Affendi Yang Amri is a Research Officer at the Institute of Ocean and Earth Sciences, Universiti Malaya, with over 30 years of experience in coral reef ecology and the ecophysiology of hard corals (Scleractinia). His work spans fundamental and applied research on mass coral bleaching, reef connectivity, and the functioning of linked mangrove–seagrass–coral reef systems, with outputs that directly inform marine protected area design and climate adaptation strategies in Malaysia and the wider East Asian Seas. He has led and contributed to numerous national and international projects and technical reports, advised government agencies and NGOs, and currently serves as President of the Malaysian Society of Marine Sciences and Country Co-coordinator for the Global Coral Reef Monitoring Network (GCRMN) East Asia. Affendi has an extensive publication record in high-impact journals and regional syntheses, and is recognized through multiple awards for scientific excellence and service, underscoring his role as a key reference point for coral reef science and conservation in the region.