Gu Tianze, a Year 3 undergraduate from the Marine Biotechnology (MBT) programme at the China-ASEAN College of Marine Sciences (CAMS), Xiamen University Malaysia (XMUM), has recently published two peer-reviewed articles, including one in Ocean and Coastal Management, a Q1 journal in the field of oceanography.

"550 days, 78 weeks, 18 months - that's how long this journey lasted," said Gu Tianze when reflecting on his academic growth.

The published article, titled "Utilising coastal blue carbon (CBC) to mitigate the climate crisis: Current status and future analysis of China", systematically evaluated the status of China's major coastal blue carbon (CBC) ecosystems, such as mangroves, salt marshes, and seagrass beds. It found that all three ecosystems have undergone significant historical degradation due to land reclamation and urbanisation.

Despite recent recovery efforts, protection remains insufficient. The study also identified shortcomings in China's legal framework and policy implementation related to CBC conservation and market development. Based on a SWOT analysis, the paper proposed strategic recommendations, including strengthening legislation, clarifying ownership rights, encouraging public participation, and developing blue carbon insurance and financing tools to accelerate CBC conservation and utilisation in China.

This journey began in September 2023, when Gu Tianze and his teammate participated in the 1st "Mindu Jiageng Cup" Chinese University Essay Competition on the Dual-Carbon Strategy and High-End Forum. Their essay, which focused on blue carbon solutions as nature-based strategies to combat climate change, won third prize.

Encouraged by this early success, Gu Tianze took a bold step in October 2023 to transform the award-winning essay into a scientific article suitable for journal submission. He worked under the guidance of Assoc. Prof. Dr. Ng Chuck Chuan, Head of Programme for Marine Environmental Chemistry.

By May 2024, after more than eight rounds of revisions, the manuscript had matured significantly. Throughout this process, Gu Tianze evolved from a newcomer to academic writing into a confident young researcher equipped with the skills and discipline required for scientific publishing.

"Dr. Chuck was incredibly patient - revising, explaining, encouraging. He believed in the idea even when I doubted myself," Gu Tianze shared.

The next challenge was submission. The manuscript faced three desk rejections and a fourth rejection after full peer review. Despite the setbacks, Gu Tianze and Dr. Ng Chuck Chuan persevered. More than half a year had passed since their initial submission.

"It was tough, but we didn't give up," Gu Tianze recalled.

Eventually, the article was accepted and published online in April 2025 in Ocean and Coastal Management, one of the leading journals in its field.

In addition, Gu Tianze collaborated with Dr. Ng Chuck Chuan as the third author on another scientific manuscript. The article, titled "Evaluation of potentially toxic elements (PTEs) contamination in seawater, sediment, and sea snails (Nerita articulata and Cerithidea obtusa) from Kukup Fishing Village, Johor, Malaysia", was recently published in Environmental Monitoring and Assessment, a Q3 journal in the field of environmental sciences.

Gu Tianze expressed deep appreciation for Dr. Ng Chuck Chuan's mentorship, which he credited as a key factor in his development.

"I am sincerely grateful to Dr. Chuck for his unwavering patience, encouragement, and guidance throughout this process. He introduced me to the world of academic writing and believed in me from the very beginning," Gu Tianze said.

Gu Tianze (Left), Assoc. Prof. Dr. Ng Chuck Chuan (Right)