Dr. Asha de Vos from Sri Lanka has been appointed to the UN Secretary General’s Scientific Advisory Board.
She is one of just 7 seven external members from across the globe to be appointed to the United Nations Secretary General’s Scientific Advisory Board.
The Scientific Advisory Board advises the Secretary-General and UN leaders on breakthroughs in science and technology and helps mitigate potential risks, including ethical and social issues.
“As the first Sri Lankan to ever sit on this board, I marvel at how the Secretary General’s team scoured the planet and found me. But I know that my untiring efforts and years working in, on, and around the ocean, my excitement to share it with everyone everywhere, my deep understanding of the issues that it faces and my parallel and no less important work in the space of ocean justice and equity is why I find myself where I am today,” Dr. Asha de Vos said.
Dr. Asha de Vos said that it is incredible to think back to her earliest foray into the field, how determined she was to establish it and popularize it in a country that didn’t believe it was necessary or possible, to having found herself on a global stage where she was able to push for what was necessary and to today being considered a thought leader.
She also said that the journey is far from over but she is grateful everyday that her support squad has grown and that the challenges have made her stronger so she can keep driving change for the ocean and ensure that more people get their rightful space at the table. (Colombo Gazette)
