The next virtual webinar sponsored by the American Cetacean Society (ACS) will be held on Wednesday January 10 at 7:00pm over Zoom. Ric Matthews will be the speaker. No registration is required.

About the Presentation:

Please join as Ric presents a brief history of ACS-San Diego and Marine Mammals he has encountered. 

About the Speaker:

Ric Matthews graduated from the Univ. of Calif Davis campus with a Bachelor’s Degree in Wildlife and Fisheries Biology, minor in Animal Physiology.  He returned home to San Diego and took a job at the Univ. of California San Diego, School of Medicine, Department of Physiology where he worked in the lab of John B. West coordinating research experiments covering respiratory physiology in humans in both diseased and healthy states and in extreme environments (space, high altitude, diving) as well as a wide variety of species – birds and diving mammals.  This lead to working on a Masters Degree combining the resources and expertise of the Medical School, SDSU Dr. Roger Carpenter (Bat Physiology) and Dr. Gerry Kooyman (Scripps Institute of Oceanography).  Two stranded and sick California Sea Lions were captured (under permit) from under SIO pier and rehabilitate,  then trained to complete respiratory function tests both stationary and while swimming after a motorized cart.  During this time Ric was also a SCUBA instructor, enjoyed teaching and began to teach biology part-time at the college level, having the opportunity to teach at SDSU, UCSD Extension, Palomar, and San Diego community colleges while still working at the Medical School.  This lead to a career change to Full-time community college instruction, obtaining a job with San Diego Miramar College as the very first full-time science faculty. Early in his 20 year tenure at Miramar, he earned a second Masters Degree in Educational Technology with a full ride to National University.

Ric was at the organizational beginning of the San Diego Chapter of the American Cetacean Society in 1971, served as the local President from 1972 – 1976, then was elected to be the first National ACS president when local Southern California chapters decided to unite and create a stronger coalition.   The San Diego Chapter was the first to arrange local sport fishing vessels to engage off-shore whale watching with Ric often being the naturalist.  He has also worked as naturalist on over 10 Baja Lagoon and Island trips for ACS, The Smithsonian, and with private charters.  A lifetime student of nature photography, he is always in search of the perfect storytelling shot.  Many of his vacations take him close to marine mammals.

Join the Zoom presentation.

Meeting ID: 513 147 5168 Passcode: Whales