Research on coral reproduction and crocheting for marine conservation
Hi everyone, my name is Sze Hoon but you can also call me Gan. I hail from Klang, Selangor but I have been working in Sabah since 2011. It all started with my internship with Reef Guardian in Lankayan Island, Sabah, in 2011 to fulfill a requirement for my bachelor’s degree in marine biology. There, I was responsible for the sea turtle and seagrass monitoring program and performed underwater Reef Check surveys (I am a certified Reef Check Malaysia’s Ecodiver). Upon my graduation from Universiti Malaysia Terengganu that year, I continued to work there as a research assistant for 3 more years. I co-started the ‘Adopt-A-Nest’ program there and also assisted in radar operation to monitor boat traffic and sea patrol for MPA enforcement.
Later I joined the team at the Marine Ecology Research Centre at Gayana Marine Resort, Gaya Island, as a marine biologist. Most of the time, I cultured phytoplankton which are live feed to giant clam larvae and briefed tourists on marine-related information. I also assisted in giant clam spawning, seagrass propagation and other culturing projects. I was also a hatchery technician at a fish farm in Tuaran, Sabah at one point, where I assisted in indoor fish larval rearing.
While I was working in Lankayan, I witnessed my first ever coral spawning event during a night dive. This spurred me to pursue my master’s degree in marine science at Universiti Malaysia Sabah doing research on the sexual reproduction of hard corals. My research will be the first ever scientifically documented coral spawning record in Sabah which is very exciting.
During my free time, I enjoy reading, hiking and crocheting. I enjoy the sense of calmness brought on by doing something repetitively. As my friend once said, “This is so you!” (she is referring to my crocheting hobby.) Amigurumi is the Japanese art of knitted/crocheted stuffed dolls. It was the reason why I decided to learn to crochet. My interest in the marine world is apparent in some of crocheting projects, e.g. squid, nudibranchs, whale sharks, seahorses, box fish and dugong! Some of my crochet works are made to order in my Etsy shop and you can also view them on my Facebook and Instagram pages, Simply Hooked Handmade. Previously, I have set up booths at the ICOMSA UMS 2019 conference at Sutera Harbour Resort and the Malaysian Dive Expo 2020 in Kuala Lumpur.
