Big Bang | Next Wave Dessert Reception

Enjoy an exclusive fete with delectable drinks, delightful desserts, and music and dancing hosted by DJ Toy.

Plus, enjoy a special Fireside Chat with the Academy's pioneering Hope for Reefs scientists, Elora López-Nandam and Alison Gould, at the forefront of ocean conservation and discovery. Elora López-Nandam, PhD, was recently recognized as a 2022 Forbes 30 Under 30 for her research on coral resilience to climate change. Alison Gould is a research scientist, exploring a bioluminescent symbiosis between coral reef fish and luminous bacteria.

We look forward to sharing this memorable evening with you.

Please note, this event is ages 21+.

About Hope for Reefs:

Coral reefs support 25 percent of all marine life—and the livelihoods of half a billion humans. Hope for Reefs is a major Academy initiative aiming to reverse the rapid decline of Earth’s reefs in this generation.

In Phase I of Hope for Reefs, launched in 2016, Academy scientists and partners worked tirelessly to understand, protect, and restore global reefs. We were the first to explore some of the Earth’s most little-known “twilight zone” reefs 100-500 feet below the ocean’s surface. We made breakthroughs with the first aquarium-based coral spawning laboratory in the US and piloted innovative conservation strategies. And we touched hearts and minds around the world with inspiring, urgent stories about coral reefs through award-winning exhibits and planetarium shows.

In Phase II, we will go much further, taking this critical work to scale and creating powerful pathways—biodiversity science, environmental learning, and collaborative engagement—to set reefs on a trajectory of resilience and regeneration in our fast-changing world.

About Alison Gould, PhD:

Dr. Gould is a Research Scientist and the recipient of the NIH Director’s Early Independence Award for her research on bioluminescent symbiosis. At the California Academy of Sciences she is investigating a group of coral reef fish and their association with luminous bacteria to shed new light on the critical yet often complex relationship between animals and beneficial bacteria.

About Elora López-Nandam, PhD:

Academy coral biologist Elora López-Nandam has been recognized as a 2022 Forbes 30 Under 30 scientist for her research at the Academy’s Spawning Lab on breeding corals for conservation purposes. Her work is part of the Academy's Hope for Reefs initiative, aimed at reversing the rapid decline of Earth’s coral reefs in this generation.

About DJ TOY:

DJ TOY, aka Allyson Toy, is a Bay Area born DJ and music tech professional who came of age between NYC and Shanghai. Toy is a classically trained pianist and has been DJing for 15 years, lending her skills to brands including W Hotels, Alexander McQueen, Nobu, and Samsung and performing globally in Tokyo, Paris, Bangkok, Shanghai, and many more. Toy is the co-founder of LIONS SHARE, a creative community and music podcast on a mission to empower emerging Asian artists, and by day works at Twitch leading music community initiatives and the company’s Asian employee resource group. Toy’s greatest passionate is bringing people of different backgrounds together through music.