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Mainly Mozart – the San Diego nonprofit behind the highly acclaimed Mainly Mozart All-Star Orchestra Festival – is honored to announce Erica Ollmann Saphire, Ph.D., MBA, Professor, President and CEO of La Jolla Institute for Immunology, is the 2025 San Diego Genius Award honoree. Dr. Sapphire will be recognized Oct. 18 at the Genius Awards Dinner at the Westgate Hotel. Tickets are available now at mainlymozart.org/genius. Since 2015, the Genius Award has celebrated extraordinary individuals whose contributions span science, technology, and the arts, enrich the community, and embody “Genius in the Spirit of Mozart.” Saphire joins past recipients Dr. Irwin Jacobs (2015), Dr. Andrew Viterbi (2016), Dr. Walter Munk (2017), Dr. Elizabeth Blackburn (2018), Chancellor Pradeep Khosla (2019), Susan Tousi (2022), Dr. David Brenner (2023), and Dr. Al Pisano (2024). This year’s Genius Award Selection Committee members included Martha Dennis (chair), Steve Hart (chair), Irwin Jacobs, Joel Buxbaum, and David Brenner. Dr. Saphire’s pioneering research at La Jolla Institute for Immunology has unraveled the molecular mechanisms by which viruses such as Ebola, Marburg, Lassa, and SARS-CoV-2 infect human cells and evade immune defenses. Under her leadership, teams have solved the high-resolution structures of multiple viral glycoproteins, guided global vaccine design efforts, and spearheaded the collaborative consortia—including the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation–supported CoVIC initiative and the NIAID Viral Hemorrhagic Fever Immunotherapeutic Consortium—that united scientists across five continents in life-saving immunotherapeutic research, closing the critical gap between scientific breakthroughs and real-world medical interventions. Recognizing another crucial research gap, Dr. Saphire recently launched a groundbreaking institute-wide initiative focused on uncovering sex-based differences in the immune system. Dr. Saphire’s work has been recognized at the White House with the Presidential Early Career Award in Science and Engineering, with young investigator awards from the International Congress of Antiviral Research, the American Society for Microbiology, the MRC Centre for Virus Research in the United Kingdom, and the California Life Sciences Pantheon Award for Academia and Marion Spencer Fay Award. She has been awarded a Fulbright Global Scholar fellowship from the United States Department of State and a Mercator Fellowship from the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft, to develop international collaborations using cryoelectron microscopy to further global health. Tickets for the gala support Mainly Mozart’s artistic and educational programs, including the Mainly Mozart Youth Orchestra, the All-Star Orchestra Festival and Mainly Mozart’s music education initiatives and community outreach programs, including its long-term partnership with Art of Autism. Mainly Mozart® on Facebook / Instagram

Stephen P. Huyler, acclaimed art historian and author, will present his new memoir, "Transformed by India: A Life." Huyler’s captivating memoir chronicles over five decades of immersion in Indian culture, beginning with his arrival on his twentieth birthday when he pedaled a bicycle rickshaw across the Indian border in 1971. Few foreigners have traveled as extensively throughout India, documenting the country’s rich traditions, sacred arts, and diverse communities from maharajahs to village artisans. "Transformed by India: A Life" has received advance praise from distinguished figures including His Holiness the Dalai Lama, who wrote the foreword, and Dr. Shashi Tharoor, former UN diplomat and member of the Indian Parliament, who contributed the preface. About Stephen: Stephen P. Huyler is an art historian, cultural anthropologist, photographer and author conducting a lifelong survey of India’s sacred art and crafts and their meanings within rural societies. He has spent an average of four months each year during the last five decades traveling in Indian villages documenting craftsmanship and contemporary traditions. Huyler has served as a consultant and/or guest curator for more than twenty-five museum exhibitions of Indian art, including shows at the Smithsonian’s Arthur M. Sackler Gallery, the American Museum of Natural History, the Museum of International Folk Art (Santa Fe), the Santa Barbara Museum of Art, the Houston Museum of Natural Science and Mingei International Museum (San Diego). He is acknowledged as a leading photographer of India with an invaluable and extensive image archive. He has had many solo exhibitions of his images at such venues as the Smithsonian, the Asian Art Museum (San Francisco), the Santa Barbara Museum of Art, and the Kodak Center for Creative Imaging. Copies of "Transformed by India: A Life" will be available for purchase and a book signing will take place directly after the talk. Visit: stephenhuyler.com/ Mingei International Museum on Facebook / Instagram

