Events

On August 19, a full audience of sponsors and community members was entertained by the sensational sounds of the San Diego Symphony, led by conductor Sean O’Loughlin, together with special guest Jennifer Hudson, at the 27th annual Symphony at Salk.

The concert under the stars featured a mix of classical and Broadway numbers performed by the San Diego Symphony and other popular songs by Hudson, a two-time GRAMMY^® Award-winning recording artist, Academy Award-winning actress, and Tony and Emmy Award-winning producer. The evening opened with a spectacular sunset over the Pacific Ocean and ended with the crowd on its feet, dancing and singing along with Hudson.

Throughout the night, attendees also helped celebrate the 50th anniversary of Salk’s Cancer Center and the many life-changing discoveries its researchers have produced over these decades, and learned about Salk’s Campaign for Discovery, a seven-year, $750 million effort to attract the people and acquire the technology and space necessary to expand and accelerate Salk’s discoveries for decades to come.

The event was dedicated to the Institute’s dear friend Françoise Gilot, who died earlier this year. Gilot was an icon in the art world, wife of the Institute’s late founder Jonas Salk, and honorary chair of Symphony at Salk since its inception.

The night was a great success thanks to Salk’s many generous sponsors, who help to continue the bold work Salk scientists pursue every day in their efforts to make the world a healthier place to live.

In honor of Pride Month in June, the Salk Pride Society hosted a celebration on campus with rainbow-colored drinks and food, games, and Pride trivia. Salk scientists and staff also joined the greater San Diego community on July 15 and 16, hosting a booth at the San Diego Pride Festival. Booth visitors had the opportunity to spin the wheel of prizes and learn more about the Institute.

As part of National Postdoc Appreciation Week (September 18-22), the Society of Research Fellows held an engaging discussion with a panel of alumni who had completed their postdoctoral training at the Institute before following a variety of career paths. The panel featured Maya Capelson, associate professor at San Diego State University; Lawrence Fourgeaud, principal scientist at The Janssen Pharmaceutical Companies of Johnson & Johnson; Fangjian Gao, senior scientist at Odyssey Therapeutics; and Amir Zarrinpar, associate professor and gastroenterologist at UC San Diego. Later in the week, alumni attended a baseball game together at Petco Park. The group cheered for the San Diego Padres on September 19 as they took on the Colorado Rockies, watching the Friars ultimately win on a walk-off home run.

Salk’s picnic featured a beautiful, sunny day full of games, good food, and even better community shared between scientists, staff, trainees, and their families on July 21. Held on the Institute’s North Lawn, the festivities included volleyball, corn hole, and table tennis tournaments, with winners of each crowned by the end of the day. An annual event, the Salk picnic is always a great reminder of what makes the Institute so special: the people.

The Black Association at Salk hosted the Institute’s third annual Juneteenth celebration in the Eucalyptus Grove. The gathering provided an opportunity for the Salk community to appreciate the significance and history of this holiday, foster community, and share delicious food from local Black-owned businesses.