RGC Postdoctoral Fellow Dr Gonzalo Pérez-Rosales represented the Oceanographic Ecology Lab, Department of Ocean Science at the Hong Kong Laureate Forum 2025 (5–8 November) after being competitively selected as one of 200 Young Scientists from 22 countries and regions.
Dr Pérez-Rosales delivered a talk titled “Diving Deep: New Insights into Mesophotic Coral Ecosystems,” highlighting emerging research on deeper coral habitats, their unique environmental conditions, and their potential to act as climate refuges in a rapidly warming ocean. His presentation introduced new ecological and oceanographic findings from our work in the Coral Triangle and emphasised the urgent need for greater scientific focus on mesophotic coral ecosystems.
The Forum provided a valuable platform for engaging with outstanding early-career researchers across disciplines, and Dr Pérez-Rosales’ talk generated strong interest in the physical–biological dynamics shaping coral resilience.
