Dr. Ponnampalam is the co-founder of The MareCet Research, Malaysia's pioneering non-profit NGO dedicated to the research and conservation of marine mammals. Pronounced ma-rei-set, a combination of the Latin word “mar” for sea and Cetacean, the scientific grouping of whales, dolphins and porpoises, the organisation is the Cetacean ecologist’s realisation of a childhood dream to protect the rich biodiversity beneath our waters. Ten years into its conception, MareCet has become a recognised leader in marine conservation. Over the past decade, it has established four research projects across Malaysia and engaged over 4,000 students through outreach and education. In 2019, MareCet's findings led to the recognition of three field research sites as Important Marine Mammal Areas by the International Union for Conservation of Nature.