Malaysian marine scientist shines a light on seagrass, the unsung hero of the ocean

Ooi and her husband Affendi, a coral reef ecologist, work closely together on research and conservation projects. Photo: Jillian Ooi

Before the pandemic, it was typical for Dr Jillian Ooi to spend up to 10 days every month exploring seagrass meadows off the coast of Johor and its surrounding islands.

An expert on seagrass, the marine scientist and senior lecturer with Universiti Malaya’s Geography Department has been passionate about bringing the little-known marine species to the fore for more than a decade.