Dr. Gino Passalacqua

Del Mar Oceanographic, LLC

Dr. Gino Passalacqua is the Science Application Manager at Del Mar Oceanographic LLC. This UCSD tech-transfer company produces the Wire Walker, a profiling system that uses ocean wave energy to drive an instrument platform vertically through the water column.

Dr. Passalacqua grew up in Peru, where he studied Fishing Engineering and later worked in the Peruvian fishing industry for eight years.

He emigrated to San Diego, CA, to study for an M.Sc. in physical oceanography at Scripps Institution of Oceanography - University of California San Diego, where he later worked as a research development engineer. He then obtained a Ph.D. in coastal oceanography at the Universidad Autonoma de Baja California (UABC) - CICESE joint program in Ensenada, B.C., Mexico. During his Ph.D., he studied air-sea interactions of cold winter fronts in the Gulf of Mexico by applying a modeling and observational approach. His post-doctoral work at CICESE focused on the modeling of air pollution produced by oil spills. During his academic years, Dr. Passalacqua participated in numerous oceanographic research expeditions.

Lately, Dr. Passalacqua is applying his oceanographic expertise as a scientific advisor for Save the Waves Coalition, an NGO dedicated to protecting and preserving the coastal environment focusing on the surf zone. He also serves as a member of the Local Stewardship Council of the Bahia de Todos Santos World Surfing Reserve.