Sri Lanka, March 8 -- While many look at the sky and see stars, Prof. Hiranya Peiris sees the history of time itself. As the Professor of Astrophysics (1909) at the University of Cambridge, Peiris is a world leader in "precision cosmology," a field she helped move from speculative theory to a data-driven science. Born in Sri Lanka, her academic journey took her from Cambridge to Princeton and Chicago, eventually becoming a pivotal member of NASA's WMAP science team.South Asians & Diaspora

Peiris's achievements are etched in the "first light" of the universe. She was a key contributor to mapping the Cosmic Microwave Background (CMB), which allowed scientists to determine the age, composition, and expansion rate of the universe. Her work h...