Laurence McCook

Laurence McCook holds academic titles as Adjunct Professorial Research Fellow at the ARC Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies and Visiting Professor at Hasanuddin University. He currently serves as Director of Oceans Conservation at WWF Hong Kong, focusing on marine biodiversity protection and sustainable fisheries. Previously, he held roles including President’s International Visiting Professorial Fellow at the Chinese Academy of Sciences (South China Sea Institute of Oceanology) and Senior Advisor to Conservation International’s Indonesia Marine Program. His career spans over 35 years in coral reef ecology and management, working across Australia, China, Indonesia, and tropical regions globally.

Education: B.Sc. (1984) from Australian National University, Canberra; Ph.D. (1992) in marine ecology and resilience from Dalhousie University, Canada. His research integrates ecological science with policy, emphasizing adaptive management for reef resilience, marine reserve design, and bridging environmental-economic values to engage corporate sectors. He has led projects synthesizing dredging impacts on the Great Barrier Reef (GBR) and developed management frameworks for coral reef reserves like Sanya Bay in China.

• Key research interests: Coral reef resilience mechanisms, climate change mitigation strategies, marine reserve effectiveness, ecological recovery post-disturbance, and stakeholder engagement in conservation
• Interdisciplinary work includes coral reef dynamics, water quality management, and ecosystem service valuation
• Advocates for science-based policy solutions to address pollution, overfishing, and shifting baselines in reef ecosystems

Notable contributions include the 2020 Emergency Action Plan for Chinese white dolphins and the 2015 study on CMSP priorities. He has advised governments on GBR management and participated in transdisciplinary projects like the 2014/15 dredging impact synthesis. Media engagements highlight his public advocacy for ocean stewardship through WWF-Hong Kong’s initiatives.

• Grants & Funding: Collaborated with ARC Centre of Excellence, WWF, and Conservation International on major conservation projects
• Advisory Work: Involved with WWF-China, Guanxi provincial government, and Indonesian marine programs

Labs/Teams: Active in WWF Hong Kong’s Oceans Conservation team and works with research networks at Chinese Academy of Sciences and GBRMPA. His work emphasizes integrative approaches combining community participation, policy development, and corporate partnerships to achieve conservation goals.