Nurzahirah Kamarudin is a PHD Student at Universiti Malaysia Terengganu studying Mesophotic reef hard corals, endosymbiont algae diversity and their adaptation.
Interview:
Give an elevator pitch of what your projects are about:
Mainly, my project is focusing on mesophotic reef, specifically hard corals and their endosymbiont algae.
Why is this project important and timely?
Research on mesophotic reefs are limited, and none in my country, Malaysia. Upon climate change issues, coral reefs are being threatened and degrading across the world. Hence understanding the community of zooxanthellae is crucial as it may give answer whether adaptation of zooxanthellae in deeper reef might be one of the potential cause of shallow coral reef survival by moving to deeper depth.
What is the broader impact and implication of your work?
Have better understanding in adaptation of hard corals, may do restoration at deeper depth,
How did you come to work in this field?
I have been involving with marine biology works since undergraduate study. And pursue my Master and work as Research Assistant also in marine biology field, involving coral threats, coral restoration, citizen scientist, coral reproduction and others. Heard about mesophotic reef but not popular in my country, no report nor data available, hence pick my interest on diving into this new field here. Perhaps we could provide baseline data on mesophotic here and next step on this reef can be continue.
What is your top graduate school life hack or survival resource?
Having visions to be an expertise in marine biology field, and supports from family and supervisor.
Do you have other research interests? What are they?
Coral diseases, coral reproduction, coral threats, coral ecology.
To contact Miss Kamarudin:
E-mail – nurzahirah.mks12.13@gmail.com | Instagram – @nur_salju | Facebook – @nur.salju.7
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