21 Jul 2026
From 19–24 July 2026, more than 2,000 coral reef scientists, conservationists and practitioners from 93 countries gathered in Auckland, New Zealand, for the 16th International Coral Reef Symposium (ICRS) — one of the world’s largest gatherings dedicated to coral reef science and conservation.
Our Chief Investigator, K.L. Chew, represented Coralku and presented a five-minute speed talk showcasing her research on coral-algae symbiosis. Millions of microscopic algae live inside the coral's tissue and these algae power the coral's growth and health, and likely play a critical role in the coral's climate resilience. This is why we studied which type of algae is asscociated with specific coral species.
K.L.'s presentation highlighted what is currently one of the largest datasets of coral–algal symbiont associations collected in Malaysia, and what these data can tell us about the relationship between algal symbiont communities and coral bleaching resilience.
The symposium provided an invaluable opportunity to share our work with the international coral reef community, exchange ideas and build new connections with researchers and conservationists working towards a more resilient future for coral reefs.