The University of Kelaniya welcomed Professor Theresa McGarry, a distinguished academic from the Department of Literature and Language, East Tennessee State University, USA, on 9th October 2025 under the International Visiting Fellowship Programme.

Hosted by the Department of Linguistics, Faculty of Humanities, Professor McGarry will contribute to teaching across the undergraduate and postgraduate programmes in Linguistics during her six-month fellowship. In addition to her teaching role, she will collaborate with Dr. Kapugollawe Anandakiththi Thero, Head of the Department of Linguistics, on joint research projects, including “A Typological and Syntactic Analysis of Conditional Structures in Colloquial Sinhala” and “The Sinhala lu Marker: Syntactic, Semantic, and Pragmatic Perspectives on Reportive Marking.”

On her arrival, Professor McGarry met with Senior Professor Nilanthi de Silva, Vice-Chancellor of the University of Kelaniya, at the Vice – Chancellor’s Office, to discuss avenues of academic collaboration and international partnership.

A Fulbright Scholar, Professor McGarry brings extensive expertise in syntax and applied linguistics. Her presence not only enriches the academic and research profile of the Faculty of Humanities but also reflects the commitment of the Department of Linguistics to fostering global scholarly exchange and strengthening the University’s international collaborations.