Introducing the Keynote Speaker for the 12th UNI-IN ALLIANCE Undergraduate Research Symposium
The Organizing Committee of the 12th UNI-IN ALLIANCE Undergraduate Research Symposium is proud to introduce Dr. Kanchana Dissanayake as the Keynote Speaker for this year’s symposium, organized by the Society of Industrial Scholars, Faculty of Applied Sciences, University of Sri Jayewardenepura.
Dr. Kanchana Dissanayake is an internationally acclaimed researcher and academic specializing in sustainability, the circular economy, and sustainable supply chain management within the textile and apparel industry. She currently serves as an Associate Professor in Textile Management at the University of Borås, Sweden, one of Europe’s leading universities renowned for its research in textiles and fashion.
She earned her Ph.D. in Sustainable Consumption from the University of Manchester and obtained her B.Sc. Engineering in Textile and Clothing from the University of Moratuwa.
Throughout her distinguished career, Dr. Dissanayake has made significant contributions to research on circular supply chains, textile recycling and remanufacturing, sustainable business models, and sustainable consumption. Her work has been published in numerous internationally recognized journals, and she has led and collaborated on several European Union-funded research projects aimed at advancing sustainable and circular textile systems
Dr. Dissanayake has received several prestigious awards and recognitions, including the President’s Award of Sri Lanka for High-Quality Scientific Contributions (2025), the Emerald Literati Outstanding Paper Award (2023), and multiple National Research Council Merit Awards for Scientific Publications, among many others.
In addition to her research achievements, she has been actively engaged in postgraduate supervision and international research collaborations, mentoring the next generation of researchers and sustainability practitioners. Her work continues to influence policy development, industry practices, and academic discourse, contributing to a more sustainable and circular future for the global textile and fashion sector.
The 12th UNI-IN ALLIANCE Undergraduate Research Symposium is honored to host Dr. Dissanayake as the Keynote Speaker. The Organizing Committee looks forward to the valuable insights and experiences she will share on sustainability, innovation, and the transformative potential of circular economy principles in addressing the global challenges of today and shaping a more sustainable future.
