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INDIGENOUS RESILIENCE AND INNOVATION LAB (IRI)
ACADEMIC
Hannah Garbutt Honored as Outstanding Graduate Teaching Assistant
We are pleased to share that Hannah Garbutt has been awarded the Outstanding Graduate Teaching Assistant honor by the Department of Geography in the College of Natural Resources and Environment at Virginia Tech. This recognition celebrates her exceptional dedication to teaching, mentoring, and supporting student learning. Hannah is widely recognized for her thoughtful instruction, inclusive classroom environment, and commitment to student success. Alongside her teaching excellence, she has made valuable interdisciplinary research contributions within the IRI Lab, demonstrating a strong ability to balance impactful scholarship with high-quality teaching. Congratulations, Hannah, on this well-deserved achievement.
December, 2025
Gayanthi begins PhD journey at UIUC
Congratulations to Gayanthi on receiving an offer to pursue her PhD in the Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Sciences at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, under the College of Agricultural, Consumer & Environmental Sciences.
In recognition of her outstanding academic credentials, Gayanthi has also been awarded the prestigious Jonathan Baldwin Turner Fellowship.
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Wishing you continued success and all the best on this exciting new journey, Gayanthi!
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May, 2025
New publication on Indigenous Entrepreneurship
On May 15, 2025, IRI lab member Indunil Dharmasiri celebrated a major academic milestone with the publication of her co-authored paper, “From Roots to Resilience: Exploring the Drivers of Indigenous Entrepreneurship for Climate Adaptation” in Sustainability journal. Collaborating with Dr. Eranga Galappaththi, Dr. Timothy Baird, Dr. Anamaria Bukvic, and Dr. Santosh Rijal, the study investigates how Indigenous entrepreneurship serves as a catalyst for community-driven climate adaptation. The paper emphasizes how traditional knowledge and entrepreneurial strategies work hand in hand in adapting to climate challenges. This publication adds valuable insights to the growing discourse on climate adaptation and Indigenous entrepreneurship (link)
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May 15, 2025
Gayanthi’s successful MSc defense
Congratulations to Gayanthi Ilangarathna on successfully defending her MSc in Geography at Virginia Tech! Her research, “Identifying impacts of non-climatic factors on food security of Indigenous Peoples in the pan-Arctic region,” sheds light on critical issues in Arctic food security.
Well done Gayanthi!
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April 24, 2025
Sithuni presents GIS research at OGIS symposium
IRI Lab member Sithuni M. Jayasekara presented a poster of her proposed study titled “Analyzing the Land Use and Land Cover Changes in Sri Lankan Indigenous Villages Using GIS and Remote Sensing” at the 2025 Virginia Tech Office of GIS (OGIS) Research Symposium.
Congratulations, Sithuni, on this presentation!
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April 11, 2025
Sithuni honored as outstanding Teaching Assistant
We are proud to announce that IRI Lab member Sithuni M. Jayasekara has received the Outstanding Teaching Assistant Award from the Department of Geography. In the photo (from left): Charlie Holguin, recipient of the overall Outstanding Teaching Assistant Award for the college and the Department of Fish and Wildlife Conservation; Sithuni M. Jayasekara, representing the Department of Geography; and Austin Holloway, honored by the Department of Forest Resources and Environmental Conservation. Congratulations, Sithuni, on this well-deserved recognition!
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March 27, 2025
Chrishma receives Outstanding Master’s Student Award
Many congratulations to Chrishma Perera, an IRI lab member, on winning the H.E. Burkhart Outstanding Master’s Student Award, 2024 from the College of Natural Resources and Environment, Virginia Tech.
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“CNRE presented three graduate students H.E. Burkhart Outstanding Master’s Student Awards at the college’s annual awards celebration. They are (from left): Kalin Ferguson, from the Department of Fish and Wildlife Conservation; Chrishma Perera, from the Department of Geography; and Caroline Vickery from the Department of Forest Resources and Environmental Conservation. Chrishma was awarded the overall CNRE award as the top master’s student.
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March 27, 2025
Chrishma Perera selected as Community Scholar
We’re thrilled to share that IRI Lab member Chrishma Perera has been selected as one of three Community Scholars by the Virginia Tech Graduate School, 2025! As part of this prestigious recognition, Chrishma will be presenting her impactful project at the 2025 Community Scholars Showcase during Graduate Education Week. Congratulations, Chrishma, on this well-deserved honour.
