Dr. Jagath Manatunge

BSc Eng (Moratuwa), MSc (Lond.), D.I.C, Ph.D. (Saitama), MIE (SL), CEng.

Senior Lecturer (Grade I), Department of Civil Engineering,
University of Moratuwa


Contact Information: 

Address:
Department of Civil Engineering,
University of Moratuwa,
Moratuwa, Sri Lanka.

e mail: manatunge@civil.mrt.ac.lk
        manatunge@gmail.com

Telephone: +94-11-2650567
           
Fax:       +94-11-2651216


       Profile

       Academic Attainments

       Awards & Scholarships	 

       Professional memberships and activities in civic
         , public or international affairs

       Previous Affiliation

       Employment History

       Experience (Programme & Project Development, Coordination & Execution)

       Themes of concluded projects (Research-based)

       Publications

       Language Proficiency

Profile

An academic/researcher with proven didactic and research skills. Multi-disciplinary education background with an impressive publication record. Possesses the ability to conduct independent research and analysis, identifying issues, formulating options and making conclusions. Good interpersonal skills and wide exposure to international and multicultural work environments. 

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Academic Attainments
  Educational Qualifications
 

Saitama University , Japan (April, 1996 - March, 1999)

•  Ph.D. (Biological & Environmental Sciences); Date obtained: March 25, 1999

 

Imperial College of Science , Technology & Medicine (Oct., 1994 - Sept., 1995)

•  M.Sc. (Environmental Technology); Date obtained: November 1, 1995

•  D.I.C. (Environmental Technology); Date obtained: December 31, 1995

 

University of Moratuwa , Moratuwa , Sri Lanka (November, 1986 - June, 1993)

  • B.Sc. (Civil Engineering); Date obtained: December 22, 1993 (First Class Honors; Class Average: 80.6%; G.P.A.: 4.0/4.0)

 

  Professional Qualifications
 

The Chartered Institute of Management Accountants, U.K.

Passed Finalist; Date obtained: November, 1992


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Awards & Scholarships

•  JSPS Research Fellowship for Foreign Researchers 1999/2000 - awarded by The Japan Society for the Promotion of Science

•  Monbukagakushosho Scholarship 1996 - Awarded by the Japanese Government for a Doctoral Degree

•  British - Chevening Scholarship 1994/1995 - Awarded by the British Commonwealth Office for a Master's Degree

•  Prof. C. Patuwathawithana Memorial Award 1993 - Awarded for the Best Engineering Graduate - University of Moratuwa , Sri Lanka .

•  Dr. A.N.S. Kulasinghe Award 1993 - Awarded for the Best Civil Engineering Graduate - University of Moratuwa , Sri Lanka

•  Rex Croos Moraes Memorial Award 1993 - Awarded for the Best Student in Construction, University of Moratuwa , Sri Lanka

•  Award for the Best Student in Building and Structural Engineering 1989/1990, University of Moratuwa , Sri Lanka

Award for the Best Presentation - The First International Summer Symposium, Japan Society of Civil Engineers (1999 August) .

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Professional memberships and activities in civic, public or international affairs

•  Passed Finalist; The Chartered Institute of Management Accountants, UK

•  Associate Member - The Japan Society of Limnology (1996-)

•  Associate Member - Japan Society for the Water Environment (1997-)

•  Member, Asia Pacific Association of Hydrology and Water Resources (2004-)

•  Regular reviewer of articles published in international journals such as Hydrobiologia; Estuarine, Coastal and Shelf Science; Journal of Global Environmental Engineering; Wetlands Ecology and Management

•  Rapporteur - Session on Dams & Development, The 3 rd World Water Forum, Kyoto (2003)

•  Organizer of a workshop at 9th Int. Conference on the Conservation and Management of Lakes, Ohtsu, Japan (2001); Member of the organizing committee - International Summer Symposia organized annually by Japan Society of Civil Engineers; Member, International Scientific Committee, International Conference on Sustainable Water Resources Management, United Nations University (2004); Co-convener, Session on Hydrological Sciences, 2nd Annual Conference, Asia-Oceania Geosciences Society (2005)

•  Has held positions as President; Secretary; Committee member in several academic/social associations

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Previous Affiliation

Organization: Department of Environmental Science & Human Engineering, Saitama University

Job Title: Assistant Professor (April 1, 2001 - December 31, 2005)

Details of duties and responsibilities :

•  Conducting research, collaborating and coordinating research between various teams involving international counterparts ( details given on page 3 ); Securing and management of research grants

•  Curricular and co-curricular activities: conducting lectures, examination s, tutorial, field & laboratory classes for undergraduate, Master's and Doctoral students; Design and preparation of course material.

