Dr. Asha de Vos

OCEANS’ CHAMP

Sri Lanka’s award-winning marine research trailblazer

It goes without saying that she has blazed a trail in the field of marine research, and turned the spotlight fairly and squarely on a mammal species that is well worth the attention. A commitment to increasing awareness on northern Indian Ocean blue whales and inspiring the next generation of marine biologists make for a genuine scientist role model.

When she won LMD’s coveted 24th Sri Lankan Of The Year (a.k.a. SLOTY) award in 2018, we noted that “the likes of sporting and civil society icons, industrialists and prominent policy makers typically hog the limelight for having placed the national interest above all else… Such individuals are also hailed for setting new benchmarks and inspiring future generations to contribute towards the country’s progress. This in fact, is the basis for LMD’s annual nomination for the prized accolade.”

And we continued: “But despite the mega efforts that make for what are often pioneering endeavours, those from among the academic or scientific communities tend to languish within the ranks of unsung national heroes. Indeed, it takes years of striving towards a goal for them to gain the recognition they richly deserve.”

“Fuelled by an innate curiosity and interest in all that surrounds them, the scientific researchers among us are also often unafraid to go against the grain to posit theories and models that never cease to astound lay members of society. In such a milieu, Dr. Asha de Vos has gained traction for championing the cause of one of the most overlooked members of the natural environment – our ocean giants,” LMD’s December 2018 edition surmised.

A Sri Lankan marine biologist, ocean educator and pioneer of blue whale research in the northern Indian Ocean, de Vos refers to the population of blue whales in Sri Lankan waters as ‘unorthodox whales’ because through many years of research, her work has revealed that they are simply different.

And while she holds a number of academic qualifications in her field of expertise, Asha bypassed academia to establish Oceanswell – Sri Lanka’s first marine conservation research and education nonprofit.

The Sri Lankan Blue Whale Project, which commenced in 2008, is the first long-term study on blue whales in this region – it is Oceanswell’s flagship project. And the research conducted through this project has led to many key research publications.

De Vos continues to travel across the world to ensure that the oceans of the global south have a voice on the international stage – and to increase awareness of the magic of what lies beneath them while also sharing her stories here in Sri Lanka.

In an interview with The Wiley Network in 2018, she confessed to being “obsessively passionate” about sharing her ocean adventures and science with everyone. Moreover, de Vos emphasised the need to protect blue whales and said “there are ways to ensure that the economy of the country is not affected while also protecting this species that we use for our tourism industry.”

She was featured on the BBC 100 Women 2018, which is a list of inspiring and influential women from around the world, and has won a number of accolades since then.

Purely by coincidence, Asha also featured on Living’s groundbreaking ‘Christmas cover’ along with six other Sri Lankan celebs. In an exclusive interview with Ruwandi Perera, she said of her New Year resolutions: “Every year is about how to be the change I want to be; it’s the one resolution I can keep – to leave the world a better place than I found it.”

Asked to name the one thing she could change about herself in the New Year, de Vos responded: “In general, I don’t like to change things about the past. I will take the lessons – good or bad – and move forward. We can’t live in the past since it is unchangeable. Rather, it’s about learning lessons and moving forward.”

In (hopefully) a soon to be post-pandemic world, her words may well serve as food for thought…

Meanwhile, Pia Hatch had this to say in LMD’s SLOTY edition: “Google ‘Dr. Asha de Vos’ and you will find a slew of headlines announcing the numerous awards and commendations she has received. While some of the images that pop up show her accepting these awards, most feature Asha sitting in a boat and smiling broadly as she gazes out to sea…”

De Vos has traced her interest in the sea to her childhood. A swimmer from the time she was three years old, water has always been the element she’s most at home in. Combined with an adventurous spirit and curiosity, this must have had the makings of a child who set her sights far afield.