Prof. Roshan Ragel from the University of Peradeniya, Sri Lanka, has achieved a historic
milestone as the first academic from the Global South to receive the 2025 IEEE Computer Society Mary Kenneth Keller Computer Science & Engineering Undergraduate Teaching Award.
This prestigious honor recognizes his outstanding contributions to undergraduate education through innovative teaching, impactful research, and dedicated service, fostering an inclusive community of experiential mentorship for undergraduates in Sri Lanka.
Since its inception, this award has been given 25 times, predominantly to faculty from top U.S. institutions. Recent recipients include Margaret Ellis (2024, Virginia Tech) for fostering inclusive experiential learning, Carla B. Zoltowski (2023, Purdue) for leadership in multidisciplinary engineering education, Nanette Veilleux (2022, Simmons University) for supporting young women in STEM, Harry Lewis (2021, Harvard) for over 40 years of impact on computer science education, and Andre DeHon (2020, Penn) for transforming computer engineering curricula.
Prof. Ragel’s recognition not only highlights his individual excellence but also marks a major step toward global inclusivity in academic recognition. His contributions extend beyond the classroom, influencing AI, IoT, and embedded systems curricula, and expanding technology education in Sri Lanka.
He has mentored over 300 undergraduate researchers and co-authored 200+ papers, receiving accolades such as the Best Computer Scientist in Sri Lanka (2023-2025) and the National Educator Gold Award for Computing (2024). His leadership in LEARN and the Asi@Connect Project has transformed Sri Lanka’s research and education networks, while his role in the Presidential AI Strategy Committee, National AI Advisory Committee and AI Forum for Academics (AIFA) shapes the country’s AI landscape.
Notably, the award has only been given to a handful of educators outside North America and Europe, making this recognition a significant milestone for the Global South.
This award reaffirms his pioneering role in advancing engineering education in Sri Lanka and beyond.