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March 27, 2025
Sithuni begins PhD journey
We are pleased to share that IRI Lab member Sithuni M. Jayasekara has begun her PhD in Geospatial and Environmental Analysis at the Department of Geography, Virginia Tech, under the guidance of Prof. Eranga Galappaththi. Sithuni will continue her research work with Indigenous peoples. Congratulations on this remarkable achievement, Sithuni!
January 21, 2025
Gayanthi awarded a college level Fellowship
Congratulations to Gayanthi for receiving the George E. and Hester B. Aker Fellowship from the College of Natural Resources and Environment! Awarded in recognition of the significance of her MSc research, the fellowship includes a $12,000 stipend and a tuition scholarship for Spring 2025. A well-deserved honor congrats, Gayanthi!
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December 11, 2024
Sithuni graduates with MSc in Geography
We are delighted to share that IRI Lab member, Sithuni M. Jayasekara, has graduated with a Master of Science in Geography from the Department of Geography at Virginia Tech. The commencement ceremony took place on December 20, 2024. Warm congratulations on this wonderful achievement, Sithuni!
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December 20, 2024
Sithuni’s successful MSc defense
We are happy to announce that IRI Lab member Sithuni M. Jayasekara has successfully defended her master’s thesis, “Governing Indigenous Food Systems: Global Practices and Local Realities in Sri Lanka,” on December 2, 2024. Her research included a systematic literature review and a multi-sited case study with Sri Lankan Indigenous peoples, Vedda. Congratulations on your success, Sithuni!
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December 2, 2024
IRI Lab members present at SEDAAG, 2024
We are incredibly proud of IRI Lab members Gayanthi Ilangarathna, Hannah Garbutt, Chrishma Perera, and Sithuni Jayasekara for presenting their research at the Annual Meeting of the Southeastern Division of the American Association of Geographers (SEDAAG), held in Greenville, South Carolina, from November 23–25. Each presentation was well received, reflecting their passion, dedication, and hard work in their research. Congratulations to our brilliant team!!!
News Link: Facebook
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November 25, 2024
Chrishma honored as Outstanding TA
Big Congratulations to Chrishma Perera! Chrishma a member of the IRI Lab, has been recognized as the Outstanding Teaching Assistant of the Department of Geography 2023. Chrishma was nominated for this well-deserved recognition by Dr. Tim Baird, in appreciation of her exceptional contributions to the Seeking Sustainability I & II courses. Chrishma was honored at the Annual Spring Awards Ceremony hosted by the College of Natural Resources and Environment at Virginia Tech. Your dedication, passion, and excellence in teaching truly shine.
We’re so proud of you! Congratulations, Chrishma!
News Link: Facebook
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March 27, 2024
Indunil receives Outstanding Master’s student award
On March 27, 2024, IRI lab member Indunil Dharmasiri was honored with the H.E. Burkhart Outstanding Master’s Student Award at the college level by the College of Natural Resources and Environment, Virginia Tech. This award recognized her outstanding academic performance, research excellence, and service contributions in the field of Geography.
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March 27, 2024
Chrishma selected as a VT Diversity Scholar
Chrishma Perera, a second-year master’s student at the IRI Lab, has been selected as one of the five Diversity Scholars of the Virginia Tech Graduate School 2024. She will present her Diversity Scholar project at the “Diversity Scholar Showcase” during Education Week. Her project integrates diversity, equity, and inclusion into Virginia Tech’s climate action commitments.
Congratulations to Chrishma on this recognition!
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March, 2024
Paper presentation at SEDAAG conference
On November 20, 2023, IRI lab member Indunil Dharmasiri presented a research paper titled “Entrepreneurship-based factors to foster climate adaptations among Indigenous peoples” at the 78th annual meeting of the Southeastern Division of the Association of American Geographers (SEDAAG) in Norfolk, Virginia. The presentation sparked engaging discussions on how Indigenous knowledge and entrepreneurial approaches can strengthen climate adaptation strategies
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November 20, 2023
Chrishma selected as a Rachel Carson Fellow
Chrishma Perera, a first-year master’s student at the IRI Lab, has been selected as a Rachel Carson Council Fellow for Virginia Tech by the Rachel Carson Council in Washington, D.C. Her fellowship project focuses on enhancing student engagement in Virginia Tech’s climate action commitments. Chrishma will collaborate with the Virginia Tech Sustainability Office to carry out this initiative. Congratulations to Chrishma on this important recognition!
News link: 2023-2024 Rachel Carson Campus Fellows - Rachel Carson Council
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May, 2023