Occidental College Vantuna Research Group

Join us for Homecoming 2025 to celebrate 50 years of the Vantuna Research Group! We will be screening two of our films - Rebirth of a Reef and our VRG 50th Documentary.

📍Bioscience 113
🕑 2-2:50pm
📅 Saturday October 18

send these valentines to the ocean lover in your life 🌊

all photos taken by VRG staff

Tomorrow is International Day of Women and Girls in STEM! We want to celebrate by highlighting some of our staff members who keep the lab running.
Clockwise from top left: Jessica Peria (research associate), Chelsea Williams (assistant director), Chestina Craig (research assistant), VRG logo, Juliana Vitagliano (field research assistant), and Zoë Kitchel (postdoctoral scholar).

take a look at some really cool VRG lab history! We recently got a whole batch of slides digitized, over 3,000 photos. Let us know if you see yourself (or a friend / relative) in any of these photos.

The Eaton, Palisades, and other fires have deeply affected the city of Los Angeles and our Occidental community. The Eaton fire in particular has hit incredibly close to home. Kaitlyn Placensia, one of our prior research assistants, lost her family home in the fire. The Placensia family has started a GoFundMe to help with their recovery efforts, and the fundraiser is linked in our bio. Please consider donating and if you are not in a place to donate, please share.

“Hi, My name is Katie Placensia and on January 8th, 2025, my family and I lost our beloved home of 16 years in Altadena due to the Eaton Fire. This wildfire spread very quickly into our community because of the 80 mph winds, and in a panic with the smell of smoke seeping into our home and with no power and WiFi, we packed everything we could and evacuated. With the loss of power and WiFi we truly had no idea how the fire was progressing. We were unable to grab our belongings, and lost everything we had in our home including our three cars.
We are grateful to have our lives and to have made it out safely, but we are hoping to receive some support until to help pay for living expenses and necessities. If you are able to donate to this fund, the proceeds will go directly to my mom (Nicole Placensia).”

Register by October 11th at 5pm through the link in our bio!

The Vantuna Research Group invites alumni, staff, and current students to join us during Homecoming and Family Weekend for an evening of reminiscing, reconnecting and honoring five decades of undergraduate-driven research. Founded in 1974 by Dr. John Stephens, Jr., the VRG program has led the way in serving students, training future marine scientists, and performing ecological and environmental studies throughout the Southern California Bight – including the longest continuous study of rocky reefs in the world. This milestone celebration will be a wonderful opportunity to catch up with old friends, meet current students, and celebrate our shared legacy. Dinner and refreshments will be served. Partners and families are welcome to attend.

Reminder about our anniversary celebration coming up next week as a part of Occidental College Homecoming week! Register by 5pm today (October 11) at the link in our bio!

The Vantuna Research Group invites alumni, staff, and current students to join us during Homecoming and Family Weekend for an evening of reminiscing, reconnecting and honoring five decades of undergraduate-driven research. Founded in 1974 by Dr. John Stephens, Jr., the VRG program has led the way in serving students, training future marine scientists, and performing ecological and environmental studies throughout the Southern California Bight – including the longest continuous study of rocky reefs in the world. This milestone celebration will be a wonderful opportunity to catch up with old friends, meet current students, and celebrate our shared legacy. Dinner and refreshments will be served. Partners and families are welcome to attend

Job Announcement for Environmental Scientist Position: Coastal Wetlands, Watersheds, Coastal and Marine Water Quality and Equity – California Ocean Protection Council Job Announcement for Environmental Scientist Position: Coastal Wetlands, Watersheds, Coastal and Marine Water Quality and Equity The California Ocean Protection Council (OPC) is hiring an Environmental Scientist to help lead its efforts related to coastal wetlands, watersheds, coastal and marine wat...

Our filmmaker friend Shaun Wolfe came out to help us update the film to show off the amazing results at just 18 months after construction.

Here it is, the 2022 update to "Rebirth of a Reef: Palos Verdes Reef Restoration Project"!

(2022 Update!) Rebirth of a Reef: Palos Verdes Reef Restoration Project [18 Months Later] A Film by Shaun Wolfe – updated for 2022 (18 months after construction)!!Palos Verdes Reef------------------------------​​​​The purpose of the Palos Verdes R...

We're hiring! We're looking for a full-time AAUS-certified Research Assistant to assist with our extensive grant-funded field programs. Current projects include assessing the status of southern California artificial reefs, MPA monitoring, fisheries surveys in San Diego Bay, and rocky reef restoration projects. Priority will be given to applications received before March 1, 2022.

Any inquiries about the position can be sent to [email protected]. Please share!

https://www.oxy.edu/sites/default/files/assets/HR/Hourly/vrg_research_assistant_2022_0.pdf

Palos Verdes Reef is featured in this recent story by H20 Radio

Toilets, Streetcars, and Light Poles—A Brief History of Artificial Reefs in Southern California SAN CLEMENTE, Calif.— Off the coast of Southern California on a stretch of ocean midway between Los Angeles and San Diego, I’m with my brother Rod on his sportfishing boat, Second C, for a short tour. I’m riveted to a computer screen onboard—state-of-the-art sonar that’s telling us what we...