Turning the tide towards better marine conservation

Environmental Studies alumna Crystle WEE is fascinated by anything connected to the ocean, but her main research interests involve coral reef ecology.  As an undergraduate, she took a coral rehabilitation project a step further – to reveal that underwater nurseries do not just provide coral materials for transplanting efforts but also shelter and fodder for marine organisms.

This study yielded insights that have stayed with her – that corals can be given a second lease of life and that a sustainable marine environment is possible even in urbanised coastal areas.

Photographing coral reefs in Singapore’s waters.

She says, “Coral reefs are one of the most important yet threatened ecosystems in the world. I hope that my work plays a small role to conserve their unique biodiversity, the ecosystem services they provide, the coastal communities they support as well as the wondrous sea creatures that rely on them.”

A skilled scientific and certified commercial diver with more than a thousand logged dives under her belt, she has worked on marine research and biodiversity conservation projects in Asia, the Maldives and the United States.

Crystle has a commercial SCUBA license as part of scientific diving standards for reef research.

She previously worked at an environmental consultancy, where she undertook  environmental impact assessments (EIAs) and environmental management and monitoring planning (EMMPs) covering around 60 projects. These projects included large-scale coral relocation, monitoring and restoration work, a mangrove blue carbon and citizen science programme, as well as biodiversity enhancement projects within urban marine environments.

Conducting coral monitoring surveys in Maldives to assess coral health.

Diving in Singapore’s waters to conduct an environmental impact assessment.

Crystle has just completed her MSc in Biodiversity Conservation and Nature-based Climate Solutions offered by the Faculty of Science and is now working at a non-profit organisation that manages and responds to oil spills. She provides technical advice to promote effective responses to global marine pollution events such as oil and chemical spills.

The interdisciplinary BES programme has equipped her with the knowledge to understand complex environmental issues from multiple lenses. She says, “I gained scientific and communication skills, which enable me to effectively advocate for marine conservation.”

A hawksbill turtle hatchling from the Bintan Conservation Lab, Banyan Tree.

Crystle hopes to pursue a PhD in reef ecology eventually.