"The general purpose of the institution shall be to carry on a biological and hydrographic survey of the waters of the Pacific Ocean and adjacent to the coast of Southern California; to build and maintain a public aquarium and museum; and to prosecute such other kindred undertakings as the Board of Trustees may from time to time deem it wise to enter upon." (from the meeting in 1903 that would establish the eventual SIO)
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The Scripps Institution of Oceanography is one of the world's oldest, largest, and most important centers for global science research and public service. It was founded in 1903 and is part of the University of California, San Diego, which is also in La Jolla. The Scripps Institution today is world renowned for its preeminence in scientific disciplines relating to biology, physics, chemistry, climatology, geosciences, and geophysics. |
| At Scripps, researchers study a wide range of disciplines because understanding the oceans and their features requires a comprehensive knowledge of how the entire planet works. Most of the research groups thus interact in an interdisciplinary manner, with special focus on how the physical environment and life systems interact on a global basis. |  |
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There are more than 300 research programs currently underway, including air-sea interactions, climate prediction, earthquaes, physiology of marine animals, marine chemistry, beach erosion, the marine food chain, seafloor geology, marine biology, physical oceanography, space sciences, and ocean engineering. |
| The Scripps Institution of Oceanography has a staff of about 1,200, including about 190 graduate students, and annual expenditures of approximately $100 million, which come from federal, state, and private sources. Scripps also operates the largest academic fleet with four oceanographic research ships for worldwide exploration and one research platform. |  |
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From north of La Jolla
Take Interstate 5 South to Genessee Avenue. Go west for approximately 0.5 miles to North Torrey Pines Road. Turn left on N. Torrey Pines Road and continue for 1 mile to La Jolla Shores Drive. Turn right on LJ Shores and go down the hill about 1 mile to Scripps. Turn right on El Paseo Grande and then right again on Discovery Way. From south of La Jolla Take Interstate 5 North to Ardath Road. Go west on Ardath and down the hill for about 1.5 miles, to La Jolla Shores Drive. Turn right on La Jolla Shores and go 1 mile to El Paseo Grande. Turn left and then right on Discovery Way. |