Former Senior Professor Rahula Attalage was born in May 1957. He started his schooling at Isipathana College and then proceeded to Nalanda College for his Advanced Level studies. After completing the Advanced level examination, he entered the University of Sri Lanka, Katubedda Campus in 1977 and Graduated with the degree of Bachelor of the Science of Engineering in the Mechanical Engineering specialization in 1982, from University of Moratuwa, the entity that received independent university status after Katubedda campus. After working for a short period at the State Fertilizer Manufacturing Corporation of Sri Lanka as a Rotating Equipment Engineer, he proceeded to postgraduate studies. Consequently, he obtained his Master of Engineering in Energy Technology from the Asian Institute of Technology (AIT) in 1986, the Degree of Profound Studies (D.E.A) and the Doctoral Degree from the Ecole Nationale Superieure des Mines de Paris, France, in Energy Engineering in 1988 and 1992 respectively. He joined the Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Moratuwa as a Senior Lecturer Grade II in 1993. He was promoted to the position of Professor in Mechanical Engineering in 2003 and then to the post of Senior Professor in Mechanical Engineering in 2011. He has served the University as an academic staff member for over 25 years.
As an academic staff member, he has contributed by conducting his teaching, research and outreach activities within the perspective of the Thermo-Fluids & Energy Group of the Department. In fact, the Thermo-Fluids & Energy Group was established with the leadership of Prof Attalage and the group has been instrumental in developing national level policies, regulations, standards and actions plans in the energy and environment sectors for which he has contributed throughout. His areas of teaching and research were in Thermodynamics, Heat Transfer, Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency in particular related to Building Energy Systems, both at undergraduate and postgraduate levels. He was instrumental in introducing the energy-related subjects in the Mechanical Engineering curriculum. As the person instrumental in establishing the programs, Prof Attalage was the first course coordinator of both the Master of Engineering/Postgraduate Diploma in Energy Technology in 1999 and the Master of Science/Postgraduate Diploma in Building Services Engineering in 2008, which was accredited by the Chartered Institution of Building Services Engineers (CIBSE).
In view of his research contribution, he has supervised numerous PhD, MPhil and MSc/MEng research students. He has been instrumental in initiating inter-department and inter-faculty research at the University of Moratuwa. He has received the Outstanding Research Award of University of Moratuwa several times and the President’s Award for Scientific Publications for the years 2013, 2014 & 2016.
As an administrator in the university, he has held the posts of Head of the Department in Mechanical Engineering from 2002 to 2004, Director of the Postgraduate Studies Division of the Faculty of Engineering from 2008 to 2012 and Deputy Vice Chancellor from 2012 to 2017. He has also held the post of Director-OTS of the University of Moratuwa IRQUE Project under the World Bank supported loan scheme. During his period of service as the Head Department of Mechanical Engineering, he provided the leadership to the department for the key achievements of obtaining IMechE, UK accreditation, succeeding the Quality Assurance subject review of the UGC and securing the IRQUE funding for the department. As for administrative responsibilities outside the University, he has held the posts of Commissioner in the Public Utilities Commission of Sri Lanka (PUCSL) for 10 years, Chairman in the National Institute of Fisheries & Nautical Engineering (NFNE) and Member of the Board of Directors Sri Lanka Transport Board (SLTB). He has also served as a consultant in developing the Mechanical Engineering Degree Programs at the South Eastern University and University of Sri Jayewardenepura.
He has worked very closely with the industry in particular with the Energy and the Building Services Engineering sector. He has been involved as the lead consultant for a number of LEED Certification projects for Green Buildings in Sri Lanka and abroad which had secured Platinum & Gold ratings. MAS Holdings “Thurulie” project at Thulhiriya, one of the iconic LEED certified projects and LOTUS Tower project where University of Moratuwa had provided the leadership, are two examples of his involvement. Significantly, the “Thurulie” project received the Holcim Foundation for Sustainable Construction global award in 2009. In addition, he had been a contributor to the development of Energy Efficiency Building Codes, Energy Efficiency Standards for CFLs and Household Refrigerators and the Regional Center for Lighting (RCL) under the purview of the Sri Lanka Sustainable Energy Authority.
Prof. Attalage has served in the capacity of Visiting Faculty at Asian Institute of Technology, Thailand and Visiting Professor at the Toyohashi University of Technology, Japan. He works closely with the Lanka Association of Building Services Engineers (LABSE), Local Chapter of ASHARE and Sri Lanka Energy Managers Association (SLEMA). He is a past President of SLEMA, Fellow of LABSE, Corporate Member of IESL, and a Fellow and Council Member of the National Academy of Sciences, Sri Lanka. He has also been a member of the Research Advisory Committee of the National Science Foundation of Sri Lanka.
Prof. Rahula Attalage is an extraordinary personality who is respected as a distinguished academic, an active professional collaborating with the industry and a well-balanced performer who had contributed towards broadening of the academic horizon, elevating academic standards, strengthening the links between academia and industry, fostering research, extending expertise to national development and inspiring students during his 25 years of dedicated service attached to University of Moratuwa. He has also been bestowed by the distinction of “Chevalier Order of Academic Palms” by the French Republic in recognition for his academic contributions.