[1] Currently, he works as a senior scientist for the Planetary Science Institute in the United States.
[2][3] Samarasinha earned a BSc first class honours in Physics from University of Colombo after schooling at Hena Vidyalaya, Mt.
[5] Florian asteroid 12871 Samarasinha (1998 ML37), discovered by astronomers with the LONEOS survey in 1998, was named in his honor.
The official naming citation was published by IAU's Minor Planet Center on 24 July 2002 (M.P.C.
[1][6] He is the first native born citizen of Sri Lanka to gain the distinction of having an asteroid named after him.