An optional pre-conference excursion to the USC Wrigley Marine Science Center (http://wrigley.usc.edu) on Santa Catalina Island is scheduled for March 15 and 16.  Activities will include hiking, biking, kayaking and snorkeling.  The director of the Center, Prof. Tony Michaels, will give an orientation tour of the facility and an after-dinner speech on March 15.  Housing at the Center is limited and will be available on a first-come, first-served basis.

March 15 - 16, 2008
http://ronney.usc.edu/wrigley

The USC Wrigley Institute for Environmental Studies (WIES) was created to unify and advance the university's efforts in environmental education and research. Located on Catalina Island just 20 miles off the coast of Los Angeles, the Philip K. Wrigley Marine Science Center (WMSC) is the heart of the USC Wrigley Institute. Generous gifts from the Wrigley family have transformed the center into a state-of-the-art laboratory and teaching facility for marine and terrestrial research and educational activities.

The director of the Wrigley Institute, USC Prof. Tony Michaels, will give a welcoming tour and the after-dinner talk on Saturday.  He is a biologist by training but also has amazing knowledge of the political and economic aspects of the oceans, particularly in the SoCal area.  

Website: USC Wrigley Institute for Environmental Studies