Samarakoon S.M.K.B. (SNo:51454)

I was born in Kandy, Sri Lanka in 1964.

I studied at Dharmaraja College Kandy from 1970 to 1983. I was the Deputy Head Prefect and Vice Captain of the General Knowledge team and the Debating Team in 1983. I won 1st place in the Oretory Championship held by the Kandy Buddhist Association and was a member of the General Knowledge team that won the Championship organized by the YMBA, Kandy in 1982,1983 and the Runners-Up of the inter-school National General Knowledge Championship organized by the Sri Lanka Broadcasting Corporation (SLBC) and National Milk Board in 1983. I received Sir. D.B. Jayathilake Memorial Dhammapada Special Price and the Special Prize for the General Knowledge Team from the President J.R. Jayawardene and Mister of Education Mr. Samraweeera Weerawanni in 1983 and 1984 respectively.

I entered the Faculty of Engineering, University of Peradeniya in 1985. I received a B.Sc. degree in electrical and electronic engineering from the University of Peradeniya, Sri Lanka in 1991, an M.Eng. in computer science from the Asian Institute of Technology, Thailand in 1996, and a Ph.D. degree from Cardiff University, U.K. in 2012. I joined the Ceylon Electricity Board (CEB), the public power utility of Sri Lanka, in 1992 as an Electrical Engineer and worked for 15 years in the areas of hydropower plants rehabilitation, maintenance, instrumentation, and control and as a Chief Engineer (Computer application and IT).In 2007, I joined the Department of Computer Engineering, University of Peradeniya as a Senior Lecturer. From 2009 to 2012, I worked as a Research Assistant while studying for a Ph.D. degree at Cardiff University.

For the research and development done in the CEB, I was awarded Wimalasurendra Award in 2000, and the National Science and Technology Award by the President of Sri Lanka in 2006.

In 1999, I received the Award for Excellent Achievement awarded to the best participant in Client Server System Development COURSE conducted by the Centre for International Corporation for Computerization (CICC) in Japan.

I have published more than 25 papers in journals and conferences. I am a Chartered Engineer in Sri Lanka and the U.K. and a Member of the IESL, IEEE, and IET.

My research interests are Computer Interfacing, Instrumentation & Industrial Control, Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA); Computer Applications in Power System Automation and Control, and Image Processing.

I have been doing many social activities and an officer and active member in many societies including professional organizations such as IESL, IET, IEEE, Old Boys’ Associations of Dharmaraja College and the College Archives Foundation, Alumni Association of the Engineering Faculty; PEFAA and social organizations such as Lions Club and Toastmasters Club.

During school days and afterword I participated as a team member and also as the Captain in oratory and general knowledge teams and won several provincial and national championships. In schooldays our team won almost all the provincial general knowledge contests, became a runners-up in a national contest and I won a provincial oratory championship. At national level I lead the Kandy District Sport Quiz team and Peradeniya Engineering Faculty team in “Dulux” Engineering Knowledge team telecasted in Rupavahini (TV Chanel) and won the Championship.