Leadership Group: Internal - Council Members

Prof. Veranja Karunaratne PhD, FRSC, FNAS, earned his B.Sc.in Chemistry (Special) (First Class Honours) from the University of Colombo, Sri Lanka and Ph.D. in Synthetic Organic Chemistry from the University of British Columbia, Canada. Prof. Karunaratne’s exceptional career includes senior positions such as currently Chairman of the National Science and Technology Commission and Council Member National Research Council and Former Head of the Department of Chemistry at the University of Peradeniya, former Chairman of National Intellectual Property Commission, founder Science Team Leader and Associate Director of Sri Lanka Institute of Nanotechnology (SLINTEC). Prof. Karunaratne also has a background in Intellectual Property and has led and or worked alongside various research teams, whilst having authored and or co-authored over 150 peer-reviewed papers. His expertise in technology transfer, during his tenure at SLINTEC, resulted in the sale of a number of Nanotechnology related patents bringing valuable foreign exchange to the country. Currently, as the Vice Chancellor and CEO of Sri Lanka Technological Campus, with his distinguished academic background, extensive leadership experience and international recognition, Prof. Karunaratne is in an ideal position to fulfil the University’s vision of excellence and innovation, with a commitment to personalized education and research-driven learning,  He is committed to upholding and advancing SLTC’s dedication to providing a transformative, unique and personalized educational experience for students.

Mr. Sandeep Jayawardena possesses over a decade of robust expertise in private equity and capital markets within the Sri Lankan financial landscape. Entrusted with the role of Chief Operating Officer at SLTC, he adeptly combines his seasoned acumen with a strategic and results-driven mindset. With an emphasis on collaboration, Mr. Jayawardena cultivates an environment of cross-functional synergy, effectively aligning the efforts of faculty, staff, and students towards common objectives. His academic foundation includes a distinguished attainment of a First-Class BSc. (Hons) in Environmental Economics and Environmental Management from the esteemed University of York, United Kingdom.

Dr. Sampath Deegalla is a computer engineering graduate with a career spanning over 20 years in research, teaching, and administration. He obtained a B.Sc. Eng. in Computer Engineering from the University of Peradeniya, a Ph.Lic and a PhD in Computer and Systems Sciences from Stockholm University, Sweden. Currently on sabbatical, Eng. Deegalla is serving as the Dean of the Computing and IT Faculty at the SLTC Research University. He is renowned for his expertise in Machine Learning, Data Science, and Artificial Intelligence, and has authored over 30 scholarly publications at both national and international levels. As a resource person for Dialog Data Academy, he plays a pivotal role in imparting data analytics training to industry professionals. Furthermore, he contributes to the academic world by conducting postgraduate courses in Data Science, Computer Science, Information Technology, and Industrial Mathematics at the Postgraduate Institute of Science, University of Peradeniya.

Chandani Dissanayake is a Senior Lecturer in the Faculty of Science, Sri Lanka Technological Campus, Padukka, Sri Lanka. She received her B.Sc. Engineering (honors) specializing in the field of Production Engineering, University of Peradeniya in 2007. She holds a M.Sc. and PhD in mathematics from the Department of Mathematics and Statistics, Texas Tech University, USA. Chandani is currently working as the Dean of the Faculty of Science, Sri Lanka Technological Campus. She has been serving for seven years for SLTC as an academic staff member. Moreover, Chandani worked as a Graduate Part time Instructor in the Department of Mathematics and Statistics at Texas Tech University, USA in 2009 – 2016 and as an Instructor in the Department of Mathematics, Faculty of Engineering, University of Peradeniya in 2007 – 2009. Her research interests include scientific computing applied to engineering and biology, and solving differential equations using numerical methods.

Dr. Lasith Yasakethu is a Senior Lecturer in Department of Applied Electronics, Sri Lanka Technological Campus. He is currently serving as the Dean of Faculty of Technology. Dr. Yasakethu received his BSc. Engineering degree (First Class Hons.) in Electrical and Electronic Engineering from the University of Peradeniya, Sri Lanka, in 2007. He was awarded the prize for best performance in Electronic Communication Engineering by the University of Peradeniya for his achievements in undergraduate studies. After graduation, he joined Dialog Telecom (Pvt.) Ltd., Sri Lanka as a Core-Network Engineer (2007). In October 2007 he was awarded the Overseas Research Scholarships Award by the Higher Education Funding Council of England to pursue PhD at the University of Surrey, UK. After completing his PhD he worked as a Research Engineer for Technicolor Research & Innovations (formerly known as THOMSON R&D), in Rennes, France (2010-2012). Dr. Yasakethu worked as a Research Fellow and a Senior Research Fellow at University of Surrey, UK and Kingston University, London, UK respectively (2012-2014). Afterwards, he worked as a Senior Lecturer at Department of Mechatronics, Faculty of Engineering, SAITM (2014-2016) and Department of Electrical and Electronic Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, University of Peradeniya (2016-2018). His area of expertise is 3D Video Communication, Perception and Cyber Security. Dr. Yasakethu has worked for several European Commission Framework Program-6 (FP6) and Framework Program-7 (FP7) projects. He is a member of IEEE & an author/reviewer of several IEEE/IET journal/conference publications.

Dr. Pahalagedara is a strategic innovation leader and a researcher with over 12 years of experience in academic & industrial R&D. He obtained his PhD from the University of Connecticut (UCONN), USA and BSc (Hons) special degree in Chemistry from the University of Peradeniya. Dr. Pahalagedara has experience in developing novel technologies in the areas of energy, materials science, and sustainability and has worked with world-renowned companies such as Exxon Mobil, Corning Incorporated, and the US Department of Energy during his postgraduate studies. Dr. Pahalagedara has a proven track record in scientific R&D with over 1200 citations and is an inventor of two US patents. He is also an expert in strategizing business models to create an innovation eco-system integrating science, technology, and commercialization. Before joining SLTC Research University Dr. Pahalagedara worked as a Senior Manager at the Sri Lanka Institute of Nanotechnology (SLINTEC) and currently serves as a member of the Board of Study of the Postgraduate Institute of Science at the University of Peradeniya.