Dr. Asha De Vos

Dr. Asha De Vos holds the distinction of being the first and only Sri Lankan to achieve a Ph.D. in marine mammal research, a foundational credential that led her to establish the Sri Lankan Blue Whale Project in 2008. This groundbreaking initiative marked the first long-term study of blue whales in the northern Indian Ocean, culminating in her discovery of a unique, non-migratory population residing year-round in Sri Lankan waters.

This significant finding prompted the International Whaling Commission to designate Sri Lankan blue whales as a species requiring urgent conservation research, leading to crucial collaboration with the Sri Lankan government to address whale ship strikes. Dr. De Vos is an invited member of the IUCN Species Survival Commission’s Cetacean Specialist Group and previously served as a senior program officer in the marine and coastal unit of the International Union for Conservation of Nature. Continuing her impactful work, Dr.

De Vos is also a Senior TED Fellow, a Duke University Global Fellow in Marine Conservation, and a Young Global Leader for the World Economic Forum, underscoring her significant contributions to marine science and conservation on a global scale. Most recently, Dr. De Vos was honored as a Laureate of the Asian Scientist 100 in 2023. As a distinguished marine biologist and ocean educator, she continues to pioneer critical blue whale research in the Northern Indian Ocean, while tirelessly advocating for locally-led conservation efforts that empower communities and ensure the long-term health of marine ecosystems worldwide.