Professional Seminar Series Talk #02 — Featured Speaker: Dr. Irosha Nawarathne
October 21, 2026 – 9:00pm EST
Join us for an inspiring session with Dr. Irosha Nawarathne, Professor of Chemistry and Director of Undergraduate Research at Lyon College, whose career embodies the power of purpose, mentorship, and unexpected pathways in academia. Originally from Sri Lanka, Dr. Nawarathne’s journey from the University of Colombo to Michigan State University and the University of Michigan shaped a global scientific perspective she now brings to a small liberal arts college—an environment she never initially envisioned, but one she has grown to love deeply.
Nationally recognized for her innovative integration of teaching and discovery, Dr. Nawarathne leads undergraduate research in drug development, chemical biology, environmental health, and microplastics. Her work on naphthoquinone-based therapeutics targeting multidrug-resistant pathogens and lung cancer has earned her prestigious honors, including the 2025 ACS Women Chemists Committee Rising Star Award, the Lamar Williamson Prize for Excellence in Teaching, and the Mortar Board Excellence in Advising Award.
Her commitment to student success never wavers despite the continued challenges of conducting drug discovery research at a primarily undergraduate institution in rural Arkansas. She brings authenticity, resilience, and a deep passion for mentoring the next generation of scientists.
Come hear Dr. Nawarathne share her professional journey, the realities of academic life, and her insights on building meaningful careers in science—especially when the path looks different than expected.
💥Don’t miss this powerful conversation. 💥Open to students, educators, and professionals.
Coming Soon! Please check back this page for zoom link information and other updated information about this talk.
Professional Development Series #2: Science Was Always the Plan: Discover, Mentor, Inspire When: October 21, 2026 Time: 9:00 PM EST Join the Discussion via Zoom Link: https://us06web.zoom.us/j/89198395267?pwd=oBHOaOxpNEGP1dEBsyy5nIpcr1DdcY.1 Meeting ID: 891 9839 5267 Passcode: 058706
Speaker: Professor Irosha Navarathne, Ph.D.
Dr. Irosha Navarathne is a Professor of Chemistry and Director of Undergraduate Research at Lyon College in Arkansas, USA.
As a Professor of Chemistry and Director of Undergraduate Research at Lyon College in Arkansas, USA, Dr. Irosha Nawarathne maintains a full teaching and mentoring portfolio, offering courses that range from introductory and organic chemistry to instrumental analysis, forensic chemistry, biocatalysis, conservation and recycling, and the chemical biology of infectious diseases. Deeply committed to integrating teaching with discovery, Dr. Nawarathne creates research experiences that allow undergraduate students to engage directly in the process of drug discovery and translational science while fostering and strengthening a vibrant culture of undergraduate scholarship and research across the institution.
Her research program focuses on the development of novel naphthoquinone scaffold-based pharmaceuticals, including rifamycin derivatives, targeting multidrug-resistant bacterial pathogens and lung cancer using approaches such as proteomics and chemical biology. Her undergraduate researchers also investigate topics related to microplastics, food chemistry, and environmental health, highlighting chemistry’s broad impact on human well-being. In parallel, Dr. Nawarathne actively pursues pedagogical research aimed at advancing evidence-based practices in organic and upper-level chemistry education.
Dr. Nawarathne’s work has received national and institutional recognition. She was named a recipient of the 2025 Rising Star Award for Excellence in Scientific Enterprise by the Women Chemists Committee (WCC) of the American Chemical Society (ACS), one of the society’s highest honors recognizing outstanding mid-career women scientists in the United States. She also received the 2023 Lamar Williamson Prize for Excellence in Teaching at Lyon College and the 2020 Excellence in Advising Award from Mortar Board National College Senior Honor Society.
Originally from Sri Lanka, Dr. Nawarathne earned her bachelor’s degree with First Class Honors in Chemistry from the University of Colombo and completed her Ph.D. in bioorganic chemistry at Michigan State University by successfully utilizing Taxus acyltransferases in biocatalysis in order to modify biologically important natural product scaffolds such as paclitaxel (Taxol®) under the supervision of Dr. Kevin D. Walker. Prior to joining Lyon College, she joined the College of Pharmacy at University of Michigan in Ann Arbor as a research fellow, where she gained medicinal chemistry skills by conducting research on antibiotic development.
Dr. Nawarathne is funded through the National Institutes of Health and General Medical Sciences (P20 GM103429). Her current research lab at Lyon College focuses on the development of efficacious therapeutics from large natural product scaffolds, with proven biomedical applications, through targeted synthesis, utilizing her unique training from Michigan as a biomedical researcher while promoting undergraduate research efforts at Lyon College.
Facilitator: TBA