Dr. Arvind Lali (Head, Centre for Energy Bio-Sciences, Institute of Chemical Technology, Mumbai University), Dr. D. K. Tuli (CEO & Manager, India Oil Corporation, Research & Development Center), and Mr. Ravikumar Rao (Chief Technologist, Praj Matrix Innovation Centre) spent the last week in October visiting algae research operations throughout the United States researching opportunities for collaboration between the Indian government and U. S. private companies and universities.

While in San Diego, they presented a broad overview of the development of algae research in India, and their plans for the future to a group assembled at Sumner Auditorium at the Scripps Institution of Oceanography on October 26^th as part of the Scripps Algae Commercialization Seminar Series.

The next day the group was lead by Dr. Greg Mitchell out to the Imperial Valley to get a firsthand look at a variety of commercial algae operations. Stops included the Sony Bono Wildlife Reserve to allow for a discussion of the importance of the Salton Sea in the burgeoning local algae economy. That was followed by visits to the SD-CAB Research / Biolight / Carbon Capture Facility and a trip to Sun Eco. The trip concluded with a meeting with local Imperial Valley officials including the Imperial Valley Economic Development Corporation, the Imperial Valley Planning Commission, and the Imperial Valley Irrigation District.