Senior Professor Deepthi Wickramasinghe, an environmental scientist based at the University of Colombo, Sri Lanka, has made significant contributions over the course of 25 years in the fields of disaster risk reduction, water studies, biodiversity, and women’s studies.

A pioneering academic, she initiated Sri Lanka’s first external degree in environment and served as the 2010 President of the Institute of Biology, Sri Lanka. Actively engaged in water sector committees and as a South Asian Regional Council member of the Global Water Partnership, she is involved in the SAADRI program in the SA region, emphasizing regional development. Holder of a split Ph.D. in Conservation Biology from Dalhousie University, Canada, and the University of Colombo, she has earned numerous awards for research and outreach. Beyond academia, Professor Wickramasinghe excels in guiding undergraduates’ career development and fostering soft skills, contributing to the holistic growth of the next generation. Her dedication extends to community outreach, capacity building in conservation and promoting citizen science.