•  Research supervision/co-supervision and guidance: Undergraduate, Master's and Doctoral students

•  Dissemination of academic and research findings and output; organizing symposiums, workshops, seminars and term presentations; Supervision of technical and research staff

•  Administration duties and projects assigned by the department; participation in various committees and administrative assignments; participating in faculty development programmes

Managing the functions of the Foreign Student Affairs Office , Department of Environmental Science and Human Engineering; Acting as one of the student counselors

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Employment History
•  JSPS Research Fellow (April 1, 1999 - March 31, 2001) Saitama University , Japan

-  Coordinated and conducted collaborative research with several partners

-  Managed and organized research activities and projects at Environmental Engineering laboratory

-  Conducted lectures and tutorial classes under the guidance of senior academics

 

•  Lecturer (Probationary), Dep t. of Civil Engineering, University of Moratuwa , Sri Lanka

December 3, 1993 - April 30, 1999 (on study leave from January 21, 1996 - April 30, 1999)

-  Conducted academic, consultancy & research activities related to environmental engineering & management and carried out duties assigned by the department and senior academics

 

•  Visiting Lecturer - Institute of Engineers , Sri Lanka ; Kotalawela Defense Academy , Sri Lanka

June 1993 - September 1994

  - Conducted lectures, practical and field classes for undergraduates and professional engineers.

 

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Experience (Programme & Project Development, Coordination & Execution)

On-going programmes/projects

Environmental Sustainability, Social & Environmental Policy aspects

( mainly focusing on aquatic environments )

  • Project Theme: Social change and utilization of water resources of Euphrates basin: prediction using models, and minimizing environmental impacts

( Collaborating partners: Saitama University , Japan ; Tokyo University , Japan ; Middle East Technical University , Ankara , Turkey ; GAP Thematic Center & Southeastern Anatolia Project Secretariat, Ankara , Turkey )

•  Coordinator of the project: responsible of programme development, execution and reporting

 

  • Project Theme: The inter-dependency between “water availability and sustainable development of water resources" and “natural environment and socio-economics". This focuses on two reservoirs in West Java, Indonesia.

( Collaborating partners: Saitama University ; Tokyo University ; University of Padjadjaran , Bandung , Indonesia & Bandung Institute of Technology, Bandung , Indonesia )

•  Leader of a sum-committee: responsible of programme development/planning, carrying out research, monitoring and reporting

 

  • Project Theme: Dams and population resettlement: Long term impacts of relocating communities in new environments with better socio-economic and physical facilities (Focusing on resettled communities in Kotmale and Victoria reservoir projects in Sri Lanka ; Kota Panjan project in Sumatra; Birecik Dam and Ataturk Dam projects in Southeastern Turkey )

( Collaborating partners: Saitama University ; Tokyo University ; University of Peradeniya , Sri Lanka ; Andalas University , Sumatra; Middle East Technical University , Ankara , Turkey )

•  Team leader : responsible for overall management, programme development, coordination and output; dissemination of findings

 

  • Project Theme: Potential for irrigation technology transfer and adoption by local farmers in the GAP region - Southeastern Turkey and minimize of environmental impacts due to intense irrigation ( Collaborating partners: Saitama University ; Tokyo University ; Southeastern Anatolia Project Regional Secretariat at Sanli Urfa , Turkey ; GAP Thematic Center , Ankara , Turkey )

    •  Member : responsible of programme development, execution and compilation of results

 

Aquatic Ecology, ecosystem assessment, pollution control  

  • Project Theme : Interaction between the hydrous sediment layer and submerged macrophytes in Myall Lake , NSW, Australia

( Collaborators : Saitama University ; University of Newcastle , Australia )

•  Responsible for programme development, execution and compilation of results

 

  • Project Theme: Role of emergent macrophytes in the nutrient cycling of wetlands (focus is on two wetlands in Goulburn and Albury, NSW, Australia )

( Collaborators : Saitama University ; University of Canberra & Albury City Council , Australia )

•  Responsible for programme development, execution and compilation of results

 

  • Project Theme: Phytoremediation of domestic wastewater using reed beds in tropical climates (Field-based experimental project conducted in Sri Lanka )

(Collaborators : Saitama University ; Peradeniya University , Sri Lanka )

•  Providing scientific and technical input

 
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Themes of concluded projects (Research-based)
  • D iffusion of low cost technology innovations in reservoir management - mainly related to aquaculture development in reservoirs in West Java, Indonesia
  • S ocio-economic and environmental issues related to water resource development; sustainable development of natural resources: planning and policy development
  • Aquatic Ecology: Effects of planktivory; prey-predator interaction: laboratory experiments and mathematical modeling; Growth dynamics of aquatic plants and decomposition: field studies and mathematical modeling; harvesting and long-term impact on aquatic ecosystems
  • Ecological approaches in the management of water bodies; applications of ecosystems approach.
  • Water policy analysis and watershed management ( Mekong River Basin )
  • Policy analysis, management issues & environmental impacts due to development of inland navigation in major transboundary rivers ( Mekong River )
  • Coastal pollution; environmental monitoring of estuarine pollution; Reconstruction of salt marshes; Managed retreat (Blackwater Estuary, Essex , UK )

 

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Publications

 

•  47 papers and research monographs in international scientific journals (refereed)

More than 40 papers presented and/or published in conference and symposium

 

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Language Proficiency
  • Sinhalese (Native)

  • Japanese (Speaking) Fair

  • English (Speaking; Reading ; Writing) Fluent/Excellent

  • Tamil (Basic knowledge)

 

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