ASHANEE KOTTAGE

Detail-oriented Research Analyst with first-rate active listening, communication and planning traits. Creative and persistent to quickly and effectively solve various problems that may arise. Committed to completing accurate and thorough competitive assessments. Outstanding research skills combined with effective decision-making talents.

• Department of Science, Technology, and International Affairs, Washington, D.C., Researcher, Primary Investigator on diverse stakeholder perspectives of the management of Yala National Park, Sri Lanka, 06/2021 - Present
• Department of Science, Technology, and International Affairs, Washington, D.C., Research Assistant to Dr. Clare Fieseler, Performed data quality checks on over 500 bibliographic sources to co-author a manuscript on bias in marine protected areas science, 05/2020 - 09/2020
• Department of Science, Technology, and International Affairs, Washington, D.C., Lead Researcher, Are missions and mobilities changing in response to COVID-19? A regional review of coastal sustainable tourism in Southeast Asia, 05/2020 - 09/2020
• India Innovation Studio, Washington, D.C., Student Researcher, Collaborated with the Indian government and civil society stakeholders to design, prototype, and implement solutions related to transportation geographies in Maharashtra, 01/2020 - 05/2020
• On The Lawn, Washington, D.C., Writer and Performer, Collaborated with professional theatre makers (LubDub Theatre) and peers to create a devised piece about climate change and the American lawn, 09/2019 - 11/2019
• United Nations Peacebuilding Fund Secretariat, Colombo, Sri Lanka, Intern, Generated a database of 300+ anti-Muslim violent incidents based on district, type of violence, key perpetrators, and state response, 05/2019 - 08/2019

• The Earth Commons, Washington, D.C., Research Analyst, Communicates scientific data and discovery through performance art to equip audiences with nuanced information, 07/2022 - Present
• The Earth Commons, Washington, D.C., Co-wrote and co-directed a series of site-specific performances woven from community interviews, science, local history, and legend celebrating the Potomac watershed for the Kennedy Center River Run Festival, 07/2022 - Present
• The Earth Commons, Washington, D.C., Recruited 77 young storytellers to share their stories towards a global performance and archival project exploring youth perspectives on the climate emergency, 07/2022 - Present
• The Earth Commons, Washington, D.C., Performed personal stories about ancestral heritage, Ocean Optimism, and scientific data and discovery at the Kennedy Center Coal & Ice Festival, New York Times Climate Forward at COP27, EU State of the Arts Night: After-Hours at The Hirshhorn, 07/2022 - Present
• The Earth Commons, Washington, D.C., Curated a multi-disciplinary performance and roundtable event with an expansive range of cultural perspectives and theatrical forms, that explore the scientific, political, elemental, and personal dimensions of water including 2023 Climate Change Theater Action plays, 07/2022 - Present
• The Earth Commons, Washington, D.C., Directed a cohort of students for the forthcoming conference Sustaining the Oasis: Envisioning the Future of Water Security in the Gulf, 07/2022 - Present
• The Earth Commons, Washington, D.C., Designed and implemented a four-part dialogue and storytelling series for the Georgetown community, on the history and lessons from Dharmic traditions for practicing care for Mother Nature, alongside meals, ceremonies, spiritual rituals, and writing, 07/2022 - Present
• The Earth Commons, Washington, D.C., Initiated an inter-generational literature circle and affinity group for ~20 Global Majority students, alumni, faculty, and staff to share, read, discuss, and feel media and literature about the land, the earth, and all that she holds, 07/2022 - Present
• The Earth Commons, Washington, D.C., Piloted a three-day gathering of 25 storytellers to care for and catalyze narrative-based performing arts about the environment, 07/2022 - Present
• The Earth Commons, Washington, D.C., Facilitated an interdisciplinary course of 11 students to engage narratives from various pandemics using techniques of devised performance as a catalyst and developmental research process for a new performance project premiering in 2024 at Mosaic Theater, 07/2022 - Present
• The Earth Commons, Washington, D.C., Organized a multi-sensory community gathering and poetry reading for the launch of Watering Whole: Poems by Jan Ellis Menafee, 07/2022 - Present
• The Earth Commons, Washington, D.C., Developed a 3-day immersion on conflict resolution and cultural competency for 18 students from Georgetown and Radford University, 07/2022 - Present
• The Earth Commons, Washington, D.C., Implemented the In Your Shoes methodology cultivating empathy through embodiment, call and response, risk-taking, and performance, 07/2022 - Present
• Beeck Center for Social Impact and Innovation, Washington, D.C., Student Analyst, 01/2021 - 05/2021
• Alternative Breaks Program (Center for Social Justice), Washington, D.C., Participant | Trip Leader, Executed a virtual immersion with 6 community partners on mountain and environmental justice in Appalachia, 02/2020 - 06/2021
• The Garage Sale Project, Colombo, Sri Lanka, Founder, Re-sold over 500 items of donated clothing by developing a sustainable second-hand market for clothes that are culturally sanctioned, 06/2017 - 06/2018
• Dyeneasty, Washington, D.C., Plan-It Earth Ideathon Winning Team, Delivered a business plan to demonstrate the socio-economic value of using vertical hydroponic systems to substitute artificial dye, 04/2019 - 06/2019

• Phi Beta Kappa
• Alpha Sigma Nu
• Delta Phi Epsilon
• Sri Lanka National Debate Team (2018)

• Quantitative Methods for International Affairs, Dr. Parina Patel, 01/2022 - 05/2022
• Topics in Marine Conservation, Dr. David Shiffman, 01/2022 - 05/2022
• Water, Dr. Mark Giordano, 01/2022 - 05/2022
• Designing Development in Africa, Professor Vanessa Opalo, 01/2021 - 05/2021
• Foundations in Biology I and II, Dr. Heidi Elmendorf and Dr. Manus Patten, 09/2020 - 05/2021
• Cross Cultural Performance, Professor Devika Ranjan, 09/2020 - 05/2020
• Coding, Analyzing, and Synthesizing Qualitative Data, Dr. Johnny Saldaña, 07/2020
• Dialogue and Difference: In Your Shoes, Dr. Derek Goldman, 01/2020 - 05/2020
• Religion Without God, Dr. Vrajvihari Sharan, 01/2020 - 05/2020
• Deeper Sources of Environmental Policy, Dr. Claire Fieseler, 09/2018 - 11/2018

• Wildlife conservation
• Practicing decolonization
• Fostering animals
• Interfaith dialogue
• Afro-pop
• The New York Knicks

Associations: Phi Beta Kappa, Alpha Sigma Nu, Delta Phi Epsilon, Sri Lanka National Debate Team (2018)

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

Languages: English (Fluent), French (Advanced Proficiency), Sinhalese (Native Verbal Fluency), Tamil (Beginner)

Awards: Class of 2022 Convocation Speaker, Rhodes Scholarship Finalist (2022), McTighe Prize (2020 Convocation Speaker), Walsh School of Foreign Service Award for $4000 (2020), First Honors (2018-2019), 1st in Asia for IAL History (2018)

Associations: Phi Beta Kappa, Alpha Sigma Nu, Delta Phi Epsilon, Sri Lanka National Debate Team (2018)

Writing, Project, and Performance Portfolio: Research, policy briefs, op-eds, professional and performance projects at this link Interests: Wildlife conservation, practicing decolonization, fostering animals, interfaith dialogue, afro-pop, the New York Knicks