The first Coral Live education event took place in January 2015 when it followed the work of the Catlin Seaview Survey in Southeast Asia. The expedition team looked at the fragile habitats and ecosystems of the reef, the impact of human activities, local conservation efforts and the future of the Coral Triangle.

Students aged between seven and 16 were able to meet the scientists working on the expedition via Skype in the classroom. They had the chance to ask anything they wanted, from ‘have you seen a clown fish?’ and ‘what are the main threats to coral reef?’ to questions about what it is like to work as a marine scientist. Over 3,000 students in nine countries learned about the expedition and the science behind the reefs directly from the expedition team in East Timor and scientists based at the University of Queensland, Australia.