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The Our World-Underwater Scholarship Society's 2017-2018 Rolex Scholars

| Published On July 17, 2017
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The Our World-Underwater Scholarship Society's 2017-2018 Rolex Scholars

2017 Rolex scholar Mae Dorricott

Mae Dorricott, 2017 European Rolex Scholar

Courtesy Our World-Underwater Scholarship Society

European Rolex Scholar: Mae Dorricott

University: Plymouth University

Major: Marine Biology

Dorricott fell in love with the water at a young age while visiting family in Malaysia and fanned the flames at 12 by earning a dive certification. It all snowballed from there — including a stop in Mexico, where she took part in a conservation program and became a divemaster. Now, Dorricott is pursuing her master’s in scientific communication, and she hopes to use that passion to reconnect others with the sea.


2017 Rolex Scholar Leah Potts

Leah Potts, 2017 North American Rolex Scholar

Courtesy Our World-Underwater Scholarship Society

North American Rolex Scholar: Leah Potts

University: University of Florida

Major: Agriculture and Biological Engineering

Potts’ love for diving was born on a vacation in the U.S. Virgin Islands, but it’s been bred in the caves of north Florida. Potts — who also served as the president of her dive club in college, worked as a divemaster in the Florida Keys and completed a research internship with Divers Alert Network — wants to make the underwater world safer and more accessible through education and exploration.

2017 Rolex Scholar Melinda Brown

Melinda Brown, 2017 Australasian Rolex Scholar

Courtesy Our World-Underwater Scholarship Society

Australasian Rolex Scholar: Melinda Brown

University: University of Newcastle

Major: Marine science, Ecosystems and Biodiversity

Born near the coast, in Newcastle, Australia, Brown has always had a connection with the sea. Her passion led her to volunteer with organizations that focus on cetacean rescue and marine conservation and stints working with turtles abroad in the Maldives and Costa Rica. Brown helped the Taronga Conservation Society Australia carry out research with sharks and sea lions, and now hopes to focus on cetacean research and coral rehabilitation.