FEATURED NEWS

The Christmas Carols Program of the Department of Civil Engineering was held on the 22nd of December, 2023 from 4.00 pm onwards at the Civil Engineering Auditorium. This was organized as a part of the initiatives by the Head of the Department, Prof. (Mrs.) Chintha Jayasinghe, to promote religious harmony within the Department. The event was organized by the students of Intake 2021, under the guidance of Dr. Lakshitha Fernando. The event was attended by the staff and the students of the Department, Fr. Praveen of St. Sebastians Church, Moratuwa and children and guardians from the home of Diri Daru Piyasa-Maharagama. The event included a time of singing carols, led by the choir of the Intake 2021 students. Fr. Praveen shared a short reflection about the true meaning of Christmas, that the birth of Jesus is a reminder to all of us about giving generously. The performances of the children from Diri Daru Piyasa-Maharagama were one of the highlights of the evening. As part of sharing the true spirit of Christmas, the distribution of gifts to the children and guardians of the home was carried out from the generous contributions of the staff from the Department.

On the 30th of September 2023, the Department of Civil Engineering at the University of Moratuwa bid farewell to one of its esteemed Senior Professors, Prof. Athula Kulathilake, who retired after a commendable and dedicated service. Prof. Kulathilake played a pivotal role in advancing the Geotechnical Engineering Division of the Department of Civil Engineering. His efforts extended beyond academia, as he established strong connections with industry, notably with the National Building Research Organization (NBRO) and the Sri Lankan Geotechnical Society (SLGS). He served as SLGS President for over a decade, contributing significantly to its growth and current status.

On the 8th of November 2023, the University of Moratuwa bid a fond farewell to a distinguished academic, Prof. Anura Nanayakkara. The hybrid event, titled "Concrete: My Lifelong Passion," captured over four decades of dedicated research, academic excellence, and invaluable contributions to both the University and the Construction Industry. The event was graced by the Dean of the Faculty of Graduate Studies, the Head of the Department of Civil Engineering, colleagues, emeritus professors, industry representatives, friends, and family. Despite geographical distances, the lecture attracted a global audience as many past and present students joined via the Zoom platform, underscoring the far-reaching influence of Prof. Nanayakkara's work.

Confab Steel Pvt Ltd, in association with the University of Moratuwa, is offering a Master's Program scholarship to exceptional students studying Civil Engineering Proposed research titles: Innovative Sustainable Construction Materials: Waste-Based Cement Mortar and Plaster Development Hybrid lightweight multistorey apartment buildings for Sri Lanka Assessment of compound effects of climate change and land use and land cover change on future groundwater availability in dryland areas in Sri Lanka

Dr. K. H. S. M. Sampath from the Department of Civil Engineering embarked on a visit to the Sirindhorn International Institute of Technology (SIIT), Thailand, spanning from 4th September to 9th October 2023 as a follow-up activity of the MoU signed between SIIT and UoM. During this academic visit, Dr. Sampath continued the delivery of the module "CES391: Special Topics in Civil Engineering I" for undergraduate students at SIIT, in which the first part was delivered by Prof. Nalin De Silva during his visit in August 2023.

The Institution of Engineers Sri Lanka (IESL) commemorated the 104th Birth Anniversary of Eng. (Dr.) A. N. S. Kulasinghe on 26th October 2023. Eng. (Dr.) Kulasinghe is known not only for his contribution to engineering research and development but also for his lifetime commitment towards an unparalleled approach to engineering application for national development.

Prof. H. R. Pasindu, one of the esteemed professors in the Department of Civil Engineering at the University of Moratuwa, was invited by the Pavement Engineering Society, Singapore (https://pavement.org.sg/) to give a talk on “Incorporating Climate Change Impacts on Road Asset Management” at the 28th Singapore Symposium on Pavement Technology (SPT 2023), held on 03rd of October 2023, in Singapore. The symposium was organized by the Pavement Engineering Society (PES), Singapore and National University of Singapore Center for Transportation Research.

Civil Engineering Research Symposium (CERS) 2023, organized by the Department of Civil Engineering, University of Moratuwa was held successfully on the 27th of September 2023 at the Civil Engineering Auditorium. The symposium showcased the latest and novel research activities undertaken by undergraduate and postgraduate students of the Department.

Nalintha Wijayaweera, an undergraduate student from the Department of Civil Engineering, University of Moratuwa, Sri Lanka, won the best oral presentation award at the recent international conference on Disaster Risk Reduction and Management in Sri Lanka (DRRM 2023).

Chamal Jayaminda, a research scholar at the UNESCO Madanjeet Singh Center for South Asia Water Management (UMCSAWM) at the University of Moratuwa, Sri Lanka, has won the best paper award in the Hydraulic and Environmental Engineering track at the Moratuwa Engineering Research Conference (MERCon) 2023.