Professor in Physics
B.Sc.(USJ), M.Sc., Ph.D.(Tohoku), CPhys, FIP(SL)
Research Interests: Geophysics, Seismology, Computational Physics, Physics of the Waves; Disaster management; Renewable Energy, Nuclear Radiation Physics
Biosketch:
- Ph.D. in Geophysics -Seismology, Research Center for Prediction of Earthquakes & Volcanic Eruptions, Graduate School of Science, Tohoku University, Japan. (Under the Japanese Government (MEXT) Scholarship Program)
- M.Sc. in Geophysics, Dept. of Geophysics, Graduate School of Science, Tohoku University, Japan. (Under the Japanese Government (MEXT) Scholarship Program)
- Diploma in Japanese Language, Faculty of Education, Tohoku University, Japan. (Under the Japanese Government (MEXT) Scholarship Program)
- B.Sc. Special in Physics with First Class Honors, USJ, Sri Lanka in1994
Occupation:
- Academic staff member in the Department of Physics, USJ, serving as Professor in Physics (previously Senior Lecturer I, Senior Lecturer II, and Lecturer) since 1997.
- Served as a Demonstrator in Physics, Department of Physics, USJ from 1995 to 1997.
Undergraduate Teaching:
- PHY 105 1.0 Waves & Vibrations
- PHY 206 1.0 Mathematical Physics I
- PHY 305 1.0 Geophysics I
- PHY 317 1.0/ASP 486 1.0 Reflection Seismology
- PHY 357 2.0 Geophysics II
- PHY 355 4.0 Practical (Advanced)
- APS 442 2.0 Applied Geophysics
Courses Taught:
- Electricity & Magnetism, AC Theory, Physical Optics, Modern Physics, Biomechanics, Physics for Technology, Solid Earth Physics, Earth System Physics, Introduction to Physics.
Projects Funded by Research Grants:
India-Sri Lanka Research and Development Grant
- Delineation of subsurface structure and thermal characteristics of Wahawa Geothermal Field, Sri Lanka for geothermal energy exploration using integrated geophysical methods
International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Research Grant
- Investigation and Calculations to Support Development of a Tool for Assessment of Personnel alarms for Nuclear Security and Safety (PAAT)
University Research Grant
- Determination of Mohorovicic Discontinuity beneath Mannar basin offshore Sri Lanka using geophysical technique
- Investigation of Seismic Activity and Determination of the Seismic Velocity Structure of Sri Lanka
- Interpretation of Gravity Data to Delineate Underground Structure in the Wahawa Geothermal Field, Sri Lanka
- Studying of Acoustic Properties of Sri Lankan Traditional Chants
Recent Research Topics/ Publications:
- Studying micro-seismic activity occurring in Central & Eastern parts of Sri Lanka
- Investigation and Calculations to Support Development of a Tool for Assessment of Personnel alarms for Nuclear Security and Safety
- Interpretation of Gravity Data to Delineate Underground Structure in the Wahawa Geothermal Field, Sri Lanka
- Determination of Mohorovicic Discontinuity beneath Mannar basin offshore Sri Lanka using geophysical technique
- Crustal Structure of Mannar Sub Basin – Sri Lanka Using 2D Gravity & Seismic Modeling
- Estimating Sedimentary Thickness of Lanka Basin using Digitized Scanned Seismic Sections
- Study on geo-structural features of Sri Lankan low-enthalpy geothermal fields
- Study the role of dolerite dykes with special reference to Nelumwewa hot spring
- Analyzing Heart Rate Variability using wavelet transformation
- The commercial viability of producing urea by utilizing natural gas discovered in the marginal reservoir Dorado
- Subsurface structure of the offshore Trincomalee, NE of Sri Lanka
- Recognition of Vowels for Sri Lankan Traditional Pirith Chanting Using Formant Variation
- A Computer-Based Analysis of Acoustic Properties of Sri Lankan Pirith Chants Using Voiced to Unvoiced Ratio and Probability Distribution Functions
- Regional Seismic Activity after 2012 M8. 6 Sumatra Earthquake
- NORM analysis of the reservoir sand section in the Dorado natural gas discovery, Mannar basin offshore Sri Lanka
- Offshore double-planed shallow seismic zone in the NE Japan forearc region revealed by sP depth phases recorded by regional networks
Positions held:
- Head/ Department of Physics, University of Sri Jayewardenepura
- Chair of the Faculty Research Committee
- National Coordinator – Sri Lankan Nuclear Science Olympiad
- Member of the Board of Management, LINCOLN University College
- President – Institute of Physics, Sri Lanka (IPSL)
- President (Section E1) – Sri Lanka Association of the Advancement of Science (SLAAS)
- Member of the Paper Setting panel of the GCE (A/L) examination in Physics
- Member of the Paper Setting panel of the GCE (A/L) examination in Science for Technology
- Member of the Board of Management, National Apprentice and Industrial Training Authority (NAITA), Sri Lanka
- Joint Secretary – Institute of Physics Sri Lanka
- Secretary – Science Teacher’s Union, USJ
- Member of SLASS “Ethics Committee” 2017 – 2019
- Member of Technical Evaluation Committee(TEC) to select a Geophysical Exploration Company for the Mannar Basin offshore Sri Lanka in partnership with the Petroleum Resources Development Secretariat(PRDS)
- Executive committee member of Organization of Professional Association (OPA)
- Member, UGC Subject Benchmark Statement Committee in Physics
- Member of National Olympiad sub-committee
- Chair of the organizing committee of the “Young Inventers Exhibition” of the University of Sri Jayewardenepura
- Fellow, Institute of Physics (IPSL), Sri Lanka.
- Member, Americal Geophysical Union
- Member Asis Oceania Geoscience Society (AOGS)
- Member SLAAS
- Member Japan Geoscience Union
Contact Information:
Telephone No. Office: +94112758383, 0112758358, 0112803977
Email Address: head.physics(at)sjp.ac.lk, sng(at)sjp.ac.lk; shanthagamage(at)sci.sjp.ac.lk
Web: http://scholar.sjp.ac.lk/shantha/
Web: https://ipsl.lk/
