Ms. Dianne Fernando of the Department of Building Economics achieved outstanding recognition at the University of Moratuwa General Convocation 2025, being awarded the Gold Medal for Facilities Management. This award is presented to the graduand who achieves the highest Overall Grade Point Average (3.8 or above) in the discipline, highlighting her exceptional academic performance throughout her undergraduate studies. In addition to the Gold Medal, Dianne also received the Best Dissertation Award in the Final Year Undergraduate category of the BSc. (Honours) in Facilities Management degree programme. Her dissertation, titled “Adopting the Concept of Biophilic Design to Enhance Naturistic and Healthy Interiors: An Experimental Study on Moss-Based Applications for Tropical Buildings,” was recognised for its originality, rigour, and relevance to sustainable and healthy built environments. Building on this work, Dianne has published several conference papers as well.
In recognition of her academic excellence and research potential, Dianne was recommended for a research summer programme at the Polytechnic University of Hong Kong. She was selected as a fully funded participant from a competitive pool of over 500 applicants worldwide, marking a significant international achievement.
Beyond academics, Dianne demonstrated strong leadership and community engagement. She served as Secretary of the University Catholic Students’ Society (2023–2024) and played an active role in social and community development initiatives. She also led Thinkwave 3.0, organised by AIESEC, aimed at empowering young entrepreneurs. A passionate writer, Dianne published her first novel, The Book of Epochs, in 2020. Currently working as a Facilities Manager, she aspires to contribute to both professional practice and academia.
