Apple Pui Yi Chui

Prof. Apple Chui, also known as the “Coral Mum,” is a Research Assistant Professor at The Chinese University of Hong Kong, PEW Marine Fellow, National Geographic Explorer, and advisory board member of the Coral Restoration Consortium. In 2019, she received the GGEF Women Eco Game Changer Award as the Eco Star of China. Her research focuses on the effects of climate change on corals in marginal environments and reef restoration. As a committed science communicator, she founded Coral Academy in 2018, which has reached at least 80 schools, over 30,000 students and teachers, and engaged at least 550,000 members of the public with coral conservation education.

Apple Chui's 2024 Falling Walls Engage Winner Project is Coral Nursery.

The Coral Nursery Education Programme, launched in 2020 with the Hong Kong SAR Government, engages students in coral restoration by turning schools into nurseries. Over 12 months, students culture corals under expert guidance, which are later outplanted into the sea. The programme raises awareness about coral reefs and climate change, fosters connections with marine environments, and promotes conservation through eco-tours, aquarium visits, and community outreach.