Ryan CHIA

Ever since I started SCUBA diving and kayaking at the age of 13, I have been fascinated by the marine world. During my undergraduate studies, I had the privilege of participating in various projects as an intern at NParks. These included the mapping of the Tanah Merah West seagrass meadow, contributing to the Hawksbill turtle recovery programme, organizing the national marine conservation horizon scanning workshop, and participating in long-term monitoring efforts (e.g., Intertidal Watch and TeamSeaGrass). These experiences have instilled in me a profound appreciation for the marine biodiversity and habitats of Singapore, as well as a commitment to protecting them.

Currently, I am a research assistant at EMEL for the Shore Protection with Integrated Nature-based Solutions – Ecology ("SPINS-Eco") project, which aims to optimize conditions for coral, mangrove, seagrass, and macroalgae growth for effective wave attenuation.

Research interests

Marine ecology, ecological engineering, shoreline protection, seagrass ecology