Wasantha Athukorala holds a Doctorate in Economics from the Queensland University of Technology, Australia, as well as an MPhil and a B.A. (Honours) in Economics from the University of Peradeniya, where he served as a Professor of Economics. In addition, he has completed more than 20 short courses in various countries around the world, including the United States, Sweden, the United Kingdom, Australia, Thailand, India, Nepal, and Bhutan. His research focuses on Environmental Economics, Agricultural Economics, Development Economics, Transport Economics, and Sustainable Development. He has published over 50 research papers in prestigious national and international journals such as Energy Economics, Education Sciences, Empirical Economics, Land Use Policy, Environmental Economics and Policy Studies, Journal of Forest Economics, Sustainable Cities and Society, The Singapore Economic Review, Journal of Agricultural Economics, The Australian Journal of Agricultural and Resource Economics, Hydrogeology Journal, Economic Analysis and Policy, Journal of Resources, Energy, and Development, Ecologies, and Journal of Smart Economic Growth. He is the co-author of five textbooks and the author of two. He has also authored eight book chapters and presented over 45 research papers at national and international conferences. Despite his broad research interests, he is particularly focused on empirical work related to development issues and has made several significant contributions in this area. His work has had, and continues to have, a significant impact on policy decisions in Sri Lanka. Wasantha Athukorala was named the Best Environmental Economist in Sri Lanka by the Global AD Scientific Index (https://www.adscientificindex.com/scientist/wasantha-athukorala/5004623). Given his overall research profile, he was categorized in the topmost research category (Tier 4*) by the University of Peradeniya in 2022. This is the highest honor (a lifetime award) given to a scholar in the country after evaluating their research contributions. He has served as a committee member for the preparation of various policy documents in Sri Lanka, with some of these committee members directly appointed by the Sri Lankan Presidential Office. He has also worked as a consultant on various projects funded by the ILO, UNDP, and the World Bank. He received two Presidential Awards for scientific publication in 2023. Currently, Wasantha Athukorala is the Director of the Postgraduate Institute of Humanities and Social Sciences (PGIHS) at the University of Peradeniya.