AHSC Intern Stories: Emily Ramirez at Clean Oceans International
Interning at Clean Oceans International (COI) as the Social Media and Outreach Intern, Emily Ramirez, a recent UC Santa Cruz graduate with a B.A. in Film and Digital Media, brings a unique blend of creativity, communication skills, and environmental passion to COI’s mission. With interests spanning film, analog photography, and ocean-inspired oil painting, Emily found a natural home at COI whose mission aligns closely with her artistic and personal values.
Clean Oceans International began as a grassroots effort in 2008, sparked by a firsthand encounter with the alarming scale of plastic pollution during a voyage through the Panama Canal. Originally launched as The Clean Oceans Project, the initiative focused on developing efficient, low-impact systems for locating, collecting, and recycling ocean plastic. In 2015, this vision expanded into Clean Oceans International, emphasizing science-driven innovation and Portable Plastic Waste Conversion (PPWC) systems. Today, COI continues to champion practical, community-based solutions that reduce plastic pollution worldwide.
At COI, Emily plays a key role in communicating this mission to the public. She creates social media content, writes platform-specific captions, reaches out to partner organizations about upcoming events, and assists with a variety of office projects that keep outreach efforts running smoothly. What Emily enjoys most about her internship is working alongside a team deeply committed to ocean protection and being able to contribute her creative strengths to amplify that work.
Her time at COI has taught her valuable lessons in environmental communication, nonprofit outreach, and community engagement. She’s gained an inside look at the strategic and logistical work required to run an effective environmental nonprofit — and how strong storytelling can mobilize support and inspire action.
Emily’s internship was made possible through the AHSC Internship Program, which connects students with local organizations to gain hands-on professional experience while supporting impactful, community-driven work across Santa Cruz County.
