By Amirul Salam Hasan, Corporate Communications Office
A Universiti Malaysia Terengganu (UMT) doctoral student made the country proud after being appointed CoralWatch Asia Ambassador during the CoralWatch Asia Workshop 2026, held in Taiwan from 14 to 17 May.
The student, Ong Chai Kee, is pursuing a Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in Marine Ecology at UMT’s Faculty of Science and Marine Environment. She also received full sponsorship from the Marine Affairs Research Center of the National Kaohsiung University of Science and Technology (NKUST), with support from Taiwan’s Ocean Conservation Administration, to participate in the four-day programme, which brought together participants from across the Asia-Pacific region to strengthen collaboration in coral reef conservation and citizen science.
UMT Vice Chancellor, Professor Ir Ts Dr Mohd Zamri Ibrahim, said the recognition reflects the capability of the university’s young researchers to compete and gain recognition on the international stage.
“This recognition is not only a proud achievement for UMT but also reflects the university’s commitment to nurturing competent, globally competitive young researchers who are able to contribute to international ocean sustainability initiatives,” he said.
“UMT will continue to support the participation of its students and researchers in global collaborative networks that advance marine conservation and sustainable development.”
Ong described the appointment as an encouragement to further expand public awareness of coral reef conservation.
“I am truly grateful for the opportunity to participate in this workshop and to be appointed as a CoralWatch Asia Ambassador. I hope to share the knowledge I have gained with local communities to strengthen awareness of coral reef conservation,” she said.
“I also hope to promote CoralWatch monitoring methods to more Malaysians, encouraging greater public participation in citizen science initiatives to monitor the health of coral reefs in Malaysian waters.”
Program berkenaan dianjurkan oleh The University of Queensland menerusi inisiatif CoralWatch dengan kerjasama Marine Affairs Research Center of National Kaohsiung University of Science and Technology (NKUST), serta disokong oleh Taiwan’s Ocean Conservation Administration dan Ocean Affairs Council.
The CoralWatch Asia Workshop 2026 focused on strengthening coral reef monitoring, advancing citizen science and building capacity for marine conservation across the Asia-Pacific region.
Organised by The University of Queensland through the CoralWatch initiative in collaboration with the Marine Affairs Research Center of the National Kaohsiung University of Science and Technology (NKUST), the programme was supported by Taiwan’s Ocean Conservation Administration and the Ocean Affairs Council.
The workshop brought together participants from the fields of marine science, environmental education, scuba diving, museums, government agencies and environmental organisations from Taiwan, Malaysia, the Philippines, the United States and Finland, reflecting growing international collaboration in protecting marine ecosystems and promoting ocean sustainability.
