Professor Sandagomi Coperahewa
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Professor Sandagomi Coperahewa CURRICULUM VITAE Professor | Department of Sinhala Director | Centre for Contemporary Indian Studies (CCIS) University of Colombo, Colombo 3, Sri Lanka Telephone: 011-2500431 (office) 0718381142 (mobile) Email: [email protected] | [email protected] PROFILE With a First Class Honours degree in Sinhala language and literature, I started my academic career as a lecturer in Sinhala. With a postgraduate study in UK and in Sri Lanka I continued my interest in the field of Sinhala language studies. As a sociolinguist interested in sociology of language, my main research areas have been language policy planning, modern Sinhala usage and language and communication. I have taught Sinhala language, sociolinguistics and academic writing at undergraduate and postgraduate levels. I have authored ten books and a number of scholarly articles related to Sinhala language and communication. Apart from my main research areas, as the Director of the newly establsished Centre for Contemporary Indian Studies (CCIS) I have actively engaged in various research and other collaborative projects related to contemporary Indian studies. PERSONAL INFORMATION Date of Birth: 11th August 1969 Gender: Male Nationality: Sri Lankan (Sinhalese) Marital Status: Married (two children) EDUCATIONAL QUALIFICATIONS PhD Faculty of Asian and Middle Eastern Studies, University of Cambridge, UK Title of the Dissertation: The Politics of Language in Colonial Sri Lanka, c.1900-1948 MPhil Department of Sinhalese, University of Peradeniya, Sri Lanka Titleof the Dissertation: úisjk ishjfia isxy, NdId jHjydrh( iudcjd.aúoHd;aul wOHhkhla (Sinhala Usage of the Twentieth Century: A Sociolinguistic Study) MA Department of Linguistics, Lancaster University, UK Title of the dissertation: “Language Policy and Planning in Sri Lanka: The Planning of Sinhala as an Official Language”. BA Department of Sinhala, University of Colombo, Sri Lanka AWARDS, RESEARCH GRANTS AND ACADEMIC DISTINCTIONS Developing World Education Fund and Smuts Scholarship in Commonwealth Studies: for doctoral studies at the University of Cambridge, UK 2006 – 2009. (CambridgeCommonwealth Trust, University of Cambridge, UK) Overseas Research Students Award: for doctoral studies,2006-2009 (Overseas Research Students Awards Scheme, Universities UK) Smuts Memorial Fund Award: Research Travel grants, 2007. (Smuts Memorial Fund, University of Cambridge, UK) NCAS Grant: Research grant for doctoral studies, 2007 – 2009 (National Centre for Advanced Studies in Humanities & Social Sciences, Sri Lanka) 1 | P a g e Commonwealth Academic Staff Scholarship: Awarded to undertake MA in Language Studies at Lancaster University, UK, 2003- 2004. (Association of Commonwealth Universities, UK) India- Sri Lanka Foundation Research Grant to compile an Etymological Dictionary of Dravidian Words in Sinhala (High Commission of India, Colombo) 2011-2013 University Research Grant: Awarded for the compilation of a Sinhala Thesarus (2015-University of Colombo) University Research Grant: Awarded for the compilation of a Biographical Dictionary of Modern Sinhala Writers (2010- University of Colombo) University Research Grant: Awarded for the compilation of a book entitled ‘Tamil Words in Sinhala’ (2001-University of Colombo) Prof. M.B. Ariyapala Award for Sinhala: Awarded for the best performance in Sinhala Special Degree in 1996 (University of Colombo) Neil Bandaranaike Award for the Best Performance at the Final Year Examination in Arts Degree in 1996 (University of Colombo) Neil Bandaranaike Award for the Best Performance at the Second Year Examination in Arts 1993 (University of Colombo) Mahapola Higher Education (Merit) Scholarship for the Best Performance at the G.C.E. (Advanced Level) Examination -1989: Awarded for undergraduate studies, at the University of Colombo (1992-1996) Victoria Gold Medal for the Best All-Round Student of the College - 1990 (S. Thomas’ College, MountLavinia) Annual school prizes for outstanding academic achievement PROFESSIONAL QUALIFICATIONS Accreditation as a Teacher in Higher Education – Staff and Educational Development Association (SEDA) UK (2002) Certificate in Teaching in Higher Education (CTHE) –Staff Development Centre: University of Colombo (2002). Graduate Development Program, University of Cambridge, UK Courses attended: . How to develop Effective Communication Materials – Staff Development Course, University of Cambridge. Writing for a Wider Audience – 25th February 2009, Graduate Development Course, University of Cambridge. Writing Skills Summer School - 12- 15th August 2008, University of Cambridge. TEACHING & PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE UNDERGRADUATE TEACHING Professor - Department of Sinhala, University