Suraweera to Receive 2025 James M. Cretsos Award for Leadership
The Association for Information Science & Technology (ASIS&T) is delighted to announce that Namali Suraweera, PhD, is the recipient of the 2025 James M. Cretsos Award for Leadership. The award’s purpose is to recognize a new ASIS&T member who has demonstrated outstanding leadership qualities in professional ASIS&T activities.
Dr. Namali Suraweera is an Academic Developer at the Centre for Academic Development, Victoria University of Wellington, New Zealand, and a Principal Fellow of Advance HE (UK). Before this, she served for over 16 years in Sri Lanka as a Senior Lecturer and Head of the Department of Library and Information Science at the University of Kelaniya. She also led key university initiatives as Director of the Inter-Faculty Centre for Coordinating the Modular Systems (ICCMS) and the National E-Learning Resource Centre (NELRC).
Since joining the Association for Information Science & Technology (ASIS&T) in 2021, Dr. Suraweera has been an active and impactful contributor, initially through the South Asia Chapter and later through Special Interest Groups such as SIG-USE and SIG-III. She co-led the 22nd and 23rd SIG-USE Research Symposiums and currently chairs the International Paper Contest (IPC) for SIG-III (2024–2025), leading inclusive and globally-engaged initiatives to support emerging researchers from developing countries.
She has authored over 50 academic publications and presented widely across South Asia and Oceania. She continues to contribute to the global academic and professional community through leadership, research, and mentoring, and by serving as a reviewer, editorial board member for peer-reviewed journals, co-chair, and committee member for numerous international conferences.
In nominating Suraweera for this award, Dr. Nosheen Fatima Warraich said, “Dr. Namali Suraweera is a visionary leader whose transformative contributions to ASIS&T have been exemplary. Her dedication and innovative strategies have made a significant impact on the organization, particularly through her work with SIG-USE and SIG-III. Namali's involvement with the SIG-USE Annual Research Symposiums in 2022 and 2023 showcased her ability to enhance member engagement and foster vibrant discussions. By implementing inclusive approaches, such as dividing the virtual symposium into two days to accommodate diverse time zones, she has successfully increased participation and significantly contributed to both member recruitment and retention.”
Upon learning of her selection as winner of the award, Suraweera responded, “I am truly honoured to receive the 2025 James M. Cretsos Leadership Award from ASIS&T. This recognition is both humbling and inspiring, as it reflects not just my efforts but the collective energy, support, and encouragement I’ve received from the ASIS&T community. Since joining ASIS&T in 2021, I have been inspired by its culture of inclusion, generosity, and global collaboration. I’ve simply tried to do my part—building connections, creating opportunities, and supporting others to engage and grow, especially from developing regions. This award serves as a reminder that leadership is not about standing out, but about lifting others and growing together—and I’m truly grateful to be part of this vibrant, global community.”
Suraweera will receive the award during the 2025 meeting of ASIS&T which will be held 14-18 November 2025 in Crystal City, VA.
About ASIS&T
ASIS&T is the pre-eminent professional association for thousands of researchers, developers, practitioners, students, and professors in the field of information science and technology from 50 countries around the world. For more than 80 years, ASIS&T has been leading the search for new and better theories, techniques, and technologies to improve access to information.