screening of the documentary “Breaking the Taboo” followed by a panel discussion. Moderated by GHI Director Dr. Stephanie Strathdee, the panel will feature Jon Cohen, author Tomorrow is A Long Time, Dr. Patricia Gonzalez-Zuniga, Research Coordinator for El Cuete, and… wait for it… Sir Richard Branson, Global Commission on Drug Policy, and frickin’ founder of Virgin Group.  Oh man, pumped for this event.  But with all the sensationalism these days, let’s not lose sight of the cause.  This intriguing topic hits so close to our cross-border home.  
  June 1, 11:30 a.m., The UC San Diego Global Health Institute
• WITI Cocktails & Connections
  This crew is down to skip the panel and head straight to the mingling. They even say it on the invite. Join WITI next Thursday at Karl Strauss Brewing Co. with your business card in one hand and a craft brew in the other. There will be tons of tech and life sciences professionals to wet your whistle with. Prost!
  June 2, 6:00-8:00 p.m., Karl Strauss Brewing Company Sorrento Mesa

Come sit by me…

Mitchell Kronenberg, president of La Jolla Institute for Allergy and Immunology

Just this Tuesday, Mitch Kronenberg, president of La Jolla Institute for Allergy and Immunology (LIAI) and board member of SCRM, popped into the café. While sipping on a Sauv Blanc, we had the most interesting chat about the potential for science research park expansion on campus. Buildings are popping up like crazy on the east side. You’ve got the new ACTRI building and Jacobs Medical Center. We also spoke of the need to connect our brilliant minds more frequently by creating a better mode of transport. Mitch said it best, “We need to make the car inconvenient. Like in major cities such as New York or Boston.” Wow. He put it so simply. The car is becoming inconvenient here on the Mesa. Traffic sucks. Parking sucks. But trying to ride a bike safely on Genesee also sucks. I’ve heard mixed reviews of shared bike ride systems from individual institutes such as Salk and LIAI. Why aren’t we working on this together? What I am proposing is a collective movement of the masses on the Mesa. Mitch was all ears and we are plotting another brainstorming session to bring some big thinkers together and start putting a plan into action. Having visions of a pitch for the next XPrize.

Mitch was also open to the opportunity to meet Lisa Kaufmann, Director of Program Development and the only full-time employee at Autism Tree Project Foundation, a grassroots non-profit dedicated to prescreening kids for autism and helping families navigate through the process of diagnosis and treatment. Lisa was wrapping up a meeting for their upcoming Neuroscience Conference next fall. ATPF’s dream is to have a research consortium for the kids up on the Mesa. Mitch and Lisa hit it off, sharing visions of what the space and experience would mean for the kids, families, and researchers.

Later, Mitch and I sat on my favorite red leather couch and talked politics before he headed down the steps on his way to a private dinner with local business leaders and a former astronaut. It’s amazing what one learns while chatting on that red leather couch, what seeds are planted, and what synergies are ignited in what we like to call our Social Club.

As Mary Walshok pointed out, our forefathers on the Mesa had the foresight to dedicate this land to R&D. Now it’s time for this generation’s visioneers to gather and collectively move our Mesa forward to create a stronger, more connected community, where, as Mitch put it, cars are just an inconvenience of the past. Working collaboratively, the Mesa can create a new mode of transport that allows for a better quality of life for the students, staff, researchers, families, and visitors here. We are ready to get the conversation started this summer. Mitch will be our co-host.

Tags: Blogs, Life on the Mesa