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INDIGENOUS RESILIENCE AND INNOVATION LAB (IRI)
FEATURED IN OTHER MEDIA
IRI Lab Research Featured by Virginia Tech News
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IRI Lab is proud to be featured in a recent Virginia Tech news article highlighting an international Indigenous knowledge exchange between Inuit communities in Nunavut, Canada, and Vedda communities in Sri Lanka. The story showcases the work of IRI Lab researchers, including Assistant Professor Eranga Galappaththi and doctoral student Sithuni Mimasha, who are building long-term partnerships with Indigenous communities to address shared challenges related to food security, climate change, cultural identity, and community wellbeing. During a recent visit to Pangnirtung, Nunavut, Mimasha shared experiences and stories from Vedda communities in Sri Lanka with Inuit youth, creating meaningful dialogue despite the two communities being separated by more than 7,000 miles. The exchange demonstrated how Indigenous communities living in vastly different environments often face similar challenges and possess valuable knowledge to share with one another. The feature highlights the IRI Lab’s commitment to community-engaged research, co-learning, and strengthening global Indigenous connections through collaborative and respectful partnerships.
Read the full Virginia Tech News article here: VT News Feature
May 27, 2026
Eranga Featured in Virginia Tech News for 2026 Research Award Recognition
The IRI Lab is excited to share that our Principal Investigator, Eranga Galappaththi, was featured in Virginia Tech News as part of the university’s 2026 research award winners. Eranga was recognized for receiving the Early Career Scholarly Impact Award, which honors faculty members whose research demonstrates significant scholarly contributions and growing impact early in their academic careers. Eranga's work focuses on Indigenous knowledge systems, human–environment interactions, community-based research, and sustainability, with collaborations spanning Indigenous communities in Sri Lanka and the Canadian Arctic. Through the IRI Lab, he continues to advance interdisciplinary and community-engaged research that bridges academic scholarship with real-world impact.
Read the full Virginia Tech News article here: VT News Feature
April 28, 2026
Sithuni's Ghana Visit Featured on VT News
IRI Lab member and PhD student Sithuni Mimasha was recently featured in Virginia Tech News for her research on Indigenous peoples, climate change, and everyday well-being. The feature highlights her work with Indigenous communities in Sri Lanka as part of the Indigenous Peoples Observatory Network, an international initiative spanning 17 countries.
Sithuni’s research explores how environmental change affects food systems, health, and daily life, with a strong emphasis on listening to community perspectives. As part of this global collaboration, she also traveled to Ghana to participate in an international partner meeting, engaging with researchers and Indigenous representatives from across the world.
The feature underscores Sithuni’s commitment to community-centered research, ethics, and global collaboration—values central to the IRI Lab’s mission of advancing socially grounded and impactful scholarship.
January 07, 2026
IRI Lab PI Featured on NPR’s “With Good Reason”
IRI Lab Principal Investigator Dr. Eranga Galappaththi was recently featured on NPR’s radio program With Good Reason for his research with Indigenous communities in the Canadian Arctic and Sri Lanka. The segment highlighted Dr. Galappaththi’s work on how climate change is reshaping traditional hunting, gathering, and local food systems, and how community-driven solutions can help support long-term resilience.
His research emphasizes collaboration with local knowledge holders to understand community priorities and develop strategies that protect cultural practices while addressing rapid environmental change.
Dr. Galappaththi’s feature reflects growing recognition of his contributions to Indigenous food systems research and climate adaptation.
Listen to this segment — click here!
November 21, 2025
IRI Lab Members Featured in Virginia Tech News for Global Marine Debris Research
Members of the IRI Lab were recently featured in Virginia Tech News for their contributions to groundbreaking research on global marine debris. The article, titled “Students help drive new research on global marine debris,” highlights how student researchers from Virginia Tech are leading efforts to understand the global landscape of marine litter studies.
🔗 Read the full article on Virginia Tech News
The project showcases the dedication of our lab to collaborative, student-driven research addressing critical environmental issues. Lab members played key roles in collecting and analyzing data, identifying research gaps, and contributing to recommendations for more equitable and inclusive approaches to marine pollution studies.
We are proud of our lab members for their leadership and contribution to this impactful global study. Congratulations to everyone involved for representing the IRI Lab and Virginia Tech on an international stage!
October 20, 2025
VT News features Arctic resilience research by IRI lab team
IRI Lab Principal Investigator Eranga K. Galappaththi, assistant professor of geography, was recently featured in VT News for his project “Enhancing Climate-Food-Health Resilience Among Inuit in the Arctic.” Supported by the Institute for Society, Culture, and Environment (ISCE) Scholars Program, this research focuses on strengthening community resilience at the intersection of climate, food systems, and health in Pangnirtung, Canada.
The initiative establishes the groundwork for a large-scale, community-engaged research collaboration co-developed with Inuit communities, academic institutions, and international partners. The team—comprising Markus Wilcke, Gayanthi Ilangarathna, and Sithuni Jayasekara—aims to advance sustainable, locally driven solutions that address the interconnected challenges of climate change, food security, and health in the Arctic.
Read the full VT News article here
October 18, 2025
IRI Lab Featured in ICAT VT Playdate YouTube Livestream
The IRI Lab was recently featured in the ICAT VT Playdate, held on Friday at the CID Building at Virginia Tech. The event was livestreamed on YouTube, and you can watch the full recording here: Watch the livestream.
During the session, Dr. Eranga Galappaththi presented his ongoing project in Sri Lanka, which focuses on uplifting the livelihoods of Indigenous peoples through technological interventions. This initiative highlights our lab’s commitment to research that creates meaningful social impact and supports marginalized communities.
September 15, 2025
IRI Lab Students Featured in VT News for Sri Lankan Fieldwork
This summer, IRI Lab students Hannah Garbutt and Sithuni Mimasha, under the guidance of Eranga Galappaththi, engaged in transformative fieldwork in Sri Lanka, working closely with local communities to tackle pressing environmental challenges. Their groundbreaking efforts were prominently featured in VT News. The team’s research centered on examining the effects of environmental change on public health and developing innovative, sustainable solutions. This initiative is part of a larger project supported by the National Science Foundation and the Belmont Forum, which aims to build resilience in Indigenous communities around the world. For further details, you can access the full news article [here].
August 11, 2025
IRI Lab Members Featured in VT News
IRI Lab PI, Eranga Galappaththi, and his students are featured in a recent VT news article about their participation in a global initiative to study the impact of environmental changes on public health. Supported by a nearly $1 million National Science Foundation grant, the research aims to address health challenges in Indigenous communities, who are often the first to experience the consequences of environmental stressors.
In collaboration with international partners, including communities in Uganda, Sri Lanka, India, Peru, Bolivia, and Argentina, the project will examine how environmental and social factors influence health. Galappaththi’s team is working directly with Indigenous communities to co-create solutions that strengthen local resilience in health and food systems. The research findings will help inform global policies aimed at protecting vulnerable populations and improving public health during environmental emergencies.
For more information, visit the full university news article. (News link)
August 11, 2025