I recently had the chance to speak on 95bFM’s Ready, Steady, Learn about my PhD research, and it was such a lovely experience.During the interview,

I spoke about how I am exploring the use of immersive experiences to help girls build confidence in technology. My research focuses on girls aged 10 to 14, because this is often the age when their interest in technology starts to decline. I am interested in how we can create experiences that help girls see themselves not just as users of technology, but as creators of it.

I also talked about how this research connects to the work I have been doing for years in Sri Lanka through NextGen Girls in Technology. That work began from seeing how differently girls experience technology, especially in rural communities, and how often they are made to feel that technology is not for them. My PhD builds on that same work, but takes it into a new space through immersive technology.

One of the most exciting parts of the interview was sharing the co-design workshops I am running with girls as part of the first phase of my research. Together, we are designing an XR experience where players use technology in a virtual environment to help protect kiwi birds. The workshops are playful and creative, and the girls are shaping the experience in their own way. I take what they design and use it to build the next stage of the experience.

What matters to me most in this research is that it is not only about future careers in technology, although that is important too. It is also about everyday life. Technology is becoming part of how we learn, communicate, work, and make decisions. If girls grow up feeling that technology is not for them, that affects more than the subjects they choose or the jobs they imagine for themselves. It also affects how confidently they move through the world around them. For me, this research is about helping girls feel that technology is something they can engage with, shape, and create with.I’m very grateful to have had the chance to share this work on air.

You can find the full conversation here: https://95bfm.com/bcast/ready-steady-learn-w-poornima-meegammana-r%C4%81tu-march-10-2026