Sumudu Mallawaarachchi, PhD

Dr. Sumudu Mallawaarachchi’s research focuses on children’s digital technology use from a child developmental perspective, with expertise in mixed-methods research including meta-analyses, longitudinal research, acute experiments, and thematic analyses. 

As a Research Fellow, she explores bidirectional relationships between children’s digital technology use and engagement, digital design and developmental outcomes (particularly, self-regulation). She has engaged locally and internationally, through print media, radio, and television, contributing to debates around digital childhoods. Sumudu hopes her research will inform evidence-based recommendations for families, clinicians and educators to support young children growing up in a rapidly evolving digital age.

Funding/Conflicts of Interest: Dr. Sumudu Mallawaarachchi reports grants from ARC Centre of Excellence for the Digital Child and the Society for Research in Child Development during the conduct of the research to be presented. In addition, University of Wollongong will own the project IP for the novel open-access research app tool, which is currently being developed, as part of the project related to the research to be presented.