Dr. Deeptha Amarathunga served as a senior scientist at the Environmental Studies Division of the National Aquatic Resources Research and Development Agency (NARA), Sri Lanka, from 2005 to 2023. Since 2020, has been working as a visiting lecturer at the Ocean University of Sri Lanka. He earned his PhD from the University of Yamanashi, Japan. His academic background and research interests include contaminants in the aquatic environment, aquatic ecology and biodiversity conservation, river research and management, wetland science, and environmental impact assessments. He is a member of several professional bodies: the Sri Lanka Association for the Advancement of Science, the Sri Lanka Association for Fish and Aquatic Resources, the Sri Lanka Soil Science Society, the Young Scientists Forum, and the Japanese Society on Water Environment. Notably, he has served as a committee member of the BIOFIN working group, the National Coastal Water Quality Monitoring Program (MEPA), the National Task Force for the GEF-IMO-UNDP Glofouling Partnerships in Sri Lanka, and the nitrogen management committee in Sri Lanka. Additionally, he has worked as a NARA coordinator for the CLiP program (Cefas-UK), the OCPP - Blue Planet Fund (UK), and the Sri Lanka-Australia Blue Carbon Initiative. He authored over 125 publications in scientific journals and proceedings.
Prof. Sujeewa De Silva is a distinguished academic at the University of Kelaniya, Sri Lanka, where she currently holds the position of Professor at the Department of Chemistry. She obtained her BSc in Chemistry (Honours) from the University of Kelaniya and later pursued her PhD in Materials Science at the University of Sheffield, UK, focusing on the crystallization and molecular conformation of long-chain n-alkanes. With over two decades of teaching and research experience, Prof. De Silva's postdoctoral work at the University of Queensland, Australia, centered on renewable composite materials. She has received numerous prestigious grants and awards, recognizing her contributions to research and development. In addition to her academic duties, Prof. De Silva has coordinated several local and international projects and served as the Director of various research initiatives at the University of Kelaniya, particularly in the fields of solar energy solutions and environmental sustainability. She has authored numerous indexed publications and has supervised over 20 MPhil and PhD students, significantly contributing to the advancement of science and technology in Sri Lanka.
Prof. Sujeewa De Silva is a distinguished academic at the University of Kelaniya, Sri Lanka, where she currently holds the position of Professor at the Department of Chemistry. She obtained her BSc in Chemistry (Honours) from the University of Kelaniya and later pursued her PhD in Materials Science at the University of Sheffield, UK, focusing on the crystallization and molecular conformation of long-chain n-alkanes. With over two decades of teaching and research experience, Prof. De Silva's postdoctoral work at the University of Queensland, Australia, centered on renewable composite materials. She has received numerous prestigious grants and awards, recognizing her contributions to research and development. In addition to her academic duties, Prof. De Silva has coordinated several local and international projects and served as the Director of various research initiatives at the University of Kelaniya, particularly in the fields of solar energy solutions and environmental sustainability. She has authored numerous indexed publications and has supervised over 20 MPhil and PhD students, significantly contributing to the advancement of science and technology in Sri Lanka.
