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UNIVERSITY OF PERADENIYA NEWS A QUARTERLY UPDATE OF SIGNIFICANT EVENTS AT THE UNIVERSITY OF PERADENIYA Volume 06 No. 03 ISSN 2012-5356 July to September 2014 Peradeniya University International Research Sessions PURSE (iPURSE) Peradeniya University Pali Day Conference 2014 CDCE CONVOCATION The Peradeniya Economics PERS Research Symposium Workshops/ Training Programmes/ Conferences Sports News beauty of maoya Photography By: Champika Bandara www.pdn.ac.lk AdministrativeBeauty Building- of MaoyaFaculty of Agriculture University of Peradeniya STATISTICS & INFORMATION DIVISION, SENATE HOUSE, UNIVERSITY OF PERADENIYA, PERADENIYA. UNIVERSITY OF PERADENIYA NEWS I April to June 2014 I Page 02 Editorial Board Advisors : Prof. Atula Senaratne Prof. Shantha K Hennayake Language Editor : Dr. Varunadatta Edirisinghe News Editor & Coordinator : Ms. Kanchana Atapattu Graphic & Layout Designer : Mr. Danushka Kumarathunga Contacts Web www.pdn.ac.lk/uop/about/Newsletter/newslatter.html 5 www.pdn.ac.lk 1 Tel +94 (0)81 23 92 433 ( Ext - 2433) 9 Fax +94 (0)81 238 8102 0 Email [email protected] - Latest Issueus Volume 06 No.02 UNIVERSITY OF PERADENIYA NEWS I July to September 2014 I Page 03 Peradeniya University International Research Sessions (iPURSE) were held on 4th and 5th July 2014 at the Faculty of Science, University of Peradeniya. Professor Deepthi Yakandawala, Department of Botany, Faculty of Science, functioned as the Chairperson of iPURSE 2014 Organizing Committee. The Annual research sessions were held for the 18th consecutive year and this year's research sessions were opened to participants and contributors from other academic and research organizations and industry within and outside Sri Lanka. The sessions covered ten broad research themes, Climate & Environment; Natural Sciences; Plant Sciences & Forestry; Health & Hygiene; Economics & Management; IT, Mathematics & Statistics; Social Sciences & Humanities; Food, Nutrition & Livestock; Engineering, Built Environment & Earth Sciences and Education. iPURSE 2014 provided a forum for 722 presentations of which 557 were oral presentations that were organized into eighteen parallel sessions, 70% of which came from the research conducted by the researchers of the University of Peradeniya. PURSE Peradeniya University International Research Sessions (iPURSE) Twenty-five overseas delegates from Australia, Canada, India, Ireland, Japan, and the United States of America participated at iPURSE. The participants that represented wider disciplines and professional backgrounds were enriched by the exchange of novel discoveries and innovations. iPURSE also provided an opportunity to build up partnerships and collaborations to advance research. Professor James Hanken, Professor of Zoology and Director of the Harvard Museum of Comparative Zoology, Harvard University, USA, graced the occasion as the Chief Guest of the inaugural session held on 4th July. The Guest Speaker for the session was Prof. Gehan Amaratunga, the Group Leader of the Electronics, Power and Energy Conversion Research Group, Department of Engineering, Cambridge University, United Kingdom and the Chief of Research & Innovation, Sri Lanka Institute of Nanotechnology (SLINTEC) who delivered an insightful speech on "Nanomaterials for Energy". Mr. Rohan Pethiyagoda, Founder of the Wildlife Heritage Trust, Sri Lanka and Dr. D.S.P. Kuruppuarachchi, FAO, Sri Lanka delivered keynote addresses. In addition, ten Invited Speakers also delivered speeches at the technical sessions. UNIVERSITY OF PERADENIYA NEWS I July to September 2014 I Page 04 Workshop on Workshop on Fortieth Anniversary Celebrations “Personality Development for Drivers” “Feel the Pulse of the Others” of the 1974 Batch of the Faculty of Science The Staff Development Centre The Staff Development Centre organized a workshop on “Feel the o r g a n i z e d a w o r k s h o p o n The 1974 batch of the Faculty of Pulse of the Others” for nursing staff of “Personality Development” for Science recently celebrated their 40th the University. This workshop was on drivers of the University of anniversary of entering the Faculty of th personality development through Peradeniya on 20 of July 2014 from Science, University of Peradeniya. effective communication skills. The 9.00 a.m. to 4.00 p.m. at the Upper They were an exemplary batch and th workshop was held on 19 of July2014 Hantana Training Centre, University have excelled in many unconventional at the Faculty of Dental Sciences from of Peradeniya. Twenty six drivers fields. Students from 23 districts out of 9.00 a.m. to 4.00 p.m. Thirty four from different Faculties, Centres, 25 formed the batch of 175 students, participants from the Faculty of Dental Administration and Ser vices thus giving the opportunity to all Sciences and the Health Centre Departments participated at the ethnic and religious groups to mix attended the workshop. Prof. Deepthi w o r k s h o p . D r . C h a l i n d a together. Bandara, Dr. Chalinda Beneragama and B e n e r a g a m a , D i re c t o r / St a f f