Comic-Con 2018

San Diego Comic-Con International is the world’s largest convention devoted to popular culture. Emphasis is traditionally placed on the science fiction, fantasy, and horror genres, but over the decades the convention has expanded its scope to encompass a range of genres and topics in a variety of forms, be it motion pictures, television, print, or digital media.

During the 2018 edition of Comic-Com, “Script to Screen” host Matt Ryan conducted over a dozen interviews with creative talent from television shows such as “The Man in the High Castle,” “Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them,” “Mr. Mercedes,” and “Dear White People” – to name but a sampling – and the acclaimed feature film, “A Quiet Place.” Participants run the gamut from actors, producers, and directors to sound editors and composers. (The two latter professions are often underrepresented in industry profiles, so their presence here is particularly welcome.) Though of course familiarity with the programs is helpful, it’s not essential. The interviews focus less on plot details than on initial reactions to scripts and on preparations for the work at hand, be it acting, directing, or scoring. Put another way, the stress is on the individual artist’s contribution to the craft of collaborative storytelling. In this regard, all of the interviewees acknowledge the quality of the writing as the most critical component of a show’s potential success.

Though the shows and personalities highlighted in this program are necessarily just a small fraction of those on display at Comic-Con, they offer a sense of the depth of talent and narrative diversity currently available to the discerning consumer of popular media.

Watch Comic-Con: 2018

Landing a Job in Engineering

Getting hired is hard. From finding the right position, to getting a call back, to acing the interview – each step presents its own challenge. There is so much advice out there, but who better to listen to than two senior level managers at San Diego companies?

Silvia De Dea from ASML and Janet Koenig from Cubic Transportation Systems sat down with Startup San Diego’s Neal Bloom to share their insights into getting hired, and growing your career. In addition to great technical skills, both agree communication is more important now than ever before. Koenig and De Dea go into detail about how you can show off your communication skills, even if you’re an introvert, by properly preparing for your interview. In this enlightening conversation, the pair also discusses how to advance your career, while staying open to new opportunities.

Watch Getting Hired: A Manager’s Perspective – Career Transitions in Engineering: Insights from the Field

San Diego’s Talent Equation

8232Talent… it’s the key to staying competitive. That’s not just sage advice for some would-be performer auditioning for a plum role. It is a truism that applies to both employees and employers alike as they look to remain competitive in the global marketplace.

The good news is that San Diego has talent in abundance. In its recent study “Talent: Where San Diego Stands,” the San Diego Regional Economic Development Corporation, led by Mark Cafferty, found that the region added more than 72,000 degree holders in 2014 alone, which was more than any other similar metro area. In addition, San Diego ranked second in the growth of degree-holding millennials when compared to such peer metros as Austin, Denver, San Francisco and San Jose.

While that mass of talent is positive for the local economy, it also means that there is plenty of competition when it comes to landing a job.

Join Mark Cafferty and UC San Diego Extension’s Director of Research, Josh Shapiro as they detail what skills are most in demand for the fastest-growing careers both in San Diego and around the nation. Also, see how San Diego stacks up in the talent equation compared to other competitive cities and what that means for the economy and your career.

Watch San Diego’s Talent Equation with Mark Cafferty.

How the Defense and Aerospace Industries Shape San Diego’s Innovation Economy

8232Over the last 30 years, San Diego’s economy has emerged from a primarily military and defense contracting town into one of the leading innovation regions in America.

The term “innovation economy” is often used as an umbrella to capture businesses focused on everything from biotech and environmental applications to defense and wireless communications. They’re also interchangeably referred to as tech companies.

Key to San Diego’s innovation economy and identity are the aerospace and communications sectors, creating markets from drones to next-generation wireless communications. Explore the visionary technology igniting these industries and the implications this growth has to further propel San Diego as a leading global city. This program features nationally celebrated journalist James Fallows of The Atlantic magazine and executives from global technology leaders ViaSat, Solar Turbines and the Center for the Advancement of Science in Space (CASIS).

Watch Innovation Crossroads: From Drones to Cell Phones: How the Defense and Aerospace Industries Shape San Diego’s Innovation Economy.

An Insight on San Diego's Future with Former Mayor Jerry Sanders

25903Osher Lifelong Learning Institute and UC San Diego team up once again to host a special conversation about the social, political, and economic future of San Diego.

A recent episode of the Osher UCSD Distinguished Lecture Series follows Jerry Sanders through a much needed discussion on the health and welfare of San Diego. Now serving as CEO of the San Diego Regional Chamber of Commerce, Sanders possesses a background of distinguished positions, such as the former San Diego Mayor ’05-’12 and Chief of Police ’93-’99. His culmination of knowledge and experience make him abundantly qualified to examine and advise on the growth of America’s finest city. He even has the audience roaring with humorous tales from his long career along the way.

25924Watch A Conversation with Jerry Sanders for his insight on the strengths and weaknesses of San Diego in its mission to maintain the San Diego quality of life.

Be sure to visit Osher UCSD Distinguished Lecture Series for a variety of engaging speakers exploring noteworthy issues.

Join the conversation on Twitter @UCTelevision, #osher