[rank_math_breadcrumb]

Asha De Vos | The Legacy Project

Marine Biologist

About

Asha De Vos | The Legacy Project has published several key research publications on Sri Lankan blue whales, which have led to this population being designated as a species in urgent need of conservation research by the International Whaling Commission (IWC).

The IWC has since invited key Sri Lankan government personnel to participate in whale ship-strike related meetings to gain a broader understanding of the problem. Asha is also an invited member of the IUCN Species Survival Commission’s Cetacean Specialist Group.

Her efforts to bring attention to the unusual Sri Lankan blue whales and the threats they face have been showcased internationally by Channel 7 Australia. She is also a guest blogger for National Geographic.

Asha is a TED Senior Fellow, a Duke University Global Fellow in Marine Conservation and was recently selected as a Young Global Leader by the World Economic Forum.

She is currently a post-doctoral scholar at the University of California Santa Cruz, where she is working specifically on reducing the problem of ship-strike of blue whales in Sri Lankan waters.

Asha De Vos | The Legacy Project

Asha De Vos is Driven By | A desire to leave the world a better place than I found it, an overwhelming sense of curiosity and a need to break stereotypes.

A Key Talent | Persistence ~ a never give up attitude. Roadblocks and setbacks are an inevitable part of life. When faced with them, I try to figure out what I can learn from them. How I can turn them from negatives to positives or how I can make them work for me rather than against me. The challenges never end, but if you persist and deal with setbacks rationally, I guarantee you will end up a winner.

Principles I Live By | Be a good citizen of the world, be humble, be mindful and ensure you are not having a negative impact on anything or anyone, and ALWAYS HAVE FUN.

Critical Skills I Develop | Story-telling, team leadership skills and meditation.

Lessons I Have Learned | I’ve learnt many things along the way but if I was to pass on my lessons of life, here are the most important ones. First, do what you love. It doesn’t matter what you do but just make sure you love it; second, never give up, no matter how many people question why you are doing it, if you are passionate about it and are not having any negative impacts in the process, just keep pushing – even if things begin to look and feel a little bleak.

Every cloud definitely has a silver lining; third, build up a fan base of those who respect, love and care for you and keep them very close. They will be the ones who will help you face your biggest challenges, and trust me when I say there will be many; fourth, challenges are temporary because there are always ways around or over them.

Remember, tough times don’t last, tough people do; fifth, step outside your comfort zone and live outside the box; the world is a beautiful place with lots more opportunities for exploration and fulfillment. Embrace them; sixth, always have an open mind and be willing to learn. There is something to be learnt from everyone and everything and learning is what helps us grow; and, finally, do not lose track of your roots and where you come from. Always stay humble.

Performing At My Peak | To stay at my peak I try to maintain a healthy body and mind. To do this I make sure I get good rest, exercise regularly, take breaks to rejuvenate myself, do the things I love, surround myself with people who nurture me and consciously work to cultivate and maintain a positive mindset.

My Future Dreams And Ambitions | My dream is to be a voice from a part of the world that is rarely listened to, speaking on behalf of a part of the planet that is often overlooked.

The Best Advice I’ve Received | When I was very young my father told me “you can learn something from everyone” – never let ego get in the way of a precious learning moment.

The Legacy I Would Like To Leave | I want youth from the developing world to realise that they can live out of the box, pursue bigger dreams and be whatever they want to be. That everyone has potential but it’s how you harness it that helps you stand out.

Asha De Vos | The Legacy Project want to leave a legacy of equality and change the perception of women in the global south. I want to create niches and pathways so other dreamers face less challenges and have more opportunities. I want to leave a legacy of increased awareness and caring for the ocean. I want to leave the world a better place than I found it.

Contact Us at WeSpeak Global and click here to view THE LEGACY PROJECT

Interview Questions

[everest_form id="26923"]

View further interviews.

The Legacy Project

Vicki Saunders is an entrepreneur, award-winning mentor, advisor to the next generation of change makers and leading advocate for entrepreneurship as a way of creating positive transformation in the world. Vicki is Founder of #radical generosity and SheEO, a global community of radically generous women supporting women-led Ventures working on the World’s To Do List. […]

The Legacy Project

Roman Rezac is a prolific South African retail entrepreneur with 25 years experience in a constantly evolving environment. He was an International knee-board surfer before he made his passion for beach lifestyle into a career. He opened his first Surf store in 1993 in Durban with borrowed capital and with hard work and perseverance he […]

The Legacy Project

Guy Ailion is one of South Africa’s brightest young architects. The winner of SA’s 2010 National Architectural Student of the Year award for his M.A.Thesis Everywhere is Here: Architecture and a Developing Information Society, his design is informed by a dual fascination with moving images and the urban environment. Not only is he revolutionizing the […]

Desiree-Anne Martin Legacy Project

Desiree-Anne Martin Legacy Project believes in the inherent ability for anyone to change. Her mantra is that there is hope, always and she is a Change Facilitator and Inspirational Speaker. Desiree-Anne has her Postgraduate Diploma (with Honours) from UCT and is a Honorary staff member at WITS University where she is a consultant to the […]

  • South Africa
  • Keynote Speaker
The Legacy Project

Her heart has answered the call to empower the next generation in Africa to learn to code. Camille Agon has been instrumental in co founding a French and South African initiative We Think Code with Arlene Mulder. Her ambition to source and develop the next generation of Africa’s digital talent is realised thereby echoing the […]

The Legacy Project

Nicholas Rawhani first felt the urge to photograph everything around him on a family trip to India. Today, he shares the things that shock his senses on his photo blog, iamnixpix , which is a vehicle he uses to capture the beauty that surrounds him and communicate those indescribable emotions that he feels on a […]

The Legacy Project

Tessa Plen is a highly accomplished global change-agent for growth and development of individuals, companies and products. She has worked in senior positions at blue-chip multinationals like Colgate Palmolive (associate Director of Innovation) and Unilever in South Africa, Paris, London, Sydney and New York before recently returning to South Africa. She has implemented growth and […]

The Legacy Project

Sterling Hawkins is out to break the status quo to create what’s actually possible for humanity in our time. He has spent his career igniting new views and inspiring people to act on them. He went on to be involved with the launch, growth or investment in over 50 companies. Today, Sterling reviews over 1,000 […]

Disclaimer
The profiles and images embedded on these pages are from various interviews conducted by The Legacy Project.

These remain the property of its owner and are not affiliated with or endorsed by WeSpeak Global.

Our Mission

We are your partner creating memorable and engaging experiences that go beyond the event itself.

© All rights reserved 2025. Created using VOXEL THEME