Mengli Chen

Mengli Chen is a Research Fellow at the Tropical Marine Science Institute, National University of Singapore, specializing in chemical oceanography. Her work focuses on reconstructing historical marine environmental changes using coral archives to understand biogeochemical cycles and address contemporary ecological challenges in tropical oceans.

Her research spans:

• Chemical Oceanography and paleoenvironmental reconstruction using coral proxies
• Marine biogeochemical cycling of nitrogen, lead, and phosphorus
• Environmental impact assessment of emerging marine technologies like ammonia bunkering
• Development of coral-based nutrient proxies for historical seawater analysis

Current projects investigate ammonia bunkering readiness in Singapore waters, nitrogen isotope variations in South China Sea corals spanning 500+ years, resolution of the oceanic lead paradox through boundary exchange processes, and phosphorus partitioning in coral skeletons as nutrient indicators. Chen collaborates with multidisciplinary teams across academia, government agencies, and industry to translate findings into real-world environmental management strategies for coastal ecosystems.