Completed Events 25/26
The following events organized by the Committee for the Popularization of Science (CPS) of SLAAS have been successfully concluded during 2025/2026.
School Science Day and Community Awareness Programme — Hanwella
The Committee for the Popularization of Science (CPS) of SLAAS, in collaboration with the National Academy of Sciences of Sri Lanka (NASSL), organised a School Science Day Programme on 12th February 2026 at Pahathgama Roman Catholic Junior School, Hanwella. The event was designed to inspire students from the Homagama Education Zone through interactive science education, hands-on experiences, and exposure to current developments in science and technology.
Nearly 250 students representing 22 schools participated in an engaging programme featuring science and technology talks, robotics, an immersive virtual reality demonstration, career guidance, and a competitive science quiz. A parallel Community Awareness Programme was conducted for parents, covering health and wellbeing, life counselling, and the importance of selecting science subjects at Advanced Level.
Programme highlights: Career Opportunities for Science Students, Robots in the World, Virtual Reality Demonstration, Science Quiz Competition, and Community Awareness Programme.
Interactive Session on the Use of Science in Inventions and Innovations, and the Path Ahead
The Committee for the Popularization of Science (CPS) of SLAAS organised an Interactive Session on the Use of Science in Inventions and Innovations, and the Path Ahead on 27th February 2026 at SLAAS Headquarters, Colombo. The event was aligned with the NASSL 2025–2026 thematic priority of rebuilding trust in science in Sri Lanka.
The session focused on bridging the gap between scientific research and practical application in society. Resource persons from industry, academia, and government discussed the innovation pipeline, intellectual property, technology transfer, startup formation, commercialisation, and the importance of transforming laboratory discoveries into real-world solutions.
Resource persons: Eng. Heminda Jayaweera, Mr. Thilina Weerasekara, Prof. Thushitha Abeytunga, and Mr. Nalinda Attapattu.
School Science Day Programme — Colombo
The Committee for the Popularization of Science (CPS) of SLAAS, in collaboration with the National Academy of Sciences of Sri Lanka (NASSL), organised a School Science Day Programme on 16th March 2026 at St. Joseph’s Boys Vidyalaya, Colombo. The programme was designed to inspire students from the Colombo Education Zone through interactive science education and hands-on exposure to current developments in science and technology.
Approximately 200 students from 8 schools participated in a programme featuring science and technology talks, Chemistry in Action demonstrations, a virtual reality session, career guidance, and a competitive science quiz competition.
Programme highlights: Career Opportunities for Science Students, Chemistry in Action, Virtual Reality Demonstration, and Science Quiz Competition.
Expert Panel Discussion — “Are Graduates Made for Industry?”
The Committee for the Popularization of Science (CPS) of SLAAS, in collaboration with the National Academy of Sciences of Sri Lanka (NASSL), convened an Expert Panel Discussion on 23rd March 2026 at Ruby Hall, Hotel Marino Beach, Colombo.
Titled “Are Graduates Made for Industry?”, the discussion brought together senior leaders from industry, academia, and the entrepreneurship ecosystem to examine the alignment between university education and the demands of Sri Lanka’s evolving economy. The session was moderated by Prof. Ajith De Alwis and featured five distinguished panelists.
Key discussion areas: graduate employability, soft skills, industry exposure, internship programmes, innovation ecosystems, AI literacy, and stronger collaboration between government, industry, and academia.
School Science Day Programme — Ampara
The Committee for the Popularization of Science (CPS) of SLAAS organised a School Science Day Programme on 5th June 2026 at D.S. Senanayake National School, Ampara, for schools in the Ampara Education Zone. Twenty-three schools from across the education zone participated in the programme, making it one of the most geographically diverse events of the 2025–2026 CPS programme year.
The event featured science and technology talks, career guidance, a hands-on Chemistry in Action demonstration by students of the Faculty of Applied Sciences, South Eastern University of Sri Lanka, a virtual reality session, and a competitive science quiz.
Programme highlights: Career Opportunities for Science Students, Chemistry in Action, Virtual Reality Demonstration, and Science Quiz Competition.