Dr. Ruwan Jayasinghe served as Development Centre and Mr. Science batch of 1974 has pledged to resource persons. Nishantha Jayasooriya, Works support the Faculty in upgrading Engineer/Works Department served s o m e o f t h e c o m m o n as resource persons. amenities/sanitary facilities used by students and to landscape the Faculty premises. Further, they wish to offer their expertise to strengthen curriculum modules and support in professional activities that would be an added support for the upward mobility of the science graduates from the University of Peradeniya. Text Book on Basic Microbiology by Dr. G. J. Panagoda nd 02 Induction Program for year 2014 The book launch was held at the Faculty of Dental Sciences with the The 02nd Induction program for the year 2014 commenced on the 23rdof participation of academics and non September 2014 for the probationary academic staff of the universities and, academic staff members from the the program is in progress at this time. The program takes place on the Medical, Dental Sciences, and Science following days at the Department of Education, Faculty of Arts: Faculties of the University of Peradeniya. The book is authored for st rd th th rd 1 segment - September 23 to 26 and September 30 to 3 October the undergraduate students of nd th th th th 2 segment - October 14 to 17 and 20 to 24 October Faculties of Medical, Dental Sciences rd th st rd th 3 segment - October 28 to 31 and 03 to 05 November and Allied Health Sciences. Written in simple and readable English, the book Twenty-four academic staff members from the University of Peradeniya and covers a number of important areas one member from Uva Wellassa University are taking part in the program. Ms. such as infective agents, sterilization Inoka Jayasooriya of the Staff Development Centre is coordinating the program. and disinfection, immunology. UNIVERSITY OF PERADENIYA NEWS I July to September 2014 I Page 05 Research and Development Investment Framework Seminar on Astronomy and the Inception Developed with Meeting of the Astrobiology Centre wider stakeholder participation Prof. Chandra Wickramasinghe, the Director of the Buckingham Centre for Hon. Patali Champika Ranawaka, Astrobiology, University of Buckingham, UK, visited the University of Peradeniya Minister of Technology and on the 28th of July, 2014 to conduct a seminar on 'Exploring the Universe; from Research, visited the University of Prehistory to Modern Astronomy'. This was his second visit to the University of Peradeniya on 11th of August 2014 Peradeniya. The Seminar was followed by a meeting of some key scholars of the and held discussions with the Deans University of Peradeniya with Prof. Chandra Wickaramasinghe to discuss the of the Faculties and Heads of establishment of the Astrobiology Centre for the University of Peradeniya. Department and senior academics During the meeting, the foundation was laid to initiate collaborations with on the Research and Development various scholars working in Astrobiology and related fields through Prof. Investment Framework developed Chandra Wickramasinghe for future activities of the Astrobiology Centre. The with wider stakeholder participation. inception meeting also included the laying of the groundwork for the formation of the Research Group and the organizing of the Astrobiology Conference. Peradeniya University Pali Day Conference 2014 Two New Theatre Productions Peradeniya University Pali Day Conference 2014 from Peradeniya to Honour Professor organized by the Department of Pali and Buddhist Ediriweera Sarachchandra Studies was held on 14th July 2014 with the participation of the Vice-Chancellor, the Deputy Vice-Chancellor, the The Department of Fine Arts and the Department of Classical Dean of the Faculty of Arts, the Head of the Dept. of Pali Languages of the University of Peradeniya were delighted to and Buddhist Studies, the Heads of several other present two plays to commemorate Professor Ediriweera Departments and invited guests. The Conference was Sarachchandra's birth centenary. Subha, directed by Dr. organized with a view to improving Pali studies and Kanchuka Dharmasiri was staged on the 17th of September, creating an interest in studying the Pali language 2014 and Lokanthara, directed by Ms. Muditha Dharmasiri, among academics. The Conference was conducted was staged on the 18th of September, 2014 at the E.O.E. Pereira entirely in the Pali language and the participants Theatre. appreciated the initiative. Furthermore, Lokanthara was staged on the 20th of September and Subha on the 21st of September at Namel-Malini Punchi Theatre, Borella for audiences in Colombo. Subha, a transcreation of a Rabindranath Tagore short story and Gitanjali, is a production of the Department of Fine Arts and Lokanthara, devised along the lines of Classical Greek performances is a production of the Department of Classical Languages. UNIVERSITY OF PERADENIYA NEWS I July to September 2014 I Page 06 Workshop by ACCESS Engineering for the Students, Academic Staff and the English Language Teaching Unit Staff of the Faculty of Engineering Mr.