2026 Cohort
This year, interns will be working on projects focused on Crystal Cove State Park’s State Marine Conservation Area (SMCA), including:
- Evaluating tidepool visitor behavior and compliance to help inform future management strategies
- Developing a coastal tar ball monitoring protocol and baseline dataset to support impact assessments following oil spill events
Graduate Interns
Estelle Fisher
Hi, I’m Estelle! I’m currently a graduate student at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, where I work in Dr. Rebecca Stumpf’s lab on chimpanzee conservation research in Uganda. I have a B.S. in Biology and a B.A. in Environmental Studies with a concentration in Conservation Biology from Washington and Lee University, where I completed my senior thesis on oyster restoration in the Chesapeake Bay.
Although I attended high school in Texas, I spent the rest of my childhood living overseas in Oman, Bangladesh, and Malaysia. Growing up internationally and living near the ocean in Malaysia sparked my interest in environmental science and conservation and inspired me to pursue a career helping protect the ecosystems and communities that depend on them.
I’m excited to spend the summer with Crystal Cove Conservancy and California State Parks, gaining hands-on experience in natural resource management and learning from the incredible staff, scientists, and partners involved in this work. As someone hoping to build a long-term career in environmental conservation in California, this opportunity is especially meaningful to me.
Outside of work, I love swimming—I swam competitively in college and have recently started getting into open-water swimming—as well as hiking, reading, and going to concerts. I’m thrilled to be spending the summer at Crystal Cove and look forward to becoming part of the community!
Sandra Dansereau
Hi! I’m Sandra, one of the Graduate Interns this summer! I recently graduated from Cal Poly Pomona with my master’s degree in Biology, specifically conducting rocky intertidal research. My thesis project examined the impacts of human trampling on two sea anemone species in the rocky intertidal zone at Royal Palms State Beach. I am part of the tide pool team this summer, and I am excited to get to work with everyone at the Crystal Cove Conservancy, State Parks, and local organizations!
Undergraduate Interns
Evan Yoon
My name is Evan Yoon and I am a rising senior at UC San Diego majoring in Marine Biology. I’ve loved the ocean since I was a child, and plan to pursue a career in marine conservation and environmental policy. A recent field semester in Australia reaffirmed my passion for fieldwork and conservation. In my free time I enjoy birdwatching, tide pooling, and photography. I’m very excited to be working with Crystal Cove Conservancy and State Park this summer, and ready to apply what I’ve learned in the classroom to real-world conservation work.
Skye Ramos
My name is Skye Ramos, I’m currently a rising senior at the University of California, Irvine majoring in Ecology and Evolutionary Biology with a minor in Archaeology and plans to pursue a career in marine conservation. In my free time I enjoy hiking, going to concerts, watching scary movies, and reading. I’ve always adored the environment and wanted to pursue a career in conservation but recently I completed the California Ecology and Conservation program, a 50 day field program that gave me hands-on research experience solidfying my aspirations of pursuing a career in field research. I’m very excited to work with California State Parks and the Crystal Cove Conservancy on creating a volunteer research program for tar ball monitoring!
Angeles Rios
Angeles Rios is a recent graduate from UC San Diego with a B.S. in Marine Biology and a B.A. in Latin American Studies. As a Natural Resource summer intern at the Crystal Cove Conservancy, they will help develop strategies to increase visitor compliance at tidepools within local Marine Protected Areas. She hopes to learn more about career pathways in resource management and how local and state organizations promote environmental equity in their work. Born and raised in South Central Los Angeles, they are passionate about connecting local communities to the coastal environment and inspiring youth to explore science. In their free time, Angeles enjoys crocheting, drawing, and spending time with friends and family.