Arludo Ambassador
Arludo designs activities that enable educators to facilitate interactive and immersive learning experiences using video games. As Arludo ambassadors, we run various science experiments, turning a classroom into a lab effortlessly. Join my virtual incursion to explore how far your memory can hold information accurately and what factors affect what you remember. [View]
66th Session of the UN Commission on the Status of Women
This parallel event for the UN CSW was organised by SPSSI- UN intern Laura López-Aybar. The panel focused on ‘Gender-Based Violence and Climate Change: Causes, Consequences and Solutions’. As a moderator, I had the opportunity to talk with experts comprised of psychologists and UN personnel to share evidence on the relationship between GBV and climate change and propose recommendations to address this issue. [Video]
University Mental Health Day
For University Mental Health Day, Oasis, the wellbeing center of Flinders University, organised stalls promoting mental health service and wellbeing programs.
Book Chapter: Mental Health in the Workplace
The Psychology Coalition at the United Nations (PCUN) launched a book series, ‘Behavioral Science in the Global Arena: Global Mental, Spiritual, and Social Health’ describing how evidence- based behavioral research is used to address global challenges. I co-authored a chapter named ‘Mental health in the Workplace’ along with Dr. Walter Reichman and Mathian Osicki. [Book]
10th ECOSOC Youth Forum 2021: Recalibrating & Rethinking Sustainable Future: The Importance of Health, Wellbeing & Empathy
This event was organized by SPSSI's UN Committee for United Nations Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) Youth Forum 2021 [Concept Note]. The panel focused on addressing the gaps in the holistic health needs of diverse youth populations across the world, which have been exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic. As one of the panelists, I talked about the importance of practicing Mindfulness for a sustainable future. [Video , Article]
14th Annual Psychology Day at the United Nations
The Psychology Day program for 2021 brought together psychologists who are experts in their fields. They discussed the latest psychological research on best practices, and evidence-based strategies that can assist the UN and other groups build back better and more effectively respond to the challenges of a Post-Pandemic world. [Video]
UNICEF Advocacy Week 2021
UNICEF team met with Representative Albio Sires’s staff Jaya Pillai to advocate for Keeping Girls in School Act (H.R. 2153) and Mental Health Services for Students Act (H.R. 721).
EPA Virtual Conference 2021
Eastern Psychological Association Conference was held virtually this year from March 5-6, 2021. I joined the International Symposium to present on the topic of ‘Mental Health Consequences of Climate Change’. [Video]
SPSSI’s Statement on Psychological Effects of Water Stress
SPSSI submitted a statement to the Commission on Population and Development, fifty-fourth session (2021) on ‘Alleviating the psychological effects of water stress on children, families, and communities’. The summary of the statement was published in the SPSSI forward as well. [View]
Canadian Science Policy Virtual Conference 2020
As one of the speakers for the panel discussion on ‘Effective Applications of Psychological Science: Drawing Parallels between COVID-19 and Climate Change’, I presented relevant insights on the psychological impact that are common both to the COVID-19 pandemic and climate change and implications for policy. [Video]
SPSSI’s Statement in Commemoration of the 75th Anniversary of the United Nations
SPSSI submitted a statement to the United Nations Secretary calling for the end of systemic racism, and racial and ethnic discrimination into the implementation of United Nations sustainable development goals. [View]
13th Annual Psychology Day at the United Nations
The UN psychology day, 2020 theme was ‘Psychological Contributions to Building Bridges Among and Within Nations’. The virtual panel discussed how psychological approaches could be utilized to understand the challenges to multilateralism and provided recommendations to facilitate international collaboration to tackle public health crises such as the global pandemic of COVID-19. [View]
58th Commission for Social Development
SPSSI-UN conducted a panel discussion on 'Preventing and Recovering from Homelessness: Contributions from Psychology" at the United Nations Headquarters, NY. As a moderator, I shared the panel with incredible speakers who presented some of their major research and legal work regarding homelessness. Prior to this side event, SPSSI also submitted a statement to the Commission. [Video]
SPSSI's 2020 Advocacy Day
SPSSI team visited the Capitol Hill to advocate Members of Congress about the ‘Reauthorization of Violence Against Women Act’ (VAWA) focusing on the provisions that help protect Native American girls and women. [Policy brief]
World's Big Sleep Out
I volunteered at the World’s Big Sleep Out organized by Social bite, in partnership with UNICEF USA, Malala Fund, and the Institute for Global Homelessness (IGH). Hundreds of people came together to spend the night (not to forget the cold weather) in Time square to help raise funds for homeless and displaced people around the world. [More info]
Climate Action: A Race We Can Win
I represented the UN youth team for the 5k race organized by the New York Road Runners for climate change as a signatory of its sports for climate action framework.