Join us for a Family-Friendly Day! Discover the captivating journey of a seed to grow into a plant, just like those thriving within the San Elijo Lagoon Ecological Reserve. But here’s the exciting part-you’ll get to plant your own native seed to take home! Our Nature Collective ambassadors will guide you through an engaging, hands-on activity that explores the various ways native seeds are dispersed, from wind to animals and bursting. Plus, learn about the vital role you can play in protecting Marine Protected Areas (MPAs). Hosted by San Diego Parks and Recreation and supported by Nature Collective Nature Collective is a local conservation and science education nonprofit organization. They work to restore habitats, provide healthier waters, and increase wildlife diversity. They are dedicated to conserving the land and providing experiences for people to fall in love with nature. Best-suited for children age 9 and younger (Registration Required) San Elijo Lagoon Nature Center (2710 Manchester Ave., Cardiff-by-the-Sea, CA 92007) RSVP: https://naturecollective.org/event/family-fun-day-december-7-2025/ Nature Collective on Facebook / Instagram

Celebrate the 50th anniversary of "JAWS" with a special evening featuring Wendy Benchley, ocean advocate and wife of the late JAWS author Peter Benchley. Enjoy a lively reception with light refreshments, a sneak peek at the newly released JAWS@50 documentary — including never-before-seen footage — and a candid conversation about how the film helped shape public perception of sharks and catalyzed global marine conservation efforts. Following the talk, Benchley will be joined by renowned shark researchers Dovi Kacev and Brendan Talwar from Scripps Institution of Oceanography for a thought-provoking panel discussion about shark science, ocean storytelling and what lies ahead in the fight to protect these vital apex predators. Visit: https://aquarium.ucsd.edu/events/jaws50-conversation-wendy-benchley Birch Aquarium at Scripps on Instagram and Facebook Scripps Institution of Oceanography on Instagram and Facebook

By late fall, our winter birds have arrived – shorebirds, ducks, songbirds, and birds of prey. The endearing, White-crowned Sparrows busily hunt seeds along the trail’s edge. The sharp, high-pitched “chck”s of Yellow-rumped Warblers filter through the foliage above us. We may spot a majestic Northern Harrier skimming low over the marsh, looking for mice. Wetter days may bring forth a surprising display of fanciful mushrooms. Clear, cooler days are perfect for exploring. Are you ready? The tour is weather permitting. Wildlife is unpredictable; there is no guarantee of what you will see. Nature Collective is a local conservation and science education nonprofit organization. They work to restore habitats, provide healthier waters, and increase wildlife diversity. They are dedicated to conserving the land and providing experiences for people to fall in love with nature. Ages 15+ (Registration Required) San Elijo Lagoon (meet-up location will be emailed to registered participants) RSVP: https://naturecollective.org/event/wildlife-tour-november-8-2025/ Nature Collective on Facebook / Instagram

Food and Drug Administration officials say they will ratchet up requirements for vaccine studies, citing concerns about COVID shots for kids. But public health experts question the agency's analysis.

Dive deep into Doctor Who with two awesome fan panels in one afternoon! 1 p.m. - "The Making of Futuristic Props and Costumes": From space-age vehicles and gadgets to futuristic uniforms and high tech armor, props and costumes play a key role in bringing the worlds of science fiction film and television to life. Come and learn how science-related fields such as material engineering, computer science, color theory, and others play a role in the conception, design, and fabrication of these essential components of some of your favorite fantastic fictional realms. 2 p.m. - "Timey-Wimey Robotics and Biotechnology in Doctor Who": Robotics are a cornerstone of science fiction, which in turn inspires real-life scientists and engineers. The futuristic robots and biotechnology of Doctor Who, from K9 to Cybermen, enable society to consider both the applications and implications of similar tech. Our panelists will discuss how Doctor Who’s stories of artificial intelligence, cyborgs, and other “upgrades” match up with our future and analyze the relationship between science fiction and real-life scientific advances. Comic-Con Museum on Facebook / Instagram

The public will be able to tour Statsraad Lehmkuhl on Thursday, Friday and Saturday at Broadway Pier.

A new study finds that about half of the physical variation seen in modern dogs existed during the Stone Age.

The library’s new tool lending program is the first of its kind in San Diego County and features everything from jackhammers to sewing machines.