Prof. Prasanna Gunawardane

Professor | Department of Mechanical Engineering | Faculty of Engineering

CAREER SUMMARY

  • Professor- Sri Lanka Institute of Information Technology (SLIIT)- November 2024 to date 
  • Professor (Contract)- Sri Lanka Institute of Information Technology (SLIIT)- September 2022 to October 2024
  • Professor- Dept of Mechanical Engineering, University of Peradeniya, October 2020 to October 2024,
  • Director- Engineering Design Centre, University of Peradeniya,  April 2019 to March 2022.
  • Head of the Department- Mechanical Engineering, University of Peradeniya, November 2012 to November 2018
  • Director- Motor Vehicle Repair Unit (MVRU), University of Peradeniya (2013-2016)
  • Acoustic Design Engineer- Optima International LLC , UAE, 2008 ( Sabbatical) 
  • Senior Lecturer- Dept. of Mechanical Engineering, University of Peradeniya, Sri Lanka, April 2004–September 2020
  • Lecturer- Dept. of Mechanical Engineering, University of Peradeniya, Sri Lanka, November 1995 to March 2004

ACADEMIC QUALIFICATIONS

  • BScEng.(Hons) (Mechanical Engineering) University of Peradeniya, Sri Lanka           1994
  • MEng (Mechanical Engineering)  Muroran Institute of Technology, Japan           2001, Ocean Wave Energy
  • · Dr.Eng. (Production and Information Systems Engineering) Muroran Institute of Technology, Japan 2004- Non-liner dynamics 

 

HONOURS AND AWARDS

Honours 

  • President (Founder) - Sri Lanka Marine Renewable Energy Association (SLMREA)- 2017 to date
  • Committee member on Skills Development of the Marine & Offshore sector, Sri Lanka Export Development Board, 2021 ongoing
  • SOP review committee on "Automobile Manufacturing/Assembling Industry and Automobile Component Manufacturing Industry in Sri Lanka, Ministry of Industry, 2021
  • Organizing committee member – Asia Wave and Tidal Energy Conferences (AWTEC)- 2016   Singapore, 2018 Taiwan, 2020 Australia, 2024 South Korea.
  •  International Advisory Committee Member- Asia Forum of Renewable Energy (AFORE), Korean Society of New and Renewable Energy (KSNRE), 2017 to 2019.
  •  Member, Research Advisory Committee of National Institute of Post-Harvest Management (NIPHM), 2020 to date
  • Invited speaker- 7th Asia Pasicific Wave, Tidal and Offshore Wind Energy Conference (AWTEC 2024), Busan, South Korea, October 2024. 
  •  Reviewer of journals (indexed)

    Ocean Engineering: 2017, 2018,2021, 2023,2024, Renewable Energy:  2016,2017, 2018,2019,2020,  Cleaner Engineering and Technology, 2021, IESL Engineer Journal, Energy Strategy Reviews- 2024

Awards

  •  Presidential award for scientific publications,2021, National Research Council, Sri Lanka ( Selected to be awarded)

  • Presidential award for scientific publications,2020, National Research Council, Sri Lanka, 

  •  Presidential award for scientific publications- 2019, National Research Council, Sri Lanka

  •  Best Paper Award, 2nd International Conference on Advanced Convergence Engineering – ICACE  August 28 - 30, 2019, Vietnam

  • Merit Award for Scientific Publications, National Research Council, Sri Lanka,  2016

  • Mombugakusho scholarship recipient, Ministry of Education, Japan 1997. 

Undergraduate supervision – Awards

  • Best undergraduate project on Energy Studies – Platinum Award – 2023 , Sri Lanka  Energy Managers Association (SLIMA), Sri Lanka
  • Best undergraduate project on Energy Studies – Platinum Award – 2022 , Sri Lanka  Energy Managers Association (SLIMA), Sri Lanka

RESEARCH INTERESTS AND MEMBERSHIP

Research Interests

  • Ocean renewable energy systems  
  • Offshore wind-wave hybrid systems
  • Green hydrogen adoptations 
  • Digital twin and reduduced order modelling
  • Noise and vibration 

Memberships

  • Member -       Institute of Engineers Sri Lanka MIESL CEng (M6224).
  • Member-        Engineering Council Sri Lanka ( Reg. No 103725)
  • Registered Consultant - Sri Lanka Sustainable Energy Authority (SEA)

ONGOING RESEARCH

  • Development of HRWEC wave energy device  
  • Assesment of  wind-wave combined potential in sothern costal zone in Sri Lanka
  • Green hydrogen adoptations for ship navigation  ( in collaboration with KMOU Korea)
  • Digital twin and reduced order modelling of pump-turbine for pump hydro application ( in collaboration with MNU Korea)
  • Develoment of hydraulic power take off (PTO) system of wave energy device
  • Traffic noise modelling 

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