Hong Kong Stories - Inventors in Hong Kong：Head to the Ocean! Coral Mama!

From childhood adventures of fishing and crabbing with her parents and older brother to diving and conserving nature with her research team, Dr Chui Pui-yi, a Research Assistant Professor of School of Life Sciences at CUHK, is driven by a deep love for the ocean. She dedicates herself to studying the restoration and cultivation of local corals, with the aim of reviving the vibrant colors of Hong Kong's underwater world.
With a seamless blend of wetsuits and lab coats, oxygen tanks, and microscopes, Dr Chui and her passionate young research team took part on a groundbreaking mission.
After successfully achieving Hong Kong's first artificial sexual reproduction of corals, they now delve into innovative techniques to unravel the secrets of coral growth mechanisms.

Corals are extremely sensitive to their living environment and have an exceptionally slow growth rate. Overcoming these hurdles requires passion and perseverance. The research team works tirelessly day and night, disregarding weather conditions. Drawing from international experiences and utilising advanced instruments, they have made significant breakthroughs in recent years, witnessing the gradual success of their restoration project.

"Corals need to be tough!" "Grow faster, corals!" With a maternal concern evident in her care for the baby corals, Dr Chui is also a mother herself. Balancing the demanding task of nurturing her juvenile corals with the nighttime anticipation of her two-year-old child waiting for her at home, Dr Chiu constantly contemplates the choices she faces as a woman.

In the face of global warming and the consequences of extreme weather events, rising water temperatures and powerful typhoons pose a threat to the critical threshold for coral survival. The team collaborates with various stakeholders, rallying support even from the smallest of water tanks, in their determined efforts to strengthen local coral restoration. However, the future of conservation endeavors remains challenging, with increasing difficulties worldwide. "Coral Mama" Dr Chui and her companions tirelessly guard the ocean, witnessing not only the growth of corals but also their own personal transformation amid the ebb and flow of tides.