Born and raised in Sri Lanka, Ray moved to the United States in a bid to pursue higher education. Studying at Harvard University and Yale University, Ray ultimately obtained a BS degree and a PhD. Right from when he began studying the field of astrophysics, Ray performed revolutionary research. As a student at Harvard, he was a pivotal leader of the team which discovered the dusty disk of HR 4796 and also that brown dwarfs undergo a T Tauri phase. After his studies, Ray was appointed at UC Berkeley as a Miller Research Fellow followed by his first professor role as an assistant professor at the University of Michigan.
Ray then moved to Toronto, where he was selected to act as a senior advisor of science engagement, working for the President of the University of Toronto. Whilst at the University of Toronto, Ray founded the Science Leadership Program in a bid to further the skills of academic scientists, in particular skills of communication and leadership. Ray has also acted as a Professor of Astronomy and Astrophysics at the University of Toronto and a Professor of Physics and Astronomy at York University. He has also formerly held the position of Dean of Science at York University and is currently working as the Harold Tanner Dean and Professor of Astronomy at Cornell University.
Also an avid explorer, Ray has experienced all kinds of environments travelling the globe. From camping on the Antarctic ice for 5 and a half weeks to watching Mongolian solar eclipses, Ray has travelled to over 55 countries to fulfil his adventurous personality. Ray is also a published author, having written Neutrino Hunters, Strange New Worlds, Star Factories and Child of the Universe. He has also written countless articles for esteemed publications, creating 120 articles for the Wall Street Journal, The Economist, the Washington Post and Scientific America.
Throughout his career Ray has collected many awards for his extensive research and writing, crediting him as an industry-leading professional. His latest awards include the 2018 Nicholson Medal for Outreach from the American Physical Society and the Guggenheim Fellowship in 2014. He has also been the recipient of the Rutherford Memorial Medal, Steacie Prize and the Vainu Bappu Gold Medal. In 2006 he claimed the Ontario Early Researcher Award and he has also received the CSWA Science in Society Book Award.
As a speaker, Ray is sought to deliver his erudite expertise on astrophysics, backed by years of educational experience. He has previously delivered talks for all kinds of audiences, from universities to huge corporate clients and even delivered on cruises! Lively and entertaining yet influential and informative, Ray is the perfect speaker to solidify knowledge of what is beyond the boundaries of Earth.
