PhD Graduands - 2018 Convocation

Ceylon Tea, known the world over for its rich taste and high quality is a top contributor to the foreign exchange earnings of Sri Lanka. However, there are many contenders in the international market, and continuous improvement is a must to stay competitive. More>>

What if you knew the formula for a magic potion that gives you remarkable strength, but is yet cheap? Chamod Hettiarachchi looks at how he could mix two materials to get the best combined effect to improve the properties of the mixture.  Mixtures are used regularly in manufacturing, production and construction industries. The ability to control the packing density of particles in such mixtures will open up a myriad of possibilities for these industries. More >>

Fat is not something we want to be associated with, be it with regard to our personal outlook, food that we eat, or waste that is produced when cooking. Big hotels that are part of international chains, international or local franchisees, the local boutique baker, or your favourite restaurant, all face the issue of having to get rid of fat, oils and grease (FOG) that are unwanted byproducts of cooking.  More >>

We have long been fascinated with Robots that mimic human behaviour and understand our needs, inspired no doubt, by Hollywood's imagination and creativity. Though we are yet to achieve a heroic Optimus Prime or a resourceful R2D2, recent years have seen reports of significant advances in this direction, with the likes of Hanson Robotic’s ‘Sophia’, Mayfield Robotic’s ‘Kuri’ and Honda’s ‘E2-DR’. However, real-world robots have still not quite reached that stage, leaving researchers, much room for improvement.   More >>

The whole world is abuzz with how we can reduce our energy consumption and Carbon footprint.  Research has found that 30% of global energy is consumed by buildings for heating, air conditioning, lighting and other services. The major fraction of this energy is obtained by burning fossil fuels, emitting considerable amounts of Carbon Dioxide and many other toxins into the environment. Any solution to global warming must require new thinking in this supply infrastructure and the built environment that it feeds. More>>

If only we could regrow limbs like in the magical world of Harry Potter..... The reality however is that we have to depend on the ingenuity of our scientists to build artificial limbs (prostheses), the next best thing to growing back lost limbs. Encouragingly, technology on prosthetics has come far. The capabilities of these technological advancements are famously put to test and displayed to the world at the likes of the Paralympics and theInvictus Games. More >>

Success stories have always been the cornerstone for entrepreneurial studies. Fashion is no different. However, while entrepreneurship and entrepreneurial studies are much talked-about in today’s society, it is questionable whether the knowledge imparted by learning institutes is aligned with differing geographies and industries. More >>

History has shown that not responding to risks and their triggers come with a cost. Many projects have ended in disaster, sometimes even with the loss of lives and property. The space shuttle Challenger that disintegrated shortly after takeoff is a grave reminder.  The lesson learnt is that risk management should never be compromised. More >>

Peter Drucker, the well-known management guru famously quipped that culture eats strategy for breakfast, implying the importance of playing the culture card right, whether it is an organization or a project within one. Today, most organizations execute their strategy via projects that span across geographical boundaries and time zones. Hence, these projects may be hosts to a few different cultures and sub-cultures. Managing differences arising from various cultural issues is essential for ensuring the success of projects.  More>>