Professor Kumudu Wijewardena is an emeritus professor of community medicine. Kumudu was a co-chairperson of the Standing Committee on Gender Equity/Equality of the Universities Grant Commission (UGC) planning and coordinating university education in Sri Lanka. Previously, Kumudu was the first female dean to work at the faculty of graduate studies at the University of Sri Jayewardenepura where she was responsible for training and awarding diplomas, masters, and doctorates in humanities, social sciences, science, management and medical disciplines. Kumudu is a research leader in adolescent health, gender-based violence and in monitoring and evaluation. She has carried out both quantitative and qualitative research across Sri Lanka examining health issues of vulnerable populations including adolescents, single mothers, sex workers, pregnant women, women in menopausal age, estate populations, migrant workers, children of migrant workers and war widows. She has over 80 research publications – some in very prestigious journals, which have resulted in presidential awards – and reviews articles for more than eight prestigious journals.