Gauge Newsletter January 2020 | Page 33

What were your interests after graduation? I graduated with a First Class Honors degree and also managed to top the batch. The department recruited me as a Temporary Instructor. However, my desire was to become an experienced engineer; therefore, I started applying for jobs. I got several job offers; from CIC as a Project Engineer, Nylon 6 as a Chemical Engineer and John Keells Holdings as a Production Executive/Engineer. After considering the pros and cons, I joined John Keells holdings and worked there from mid-1995 to end 1996. During my stay at Keells, I gathered experience in equipment maintenance, wastewater treatment, energy conservation, and labour management. John Keells was a flagship company; many energetic men and women were working there. I was fortunate to interact with them, gain new knowledge, develop skills and improve work attitudes. My experience at John Keells was a memorable one. With the aim of becoming a recognized engineer, I wanted to move to Ceylon Petroleum Cooperation, where Chartered Chemical Engineers were recruited. To become a Chartered engineer, a two-year training period under a Chartered Engineer was a pre-requisite. Working at the Petroleum Corporation was a dream for many young engineers, but there was a tough selection criteria. Anyhow, I applied, sat for a highly competitive examination, and faced a tough interview. Once again, I managed to top the batch of applicants and was selected as a Chemical Engineer to serve at the Petroleum Refinery in Sapugaskanda. At the petroleum refinery, I got many opportunities to shape my carrier as a professional chemical engineer. Just before completing the 2nd year at the Refinery, the Keellls Management approached me and offered a managerial position with an attractive package. However, my parents made me agree to their desire and apply for a position at the University of Peradeniya. In October 1998, I was recruited as a Lecturer to the Department of Chemical Engineering of the University of Peradeniya. I am a happy man today, I fulfilled my desire by getting engineering experiences in highly reputed industries and fulfilled the desires of my parents by becoming a university lecturer. What were your research interests? Since my childhood, I was curious to know how things happen in our surroundings. I understood that natural science subjects, mainly chemistry provided explanations to my problems. Therefore, out of the available engineering disciplines, I felt, Chemical Engineering would fulfill my desires. So I selected Chemical Engineering to be my field of specialization. Later, I was very happy with the choice. By being a chemical engineer, I thought, I can bring wealth to the country by adding value to whatever limited resources available in the country. Since my undergraduate days, I wanted to work in energy and/or environmental fields. At John Keells, I got a chance to practice what was learned in the undergraduate programme and enhance the knowledge through practice. After serving three years at Peradeniya, I moved to the University of Birmingham, UK, to peruse postgraduate studies. I was attached to the supercritical fluids group. After completing my Ph.D. studies, I resumed duties at Peradeniya in 2005. My research interests are in the field of environmental engineering, mainly wastewater treatment, energy conservation, solid waste management and biofuels. GAUGE Magazine University of Peradeniya Page 31