AAAS Science, Technology and Human Rights Conference
SPSSI- UN team conducted a skill-building workshop, ‘Advancing Science in a Global Context: Scientific Engagement at the United Nations’, in Washington, DC. As one of the panelists, I discussed how early scholars could incorporate their training and skills within the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) framework from a human rights perspective. [Video]
Global Climate Strike
It was an unforgettable experience volunteering at the global climate strike held in NY. It was definitely a historical movement led by youth to demand transformative actions to address climate change. [VOGUE Article]
UNICEF Backpack Activation
Being a part of this project organized by the UNICEF that remembered 3758 children who lost their lives in conflict zones in 2018 has always been a constant reminder that we have a lot do as a society in protecting children. I hope that we will not get to assemble this many backpacks ever again. [Video]
Youth Climate Action for SID States
I was part of the organizing committee for the side event on 'Youth Climate Action for Small Island Developing (SID) States' at the UN High-Level Political forum 2019 held at the UN Headquarters, NY. The panel discussion provided a lot of insights on prevailing issues in SIDs due to climate change and offered recommendations on how youth can play an important role in fighting against this global crisis.
SPSSI's 2019 Advocacy Day
SPSSI team visited the Capitol Hill to advocate members of Congress on "Protecting and Promoting the Human Rights of Scientists, Scholars, and Students Around the World. [Read more]
Global Guide
In this role, I conducted workshops about Sri Lanka on different social issues such as women empowerment, energy conservation, plastic waste management, deforestation and poverty to K-12 students in NY public schools. It is part of the ‘One To World’ organization’s program to enhance intercultural learning and assist students in their process of becoming global citizens.
UNICEF Advocacy Day
I visited Sen. Cory Booker’s office along with UNICEF staff to advocate and request to cosponsor the ‘Reach Every Mother and Child Act’ and the ‘Congressional Resolution to End Violence Against Children Globally.’
12th Annual Psychology Day at the United Nations
The UN psychology day, 2019 theme was ‘The Time is Now: Psychological Contributions to Global Gender Equ{al}ity’. The panel addressed the challenges in achieving global gender equity (UN SDG #5), and recommended strategies and programs to support, and create conditions to promote gender equality globally. [Video]
Commission on the Status of Women 2019
SPSSI team organized a side event for the 63rd Commission on the Status of Women with the theme of ‘Women Leaders & Decision-Makers Across Cultures: Lessons from Psychology’. This panel addressed the role of policies and advocacy in empowering women as leaders and decision-makers. Using evidence from psychological science, speakers discussed barriers that hold women back from full and equal participation in leadership and provided examples of best practices to decrease the global gender gap in representation. [View]
SPSSI Graduate Student Committee Webinar Series
We presented this webinar to provide an introduction to the SPSSI-UN team and its role in facilitating a greater understanding among UN missions, NGOs, and staff about the contribution of psychological research in international relations and peacekeeping. We discussed different pathways that graduate students could apply their training to act as advocates, researchers, and organizers in areas of sustainable development through our personal experiences. [Video]
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