Joining the LIRNEasia team as a Junior Researcher in December 2022, she currently serves as a Researcher, focusing on projects that explore Social Safety Nets and Artificial Intelligence.
Nipuni possesses a Master of Philosophy in Social Sciences from the Sabaragamuwa University of Sri Lanka (2023), and a bachelor’s degree with First Class Honors in Economics from the University of Colombo in 2020. In recognition of her outstanding academic achievements, she was bestowed with the Dean’s Award for the Best Undergraduate Student of the Year in 2017.
Prior to her role at LIRNEasia, she worked as a Research Assistant and also served as a Visiting Lecturer in the Department of Economics and Statistics at Sabaragamuwa University of Sri Lanka.
Nipuni’s current and past work include:
The Sri Lanka Social Safety Net Survey, a comprehensive survey encompassing 10,000 households nationwide in Sri Lanka, funded by IDRC.
Presently engaged in:
- The Global Index for Responsible Artificial Intelligence, collaborating across 14 countries in the Asia Pacific region, with LIRNEasia as the regional hub, funded by EWMI.
- Project to test the usability and scalability of an AI tool designed to counter misinformation, funded by TAF. This project is in its second phase, where the AI tool development tool takes place in the first phase.