The National Science Foundation (NSF), together with the IEEE Computer Society Sri Lanka Chapter, organized a timely knowledge sharing session on “AI: Social Responsibility Perspectives & Its Use in Sciences” on 17th September 2026, from 2.00 p.m. to 3.00 p.m. The session was held at the Boardroom of the Faculty of Graduate Studies, University of Moratuwa in hybrid mode, which brought together undergraduates, postgraduates, academics, professionals and researchers keen to understand where scientific advancement meets ethical responsibility. They comprised of a total of 127 participants (i.e., 40 joined onsite and 87 online).
The session opened with welcome remarks delivered online by Dr Sudath Samaraweera, Chairman, NSF, followed by remarks from Prof. R.A.R.C. Gopura, Dean of the Faculty of Graduate Studies, University of Moratuwa and Prof. Supunmali Ahangama, Chairperson, IEEE Computer Society - Sri Lanka Chapter. As Artificial Intelligence has become more deeply embedded in scientific research, this session shed light on how questions of accountability, fairness and ethical use could no longer be treated as an afterthought, and how researchers could make good use of AI's strengths while still protecting integrity and public trust.
The resource person of the session was Prof. Saman Halgamuge, Professor at the Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Melbourne, Australia, and a past engineering graduate of the University of Moratuwa, who is also an expatriate Sri Lankan scientist closely associated with the ‘NSF Global Digital Platform’ initiative. The lecture was followed by an engaging Q&A session where further collaborative research and exploration opportunities were highlighted. The event ended with a vote of thanks delivered by Mr. Wasantha Anuruddha, Head of the International Affairs Division (Covering), NSF.
