From washing machines to workshops: A scientist’s quest to save Singapore’s reefs
Beneath the surface of Singapore’s waters lies a hidden world of coral reefs teeming with marine life. However, for many Singaporeans, these underwater gems remain out of sight and out of mind.
Sam Shu Qin, co-founder of Our Singapore Reefs (OSR), is on a mission to bridge the gap between her fellow citizens and the marine ecosystems right in their backyards. Through monthly reef clean-ups with local partners, educational workshops with schools, and volunteer dives she hopes to reconnect her community to their reefs.
Sam’s conservation journey
Sam’s love affair with the ocean began in her childhood, marked by frequent beach visits and a fascination with nature documentaries. This passion led her to pursue a bachelor’s degree in Biological Sciences at Nanyang Technological University. A pivotal internship researching Great White Sharks in South Africa solidified her desire to become a marine biologist.
However, Sam’s path wasn’t without obstacles. Singapore’s limited marine science programs and small scientific community presented challenges. Undeterred, she persevered, securing a position as a Research Assistant at the Tropical Marine Science Institute in 2015 and later becoming a lecturer at the National University of Singapore.
Sam’s research specialises in coral reef restoration in urbanised areas. Through collaborating with other dedicated professionals and frequent reef dives, Sam identified the need for science to be accessible.
“All you see are papers behind paywalls, and you want to make science accessible, not just scientists talking at their level, but it has to flow either upwards to different stakeholders, government agencies and then also downward to the public so we can all work together towards a common cause.”
The disconnect between Singaporeans and their reefs
A big challenge in Singapore is misconception. Poor visibility in coastal waters has led many to assume these areas can’t support diverse marine life. This misconception, coupled with a lack of marine education in schools, has resulted in a disconnect between Singaporeans and their local marine ecosystems.
“Many Singaporeans don’t know that we really have a vast marine biodiversity right here in Singapore,” Sam explains.
“We need Singaporeans to see what’s in our waters. Because once you know what you’re protecting, then you know how to best conserve it.”
Our Singapore Reefs
A turning point came during one of Sam’s regular dives when she discovered a washing machine dumped on a reef, destroying a patch of coral. Sam knew she had to do something, leading to the creation of OSR.
In the beginning, Sam and her co-founder, Dr Toh Tai Chong, conducted informal clean-ups. This slowly evolved into outreach programmes. In 2024, OSR organises reef clean-ups, partners with local organisations, and uses the PADI Aware platform to track and manage marine debris.
Education and outreach
Sam’s work extends beyond reef clean-ups. She facilitates educational workshops with schools and advocates for cleaner reefs in her community. Partnering with The International Sea Keepers Society, an initiative that transforms luxury vessels into floating classrooms, Sam engages children and youths with creative demonstrations of marine concepts. For example, waxing dead coral fragments with bright colours then dunking them in pools of water to demonstrate the concept of coral bleaching.
Sam’s passion for science communication is evident. In her master’s thesis, she explored the barriers and motivations for young scientists engaging in this field. She has observed a concerning trend: there’s currently no formal incentive within the educational system encouraging students to share their research with the public. The onus falls entirely on individual researchers to take the initiative in promoting their work.
Emphasising the importance of communication skills, Sam argues that scientists must develop abilities like public speaking to effectively reach broader audiences.
“A lot of scientists want to write their own papers but would struggle to summarise their research in under three minutes. It’s such a pity if we keep all the scientists in the lab.”
As part of OSR, Sam encourages young volunteers to grow their public speaking skills, providing space for them to talk about their areas of interest at workshops. She also suggests speaking to others in spaces where you feel most comfortable, be it at the water surface or in a local cafe.
Educating the next wave of marine enthusiasts
As part of her community engagement, Sam partnered with One°15 Marina to build their coral garden. Sam adopted the reef as part of her work for OSR in 2022. The pontoon serves as an educational tool, allowing visitors to witness reef progression through walking tours and volunteer diving.
The location creates organic conversations between conservationists and the boating community. Sam sees greater interaction between the two as vital to the health of the reefs.
Future conservationists should start local
For those aspiring conservationists and science communicators, Sam emphasises the importance of taking the initiative and stepping out of one’s comfort zone. She suggests the following:
- Keep it local: Engage with local communities that are passionate about the environment.
- Connect with others: Find people you can connect with and slowly begin to find your tribe.
- Share the load: Work together to support each other and reach common objectives; no battle can be won alone.
“I think it’s very important just to go out there and get to know the people, get involved and also become familiar with the community that are already working so hard, meeting people and also getting to know the marine environment,”
Sam also stresses the value of interdisciplinary approaches to conservation, which provides people with a different perspective when tackling conservation problems.
“Recently, I’ve been working with different scientists. Their expertise is in AI, and they wanted to apply what they know to coral reef surveys. Together, we can all streamline the process; it’s really very collaborative.”
Keep in touch
Want to hear more about Sam and Our Singapore Reefs? You can find out more about Our Singapore Reefs on either the Our Singapore Reefs Facebook page or on Instagram. You can also follow Sam’s personal Instagram.
Interested in a career as a science communicator? You can read more about this career path in this Conservation Communicator role profile.
Author Profile | Laura Hayter
Laura is a creative professional with a Master’s in Marine Systems and Policies, she is driven to combine her passion for writing with ocean conservation. Her focus lies in understanding human relationships with natural environments. As a Sustainability Officer for her local council, Laura applies her expertise daily while pursuing creative writing in her free time. Explore Laura’s portfolio or connect with her on LinkedIn to learn more about her work in marine science and sustainability.