The United Nations Agenda for Sustainable Development has dedicated one of the marine focused sustainable development goals to, “prevent and significantly reduce marine pollution of all kinds” (SDG 14.1). Additionally, the UN Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development (2021-2030) has dedicated one of its seven Ocean Outcomes to addressing marine pollution as “A Clean Ocean: in which the sources of pollution are identified and removed”. To “understand and beat marine pollution” as encouraged by the Ocean Decade agenda, we will require collaborative and transdisciplinary approaches. Early Career Ocean Professionals (ECOPs) are emerging global leaders in this research space. This presentation will present a portfolio of research from diverse groups of ECOP voices working in marine pollution. These large interdisciplinary projects include examples from the Ocean Plastics Workshop, ECOP Programme, and the Future Seas project. Each example will highlight the various barriers to ECOP inclusion in marine pollution research, capacity building suggestions for research groups and institutions, and explore the stakeholder engagement process in this research space. This presentation will ultimately highlight (i) the role of scientists in a multi-stakeholder project?; (ii) how ECOPs should communicate with other stakeholders?; and (iii) which stakeholders are missing in collaborative projects and why?