neha acharya-patel

marine Debris Technician i

Hometown: Waterloo, Ontario, Canada

Current Residence: Victoria, British Columbia, Canada

Neha is a scientist, a professional diver and a passionate ocean advocate. She has participated in field-based science and SCUBA diving expeditions all over the world with the goal of increasing Ocean understanding and literacy. Being from, and living in Canada she is OBSESSED with cold water and the crazy underrated biodiversity that is found in the Pacific Northwest! She just completed her PhD focused on environmental DNA (eDNA) and its multitude of applications in the marine environment.  She loves genetics, cool marine creatures, and spending time in the water.

Neha did her initial freediving training in Kona in 2019, and has since worked as a freediving instructor in BC, and worked on her own depth/proficiency training in Dominica. She is so stoked to come back to Hawai’i and  join the PMDP team to use these skills for good!