Dr. Subodhana Wijeyeratne

Assistant Professor

Biography

Subodhana Wijeyeratne is a historian whose work focuses on the intersection of science, technology, and history, particularly within East Asia and Japan. His PhD researched the development of the Japanese space program against the backdrop of the nation's political, social, and geographical circumstances in the 20th century. Wijeyeratne has published in various academic venues such as the Asia Pacific Journal: Japan Focus and Historia Scientiarum. A forthcoming chapter in the book Cosmic Fragments: Displacement and Dislocation in the Global Space Age will examine how rural areas in Japan have embraced the presence of space research facilities and their impact on local identities. He is also working on a book titled Rockets of the Rising Sun, which chronicles Japan's space development from the 1920s to the establishment of the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) in 2003. In addition to his historical research, Wijeyeratne is a writer of speculative fiction, with 31 published short stories and several novels. His latest book, Triangulum: Epic of the Nine Worlds Surya, has received praise as an 'inventive, immersive space opera' from Publishers' Weekly and is set to be released in early 2024. He maintains an active presence in both academic and fictional writing.

Research Interests