Celebrating the Influential and Enlightening Women of Scripps Oceanography

Celebrating the Influential and Enlightening Women of Scripps Oceanography

At UC San Diego, the campus is buzzing with excitement as they celebrate Women's History Month 2025, including International Women's Day on March 8. This year's celebration carries the campuswide theme of "Empowerment Echoes: Celebrating Women Who Advocate and Educate."

One woman who embodies this theme is Hannah Tannenbaum, the program manager of the Master of Advanced Studies program in Marine Biodiversity and Conservation (MAS MBC) at Scripps Oceanography. Tannenbaum manages all logistics for the MAS MBC, from prospective student recruitment and admissions to orientation and summer logistics. She also does student advising and event planning for the program.

Tannenbaum is a proud alumnus of the MAS MBC program (class of 2019). She finds inspiration in Samantha Murray, the MAS MBC executive director, and other women leaders at Scripps Oceanography. Her older sister, a children's mental health professional, also serves as a source of inspiration.

Tannenbaum's advice for young girls and women during Women's History Month is to get involved and take action on issues such as reproductive rights, gender inclusion, access to health care, diversity, and equity. She believes in the power of education and action to create a more equitable and inclusive world.

Scripps Oceanography has a long history of inspirational and revolutionary women who have dedicated their lives to educating and inspiring future generations. Ellen Browning Scripps, a suffragist, businesswoman, journalist, and philanthropist, helped found Scripps Oceanography in 1903. Margaret Leinen made history as the first female director of Scripps Oceanography, serving from 2013 until stepping down in 2025.

Notable women in science at Scripps Oceanography and their contributions include:

• Easter Ellen Cupp, who was the first woman to earn a Ph.D. in oceanography from Scripps in 1934, focusing on diatoms, a group of algae important for marine ecosystems.
• Margaret Leinen, who made history as the first woman to serve as Director, Vice Chancellor for Marine Sciences, and Dean at Scripps, holding these leadership roles from 2013 until stepping down in 2025.
• Meenakshi Wadhwa, who was selected as the 12th Director of Scripps Oceanography in 2025. Wadhwa is an accomplished scientist specializing in isotope cosmochemistry and geochronology.
• Elizabeth Sibert, an Assistant Scientist at Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution and Scripps alumna with a Ph.D. in Biological Oceanography. Sibert researches marine ecosystems, particularly fish and sharks, using microfossil fish teeth and shark scales to study global change impacts over various timescales. She is also active in promoting STEM accessibility for people with disabilities.

These women represent key contributions to oceanography, leadership in marine sciences, innovative research in biological oceanography, and efforts to broaden participation in STEM at Scripps Oceanography.

In 2024, UC San Diego launched the Jane Teranes Climate Change Education Requirement, a groundbreaking education initiative honoring the late Jane Teranes, a beloved Scripps teaching professor who was an advocate for climate education. Scripps Oceanography offers unparalleled education and training for the next generation of scientific and environmental leaders through its undergraduate, master's, and doctoral programs.

Allison Cusick, a recent Scripps Oceanography PhD graduate, made history in 2024 by receiving the first-ever UC San Diego Student/Alumni Innovator of the Year award. Cusick co-founded FjordPhyto, a science platform that intertwines climate science and tourism.

Lihini Aluwihare is the deputy director for education at Scripps Oceanography. The campuswide celebration of Women's History Month 2025 continues to echo empowerment as Scripps Oceanography continues to inspire and educate future generations of women in science.

[1] Source: Scripps Institution of Oceanography website [2] Source: Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution website [3] Source: Arizona State University website [4] Source: UC San Diego Student/Alumni Innovator of the Year award press release [5] Source: Scripps Institution of Oceanography press release announcing Meenakshi Wadhwa as the next Director of Scripps Oceanography

Hannah Tannenbaum, the program manager of the Master of Advanced Studies program in Marine Biodiversity and Conservation (MAS MBC) at Scripps Oceanography, encourages young girls and women to pursue education and action in areas such as climate science, oceanographic research, and marine conservation, as she believes in the power of these fields to drive marine biodiversity preservation and create a more equitable and inclusive world. The history of Scripps Oceanography is filled with inspirational women who have excelled in scientific research, leadership, and education, including associate director Lihini Aluwihare, who led the campuswide celebration of Women's History Month 2025 that accentuated the empowerment and achievements of women in marine sciences.

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