'Super coral' scientist dies in Hawaii at age 56

Pioneering coral reef scientist Ruth Gates, who dedicated much of her career to saving the world's fragile and deteriorating underwater reef ecosystems, has died. She was 56.

Gates died in Honolulu on Thursday, the University of Hawaii said Tuesday.

The researcher, also the president of the International Society for Reef Studies, was diagnosed with brain cancer in May and had been on medical leave since.

Gates became known globally for her idea to speed up coral evolution and create more resilient reefs.

The Associated Press first wrote about her project to breed "super coral " in 2015. Her goal was to develop coral that could withstand the devastating effects of climate change. Her work was featured in the 2017 Netflix documentary "Chasing Coral."
"She was intelligent, professional and had a wonderful sense of humour," Van Oppen told the AP in an email. "She was a great ambassador for the reef and a role model for women in coral reef science."
"Her enthusiasm was contagious, and she absolutely loved what she did. Her loss will be felt deeply within our own community and throughout the broader research community."
"Ruth Gates realized before most others that for corals to survive climate change, their adaptation to warming waters will have to be assisted," said Lauren Kickham, director of product management at Paul G. Allen Philanthropies. "She believed in their resilience and ultimately offered hope for the future."