Dr. Nathali Silva Best ICT Researcher of the Year  in Sri Lanka Ranked Among World’s Top 2% Scientists in Computing – Stanford–Elsevier 2024 List

SLIIT proudly celebrates Dr. Nathali Silva, Assistant Professor in the Faculty of Computing, who has been recognized among the Top 2% of scientists worldwide in the prestigious Stanford–Elsevier 2024 list, announced in October 2025. This global recognition reflects her outstanding contributions to computing research and innovation.

In addition to this international honor, Dr. Silva was named “Best ICT Researcher of the Year” at the National IT Conference 2025, underscoring her leadership in advancing IT research in Sri Lanka. Her work focuses on data science, artificial intelligence, optimization algorithms, IoT, and energy management, driving impactful solutions for smart systems and sustainable technologies.

Dr. Silva’s research excellence is evident through multiple Best Paper Awards at leading conferences, software innovations in smart home systems, and competitive international scholarships, including the Brain Korea 21+ Research Fellowship and the KINGS Scholarship for her Ph.D. studies in Computer Science and Engineering at Kyungpook National University, Korea.

Currently serving as Assistant Professor at SLIIT, Dr. Silva continues to inspire students and researchers through cutting-edge projects in AI and IoT, reinforcing SLIIT’s position as a hub for world-class computing research.

SLIIT proudly celebrates Professor Priyan Dias, Consultant Professor in Civil Engineering, who has been recognized among the Top 2% of scientists worldwide in the Stanford–Elsevier Career List 2024, announced in October 2025. This global recognition reflects his lifelong contributions to civil engineering research and positions him among the most influential academics internationally.

Prof. Dias is a distinguished scholar whose research spans structural engineering, concrete technology and durability, tsunami resilience, building degradation modeling, and AI applications in civil engineering, alongside pioneering work in systems approaches and philosophy for engineering. His innovative thinking has shaped engineering practice and academic discourse for decades.

His exceptional research output has earned him multiple Presidential Research Awards for publications in Science Citation Index journals, as well as numerous national and international honors, including the Fulbright Senior Scholar Award, Endeavour Executive Award, and the Institution of Civil Engineers (UK) Overseas Prize. Prof. Dias is also a Fellow of the Institution of Engineers Sri Lanka, and the National Academy of Sciences of Sri Lanka (President 2020-2022); and is the Sri Lanka Representative of the Institution of Structural Engineers (UK), reflecting his standing in the global engineering community.

With an illustrious career that includes serving as Emeritus Professor and founder Director of Research at the University of Moratuwa, and a member of the National Research Council for 15 years, Prof. Dias now brings his expertise to SLIIT as Consultant Professor, inspiring the next generation of engineers through research, mentorship, and thought leadership.

SLIIT proudly recognizes Professor Dush N. K. Jayakody, Professor in Electrical and Electronic Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, for his globally impactful contributions to next-generation wireless communications.

His pioneering research on coded wireless power transfer for UAV-assisted networks addresses one of the most critical challenges in UAV technology—limited battery life—by enabling drones to harvest energy from transmitted signals while maintaining reliable connectivity. This breakthrough supports the development of self-energized UAV networks with applications in disaster recovery, remote connectivity, and future 6G communication systems.

Prof. Dushantha Nalin K. Jayakody was listed among the world’s Top 2% of scientists in the Stanford–Elsevier rankings (2024 edition, released in October 2025 and the editions of 2021-2023 continuously) and received the Sri Lankan President’s Award for Outstanding Research Performance at the national awards ceremonies in November 2023 and December 2025. In addition, the AD Scientific Index ranks him No. 2 in Sri Lanka in Electronics & Electrical Engineering. These achievements enhance SLIIT’s international research visibility.

His work reflects a bold vision:“Future networks must be intelligent in how they use energy, spectrum, and structure.”

Through his leadership at SLIIT’s Centre of Excellence in Intelligent Electronics & Transmission (CIET), his role as Vice Chair of the IEEE Communications Society (Sri Lanka Chapter), and collaborations with leading institutions such as Carnegie Mellon University, Prof. Jayakody is shaping the future of wireless communications while creating opportunities for Sri Lankan students to engage in world-class research.

Prof. Ruwan Jayathilaka’s academic journey at SLIIT is a powerful example of how rigorous research, visionary leadership, and deep mentorship can converge to create lasting impact. As the Head of the Department of Information Management at SLIIT Business School, he has played a transformative role in elevating the university’s research culture — one grounded in empirical insight and committed to societal relevance.

A hallmark of his academic contribution is his unwavering commitment to student-centred research. He has co-authored more than 100 Scopus Q1-ranked journal articles in collaboration with SLIIT undergraduate and postgraduate students — a rare and remarkable achievement in Sri Lankan higher education. Under his mentorship, students are not only trained in rigorous research methodology but also guided toward international publication and scholarly engagement.

Prof. Jayathilaka’s excellence in research has been recognised multiple times with the SLIIT Researcher of the Year Award, underscoring his consistent output of high-impact, peer-reviewed work. In parallel, he has been honoured with the SLIIT Outstanding Teacher Award (Senior) on several occasions, reflecting his ability to inspire in both the classroom and the research sphere.

In 2024, he received national recognition with the National Educator Award (Gold Award) for his outstanding achievement and contribution to the discipline of Business and Management. This prestigious honour celebrates his leadership in shaping a generation of future scholars and his enduring contribution to knowledge creation in the field.

His research focuses on addressing complex interdisciplinary challenges at the intersection of economics, digitalisation, sustainability, health, and public policy. Drawing on large-scale datasets and advanced econometric techniques, Prof. Jayathilaka explores critical themes including globalisation and development, business analytics and digital transformation, development economics and economic policy, applied econometrics and quantitative analysis, health economics and public health, tourism and consumer behaviour, environmental economics and sustainability, and social policy and inclusion in business.

Beyond individual accolades, Prof. Jayathilaka has been instrumental in shaping a collaborative, forward-thinking research culture at SLIIT. He actively supports academic staff in launching research initiatives, publishing in reputed journals, and forming cross-disciplinary research teams. His international collaborations have helped position SLIIT as a contributor to global academic discourse.

Despite the demands of leadership, teaching, and scholarship, Prof. Jayathilaka remains dedicated to producing research that informs policy, advances theory, and creates real-world value. His legacy is not only in what he publishes but in how he empowers others to engage in meaningful, high-quality research.

For Prof. Ruwan Jayathilaka, research is not just an academic exercise — it is a lifelong mission to transform insight into impact. Through his vision, mentorship, and scholarly excellence, he continues to define and drive SLIIT’s role as a hub of research innovation in Sri Lanka and beyond.