of Colombo ( Nov. 2013 – todate ) Senior Lecturer in Modern Sinhala and Sociolinguistics Department of Sinhala, University of Colombo (Feb. 2005 – Oct. 2013) Teaching areas & course units: SLG 1101 – Introduction to Language FND 1212 – Sinhala Literary Tradition and Communication 2 | P a g e SLG 2134 – Introduction to Sociolinguistics SLG 2216 – Modern Sinhala Usage SLG 3159 – Language & Communication SLG 3242 – Language, Society and Power SLG 4197 – Principles of Academic Writing Study Skills Lecture Series for First Year Arts Undergraduates – Orientation Programme (From 2009 – 2011) Lecturer in Sinhala – Department of Sinhala, University of Colombo (From Nov.1999 – Jan. 2005) Assistant Lecturer – Department of Sinhala, University of Colombo (1997-1999) Assistant Lecturer – Journalism Unit, University of Colombo (1996-1997) Visiting Lecturer – (Writership and Communication) Institute of Human Resource Advancement (IHRA) (2009 to present) Visiting Lecturer - Institute of Workers’ Education (IWE) University of Colombo (From 1997 to 2005) Visiting Lecturer - Sri Palee Campus – Horana, University of Colombo (from 2002 2005) Visiting Academic – The Open University of Sri Lanka (From 1997-1999) Teaching Sinhala as a Foreign Language Undergraduates, Wako University, Japan. Two Chinese Visiting Scholars – China Radio International, Beijing Visiting Chinese Students – Beijing Foreign Studies University, China POSTGRADUATE TEACHING Visiting Lecturer – MPhil/PhD Programme – Faculty of Graduate Studies (FGS) , University of Colombo (2009- 2014) Visiting Lecturer – MA in Sinhala Programme – Department of Sinhala University of Colombo (2011 – to date) Visiting Lecturer – Academic Writing Skills / MA in International Relations Program, University of Colombo (2009- 2013) Visiting Lecturer – MA in Mass Media Program, Sri Palee Campus, University of Colombo MA/MPhil/PhD SUPERVISION/EVALUATION Supervisor for Ms. I.J Mawella – MPhil/PhD Topic: ‘A Sociolinguistic & Social Psychological Study of Language Crossing between Sinhala and English in the Urban population in Sri Lanka’ (2011-) Supervisor for Ms. S. D.A. I Diwakara – PhD topic: ‘iso;aiÕrd l¾;Df.a NdIdie,iqïlrKh ms<sn`o wOHhkhla' ^2011-2015& Co-supervisor for Mr. R.M.C. Ranasinghe – MPhil topic: ‘A study of ideological Identities on Movements in the Linguistic Debates in Sri Lanka after 1956 (2011 -) Examiner – MPhil/PhD Proposal Evaluation and Presentation, Faculty of Graduate Studies, University of Colombo (2009 -) Supervisor for MA in Sinhala (Taught) Dissertations – University of Colombo (2012 -2014) DIPLOMA - LEVEL TEACHING Visiting Lecturer – Diploma in Sinhala Program, University of Colombo (2012 – to present ) Visiting Lecturer – Diploma in Translation Program, Official Languages Department, Sri Lanka (From 2002 –2003) Visiting Lecturer – Diploma in Journalism Program, University of Colombo (from 1998 to 2002) Visiting Lecturer – Sri Lanka Press Council (2010-2013) 3 | P a g e Visiting Lecturer –Higher National Diploma in Journalism, Sri Lanka Foundation (SLFI) Visiting Lecturer – Sinhala for Foreigners’ Course, Bandaranaike Centre for International Studies (BCIS) (2011) ORGANISATIONAL/ADMINISTRATIVE EXPERIENCE & OTHER DUTIES AS AN ACADEMIC Director - Centre for Contemporary Indian Studies (CCIS) University of Colombo (Nov. 2011- Oct. 2013 & Jan. 2015 - ) Actg. Director - Centre for Contemporary Indian Studies ( Nov. 2013 – Dec. 2014) Founder Co-ordinator – MA in Sinhala Program, University of Colombo (2011-todate) Co-ordinator – Programme on Sinhala language and Culture for Two Chinese Scholars – conducted by the Department of Sinhala (November 2009 – 2010) Academic Warden – Kithyakara Men’s Hostel, University of Colombo (2011) Student Counsellor (Permanent) – Faculty of Arts, University of Colombo (2010-2011). Activity Co-ordinator - Social and Intercultural Harmony Program, IRQUE Project University of Colombo (2005 -2006) Associate Course Coordinator – Diploma in Journalism Program (English Medium) University of Colombo (From 1999- 2004) Member – Abstract Review Committee of Faculty of Arts International Conference 2014, Faculty of Arts, University of Colombo. Member – Organizing Committee ‘The Commonwealth of the Future: A Visionary and Bold Leadership from Sri Lanka’ organized by the UGC, 26th Nov. 2013 Member – Academic Committee, Staff Development Centre, University of Colombo (2011-) Member – Board of Study in Labour Education, Institute of Workers’ Education, University of Colombo (2005 - 2006) Member Steering Committee - Diploma in Journalism Program, University of Colombo (1998 to 2006) Member - Internal Quality Assurance Committee of the Faculty of Arts, University of Colombo (2011) Faculty Representative – Academic Committee, Staff Development Centre, University of Colombo (2012) Student Counsellor