The Department of Physics at the University of Sri Jayewardenepura welcomed the new year with a celebration held on January 1, 2025. The event aimed to foster unity and enthusiasm as the team embarked on another year of collaborative work. The gathering was graced by the Head of the Department, Prof. Shantha Gamage, and attended by all academic, non-academic, and academic-supporting staff members, marking a spirited start to the year ahead.
POST OF SENIOR LECTURER (GRADE I)/SENIOR LECTURER (GRADE II) /LECTURER (UNCONFIRMED)/LECTURER (PROBATIONARY)
i. Candidates must be qualified with BSc. (Special/ Honours) Degree in Physics or any other relevant fields.
ii. Preference will be given to those who have a Doctoral Degree in Theoretical Physics/ Computational Physics/ Geophysics/ Nuclear Physics/ Robotics and Embedded Systems/ Machine Learning.
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The Sri Lanka Association for the Advancement of Science (SLAAS) held its 80th Annual Session on December 08, 2024, at the Bandaranaike Memorial International Conference Hall (BMICH), Colombo. The theme of this year’s session was “Harnessing the Power of Sciences for Societal Transformation.”
The Chief Guest of the event was Professor Emeritus Malik Ranasinghe, Vice President of the National Academy of Sciences Sri Lanka and Former Vice Chancellor of the University of Moratuwa. The Guest of Honour was Mr. Ranil Vitarana, Chief Innovation Officer and Chief Technology Officer of MAS Holdings.
The session featured the Physical Science Awards, which recognize outstanding research achievements of undergraduate students or recent graduates in the fields of Physics, Mathematics, and Statistics. The awards are presented to the top three candidates based on their research projects, completed as part of their B.Sc. Degree in Sri Lankan universities.
This year, students from the Department of Physics of the University of Sri Jayewardenepura excelled once again:
Ms. A.M.N. Opayangana currently a temporary assistant lecturer, received 2nd Place in the Physical Science Award (Physics) category for her thesis titled ‘Design a Low-Cost Instrument to Detect Heart Rate Variability and Analyze Heart Rate Variability Using Wavelet Transformation’, under the supervision of Prof. N.G.S. Shantha Gamage and Mr. C.H. Chandima Manatunga.
The following individuals have been recognized as winners of the video competition in the Physics Undergraduate category, organized by SLAAS Section E1:
1. K.G.D. Rathnasekara, a 3rd Year Undergraduate, secured 1st Place in the 3-minute video competition 2024 for his video titled ‘Dark Energy and Dark Matter’.
2. Mr.K.A.I.S Amarasinghe, also a 3rd year undergraduate, secured 2nd Place for his video titled ‘Schrödinger’s Cat Experiment ’.
3. Mr. M.M.J.N. Mahipala, a 3rd year undergraduate, secured 3rd Place for his video titled ‘Big Bang Theory’.
Congratulations to all the winners of 2024, especially those from the Department of Physics, University of Sri Jayewardenepura, who were honored at the prestigious SLAAS Awards Ceremony!
A groundbreaking mobile application, the Personal Alarm Assessment Tool (PAAT), has been developed through a collaboration between the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) and the Department of Physics, University of Sri Jayewardenepura. This innovative app is designed to enhance the safety of front-line officers at key entry points such as airports, border crossings, and major public events. PAAT allows officers to swiftly assess alarms triggered by radiation detection systems, enabling faster and more efficient responses to potential threats. Now available for public use, the app represents a significant advancement in global radiation safety.
Web link: PAAT-IAEA – Apps on Google Play
The Department of Physics at USJ played a crucial role in this project. Under the leadership of Prof. N. G. S. Shantha Gamage, the team comprised Dr. W. Wasanthi P. De Silva, Prof. W. K. I. L. Wanniarachchi, and Mr. B. H. Lakshitha M. Fernando. They were instrumental in simulating radiation data using advanced Fluka software. Computation facilities for these simulations were provided by Tohoku University, Japan. The simulated data was validated against experimental results obtained from Apeksha Hospital, Maharagama, using instruments supplied by the Sri Lanka Atomic Energy Board, ensuring the app’s accuracy and reliability in real-world scenarios. The project was supported by a grant from the IAEA awarded to Prof. Shantha Gamage, Department of Physics, University of Sri Jayewardenepura. The development of PAAT was funded by the IAEA, headquartered in Vienna, Austria. The project was coordinated by Dr. Nadeera Gunaratna, currently a consultant at the IAEA.
PAAT brings significant advantages to both security personnel and the general public by providing a tool that accurately assesses radiation risks in a timely manner. This collaboration between Sri Lankan physicists and the IAEA underscores the international importance of this achievement and highlights Sri Lanka’s contributions to global safety technology. This marks a monumental advancement in radiation detection technology, and the team behind its development deserves recognition for their expertise and dedication.
