Political science alum confirmed as ambassador to Sri Lanka

“I congratulate Eric Meyer on his appointment to serve as the next ambassador to Sri Lanka,” said Scott Straus, a professor and chair of the Department of Political Science. “Ambassador Meyer’s exceptional career in public service is an inspiration for UC Berkeley students of political science. As faculty, we hope to train future leaders, and we are so pleased to see an alum play such an important role in American foreign policy.”

Sri Lanka is a mostly rural nation of approximately 22 million people. It encompasses an island the size of West Virginia off the southeastern coast of India. The strategic location abuts some of the world’s busiest shipping lanes. An estimated 85,000 U.S. residents also identify as Sri Lankan.

Meyer was elevated to the ambassadorship following a wide-ranging career in the Department of State’s Senior Foreign Service. From January to August 2025, Eric served as the senior bureau official for the Bureau of South and Central Asian Affairs. His policy portfolio included Sri Lanka as well as Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan. Since then, he has served in Norway as the chargé d’affaires ad interim, which is the embassy’s chief of mission in the absence of an ambassador.

Meyer has served in additional diplomatic posts around the world, including Argentina, Cambodia, Egypt, Finland, Kazakhstan, and North Macedonia. He was often tasked with meeting government and business officials to find agreement on issues pertaining to trade, travel, culture, science, and national security. 

With a myriad of international programs, language courses, and top-ranked academic departments, UC Berkeley prepares its students for dynamic careers in public service around the globe.

Meyer speaks six languages: English, Danish, French, Khmer, Russian, and Spanish. He graduated from UC Berkeley in 1995.