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3 | W aterloo C hronicle | T hursday,A pril 11,2019 w aterloochronicle.ca Business owners: Pay less tax Are you taking full advantage of often missed tax minimization strategies for successful business owners? Talk to us today about a complimentary tax check-up for your business and you could pay less tax. ™Trademarks owned by IGM Financial Inc. and licensed to its subsidiary corporations. MP1124 (03/2012) Investors Group Financial Services Inc. Russ McEachnie CFP, CPCA, CDFA, RRC Principal (519) 886-2360 ext. 6241 • 1-888-886-2360 ext. 6241 russell.mceachnie@igprivatewealth.com • www.russmceachnie.com Neha Acharya-Patel is about to embark on a year- long underwater diving journey around the world on the backing of a presti- gious scholarship. The scuba diver, who grew up in Waterloo, was the first Canadian to be awarded the North Ameri- can Rolex Our World-Un- derwater Scholarship Soci- ety scholarship back in Feb- ruary, which is worth $25,000 over the course of the year. Acharya-Patel was granted the scholarship of the back of exemplary re- search and work in the sci- entific diving industry. For the last two years, the 24-year-old, who now re- sides in Quadra Island in Central British Columbia, has worked as a scientific diver and technician for Ha- kai Research Institute, part of the Tula Foundation. The institute conducts scientific research on remote areas in the coastal margins of B.C. "I was pretty excited about it," said Acharya-Pa- tel in a phone call with the Waterloo Chronicle April 3, adding, "I thought there would have already been a Canadian scholar, because it's an integral part of North America. I feel pretty ho- noured to be the first, and hopefully I'll represent properly." While having enjoyed previous diving expeditions in Colombia, Malawi, India, Nicaragua, and the Canary Islands, Acharya-Patel looks forward to a year of exciting new experiences across the globe. Acharya-Patel was actu- ally in Mumbai, India back in February when she re- ceived the good news. Via Skype, she completed the interview component of the application process, includ- ing personal statements and evidence of significant diving experience. "They called me back on an Indian phone, and I couldn't hear anything, but I figured by the tone of their voice, it was a good call," said Acharya-Patel, whose has reached a 45 metre depth in her expedition in the past. Her journey begins the week of April 10 with an awards banquet in New York City. Also on the dock- et is a three-day trip to Cali- fornia, visiting hyberbaric chambers in North Caroli- na and taking a photogra- phy trip to the Philippines. "It's basically built for a young person starting their career," said Acharya-Patel of the scholarship, adding that one of the require- ments is the scholar doesn't own a graduate degree while the funding is target- ed towards those exploring a career in diving. While she's unsure if she'll get there this year, she is particularly ambitious to explore the Revillagigedo Islands, a group of volcanic islands off the coast of Cabo. "That's probably the place I'd like to dive the most," she said. After graduating from Cameron Heights Colle- giate Institute in Kitchener, Acharya-Patel moved to B.C. to pursue a bachelor of science in biology at the University of British Co- lumbia (UBC), with a spe- cialization in marine biolo- gy. Her first dive was at a "dive park" in Kitchener where she swam around the 'wrecks' of old refrigerators and toilets. In B.C., she was diving in much more appealing wa- ters. The most interesting areas she's seen are shallow kelp beds, among the most dynamic ecosystems on Earth. She also spent five months in Malawi in 2016 where she dove in lakes, and swam with cichlid fish, which are particularly di- verse in Africa and "depict evolution in an awesome way," as described by Acharya-Patel. WATERLOO SCUBA DIVER EMBARKING ON YEAR-LONG UNDERWATER JOURNEY Neha Acharya-Patel of the Hakai Institute in B.C. is the North American Rolex Scholar, which gives her a total of $25,000 for the next year to explore underwater areas all around the world. Grant Callegari/Hakai Institute NAMISH MODI nmodi@waterloo chronicle.ca COMMUNITY