Dinithi JAYASEKARA

Dinithi Jayasekara is a Research Fellow at the Lee Kuan Yew Centre for Innovative Cities, Singapore University of Technology and Design (SUTD). Her research focuses on the interplay between culture, institutions, and technology adoption, blending experimental economics with psychological insights. She holds a PhD in Economics from Nanyang Technological University (2021), preceded by an M.Sc. in Applied Economics (NTU) and B.Sc. in Statistics (University of Colombo).

Current research affiliations include the Chen Tianqiao Programme on Urban Innovation and the Open Loop Careers project. Her work explores cultural dynamics influencing technological behaviors, economic growth determinants, and long-run development trajectories. Notable studies investigate how ritual conformity affects trust in AI systems and how intercultural factors shape international patent cooperation.

Publications span experimental economics, innovation policy, and cross-country comparisons of technology adoption. Her doctoral thesis ('Essays on Culture and Innovations') examines cultural variables' impact on scientific progress attitudes and institutional frameworks. Jayasekara's research bridges quantitative methods with qualitative cultural analysis, contributing to both theoretical and applied economic discourse.