Apple Pui Yi Chui

Prof. Apple Chui, also known as “coral mum,” is a Research Assistant Professor at The Chinese University of Hong Kong, PEW marine fellow, and National Geographic Explorer. She won the GGEF Women Eco Game Changer Award - Eco Star of China 2019. Her research focuses on the impact of climate change on corals in marginal environments like Hong Kong. As a committed science communicator, she founded Coral Academy in 2018, reaching 60 schools and over 30,000 students 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.