Part of a larger ecosystem

It’s a memory she carries to this day: a chance encounter with an eagle ray, the two of them swimming side-by-side through the turquoise water. Though brief, that moment of connection left a young Pleng Kruesopon with a deep appreciation for marine life and a lasting commitment to environmental stewardship.

Pleng grew up an avid diver in Bangkok, Thailand, learning about the significance and vulnerability of marine ecosystems on frequent trips at sea. She felt both a reverence for the natural environments she saw and a growing concern over signs of human-caused damage. Inspired by these scenes, Pleng wanted her peers to be able to experience the same sense of wonder and urgency to protect the ocean.

“Realizing the lack of opportunity for youth to contribute to conservation efforts made me want to start an initiative that involved young people in hands-on restoration experiences,” she said.

“The hardest part about environmental conservation is getting people to care. But if you can tangibly see and feel the impact of your work, you’re more likely to care about the environment.”

Pleng decided to focus her efforts on protecting coral reefs, which are home to 25 percent of all marine life and sustain more than half a billion human livelihoods. In high school, she founded Care for Coral, an organization that invites young people to participate in immersive coral restoration projects while learning about marine science. Since 2020, Care for Coral has engaged hundreds of Thai youth in educational workshops, coral planting dive trips, and ocean and river cleanups.

When she left home to attend Stanford, Pleng worried that her work with the organization would have to end. But she found that the opposite was true: Experiences on campus allowed her to expand her impact even more. Not only has Pleng been able to continue leading Care for Coral – in partnership with her younger sister, who manages operations in Thailand – but she has also deepened her involvement in broader environmental research and advocacy.

Pleng has supported several courses in the Oceans Department as a teaching assistant, and over the summer she conducted research at the Stanford Doerr School of Sustainability’s Hopkins Marine Station on equitable policies for marine protected areas. She also worked with oceans Professor Larry Crowder to publish an academic paper in npj Ocean Sustainability about how Care for Coral’s approach can be adopted as a model to increase youth environmental literacy and action around the world.

“Being at Stanford has offered so many opportunities and connected me with people who continue to inspire me,” she said.

In particular, Pleng’s experiences have helped solidify an interest in environmental policy, which she is drawn to because of its potential to “create an impact that’s more concrete and broad-reaching.”

Combining her two passions, she chose to pursue a major in political science from the School of Humanities and Sciences and a minor in sustainability through the Earth Systems Program. She hopes to continue supporting direct action and education through Care for Coral while also having a more widespread influence in the policy and legal sectors.

Environmental stewardship in its many forms – from teaching and research to political leadership and community engagement – has continued to inspire Pleng. Like her experience with the eagle ray, it fosters a sense of kinship and collective impact, or “a feeling that you’re part of a bigger ecosystem,” she said.

“I love that connection you feel with something that’s greater than yourself.”