Dr Ganga Tilakaratna Serves as Judge at National Science for SDGs Challenge

7 March 2026

Dr Ganga Tilakaratna, Research Fellow and Head of Poverty and Social Welfare Policy Research at the Institute of Policy Studies of Sri Lanka (IPS), served as a judge at the inaugural 2030 Horizon: National Science for SDGs Challenge. This student run, islandwide competition encourages young people to identify pressing community issues and propose practical, scientifically grounded solutions aligned with the SDGs.

During an interactive fireside chat held as part of the programme, Dr Tilakaratna emphasised the critical role youth can play in advancing sustainable development.

“The commitment and creativity shown by students are a strong reminder that youth are essential partners in driving progress on the SDGs,” she noted. “By engaging with real world challenges and working closely with their communities, young people can contribute meaningfully to sustainable development well beyond 2030.”

The event brought together students from several schools across the island and was organised by Gateway College, Colombo. The inaugural edition of the competition was held on 7 March 2026.