Prof. R. Shanthini

Rajaratnam Shanthini

Professor in Chemical & Process Engineering

Department of Chemical & Process Engineering

Faculty of Engineering, University of Peradeniya

Peradeniya20400, Sri Lanka

Email: ;

Website:

Tel:+94 81 239 3695 (office); +94 81 238 9655 (home);

+94 71 532 6835 (mobile)

Fax: +94 81 238 8158

A few words about my way of thinking ….

By profession, I am a lecturer in Engineering. As a human, I always care for the well-being of the society at large, and I am very passionate about having a better world. As a way of fusing these two together, upon my return to Sri Lanka after postgraduate studies, I drifted from Fluid Mechanics, which is a hardcore engineering subject, to Environmental Engineering, which is a subject that concerns the well-being of the people and other living things. Working on Environmental Engineering has led me into carryout research on economical development with environmental protection, human development, and sustainable development - all these are indeed crucial for the healthy development of the world.

Vision

As a human: a world in which each and every life, including every human, animals, insects, trees and other living things, has an equal place and equal justice

As an educator: an education system that encourages “need based education leading to gainful employment for a life with dignity”

Academic qualifications:

Ph.D.

Sept 1985 to Dec 1990

Division of Fluid Mechanics, Luleå University of Technology, Sweden

Ph.D. Thesis: Degenerating Orr-Sommerfeld Eigenmodes and Development of Three-dimensional Perturbations.

M.Sc. (in Chemical Engineering)

Sept 1983 to Sept 1985

Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Alberta, Canada

M.Sc. Thesis: Bifurcation Phenomena of Generalized Newtonian Fluids in Curved Ducts.

Bachelor of Applied Science (in Chemical Engineering and Fuel Science)

April 1976 to Sept 1980

Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Moratuwa, Sri Lanka

Topped the batch in all four years of study

Professional qualification:

CEng., MIE(SL)

Corporate member of the Institution of Engineers, Sri Lanka

Professional experience

Professor in Chemical & Process Engineering

Department of Chemical & Process Engineering, University of Peradeniya, Sri Lanka

  • Researcher on topics concerning the welfare of the society at large and sustainable development in particular
  • Pioneer in introducing sustainable development at the Faculty of Engineering, University of Peradeniya
  • Peer reviewerfor Whole System Design: an integrated approach to sustainable engineering, a book by Stasinopoulos P, Smith M, Hargroves K and Desha C (2008) The Natural Edge Project, Earthscan, London. ISBN: 978-1-84407-643-7.
  • Reviewer / Energy – The International Journal (Impact Factor: 3.565)
  • Principal contributor / Subject Benchmark Statement in Chemical & Process Engineering, published by the Quality Assurance and Accreditation Council of Sri Lanka in Jan 2011. (URL:
  • External examiner / several PhD thesis from Indian Universities in Tamil Nadu, India
  • Chair-person / Assessment Panel of Department of Chemical & Process Engineering, University of Moratuwa in the accreditation of the B.Sc.Eng programme of the said department by the Institution of Engineers, Sri Lanka
  • Architect and Coordinator / Postgraduate programme in Environmental Pollution Control Engineering, Department of Chemical & Process Engineering, University of Peradeniya
  • Architect and Resource Personof the “Energy and Environment” course module for theMaster of Development Practice degree programme, University of Peradeniya.
  • Initiator and Facilitator in the development and execution of the general elective course units “Critical Thinking and Writing Skills”, “The Engineer in Society”, “Sri Lankan Technology”, “Introduction to Digital Art”,“Business Law”, “Management in Practice with Case Studies”, “Marketing and Financial Management”, “Government and Politics of Sri Lanka”, Political Issues in Sri Lanka”, “Engineer as an Entrepreneur, “Technology and Economic Development”, “Rural Economic Development and Technology” and “Social Project” introduced at the Faculty of Engineering, University of Peradeniya
  • Experienced teacher in the participatory (or student centred) education system
  • Facilitator / Workshops on “Prepare-Yourself-for-a-career”, “Make-yourself-Employable”, “Attitude – What is it?” and “Learning from Industrial Training Experience” which are held to improve the attributeof engineering undergraduates at University of Peradeniya
  • Head of the Department of Chemical & Process Engineering (served 3 terms)
  • Experienced (trained) Student Counsellor
  • Deputy Proctor at the Faculty of Engineering(served 2 terms)
  • Lecturer/ Undergraduate courses in Biological process Engineering, Reaction Engineering, Pharmaceutical Technology, Fluid Mechanics, Thermodynamics, Pollution Control Engineering, and Sustainable Development, and postgraduate courses in Environmental Pollution Control Engineering

Visiting Professor in Chemical Engineering at University of Alberta, Canada(Sept to Nov 1995)

Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Alberta, Canada

  • Carried out mathematical modelling of surface tension dominated flows in relation to viscous breaking of oil droplets in oil sands in the Canadian oil fields

Visiting Researcher at Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, USA(Feb to May 1989)

Division of Applied Mathematics, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, USA

  • Carried out research on the nonlinear development of small three-dimensional perturbations in plane Poiseuille flow

Researcher and Lecturer (Sept 1985 to Dec 1990)

Division of Fluid Mechanics, Luleå University of Technology, Sweden

  • Published 03 articles in peer-reviewed ISI-indexed international journals
  • Taught courses on Fluid Mechanics and Perturbation Methods to the final year undergraduates of the Division of Fluid Mechanics, Luleå University of Technology, Sweden

Researcher and Commonwealth Scholar (Sept 1983 to Aug 1985)

Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Alberta, Canada

  • Successfully completed many courses in Chemical Engineering and related subjects such as Process Control
  • Published 01 article in a peer-reviewed ISI-indexed international journal

Assistant Lecturer in Chemical Engineering (Sept 1981 to Sept 1983)

Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Peradeniya, Sri Lanka

  • Regular duties and research

Assistant Lecturer in Chemical Engineering - on contract (Sept 1980 to Sept 1981)

Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Moratuwa, Sri Lanka

  • Regular duties

Books, Chapters in Books and Monographs written

Thermodynamics for Beginners

Published in 2009 (second print) and in 2006 (first print) by Science Education Unit, University of Peradeniya, Peradeniya

ISBN 955-589-090-0

Carbon dioxide Emissions laden Economic Development and Human Development, Will it go away making room for Sustainable Development?

Chapter 10 in Global Environment: Problems and Policies, Volume 3. Eds.: Gupta KR, Jankowska MA, Bosselmann K and Maiti P. pp. 212-237

Published in 2008 by Atlantic Publishers and Distributors (P) Ltd., New Delhi, 288 pages

ISBN 978-81-269-0847-9

Sri Lanka and an Index for Measuring Environmentally and Socially Responsible Human Development

Chapter 6 in Sri Lanka, Challenges of a Society in Transition – Economy, Education and Science. Eds.: Fernando L. and Wijewardene S. pp. 113-142

Published in 2006 by Faculty of Graduate Studies, University of Colombo

ISBN 955-9021-48-6

Impact of Sri Lankan Rural Roads on Greenhouse Gas Emissions & Mitigation and Climate Change – A Case Study

A report published in 2006 with a CD ROM containing spread sheet calculation of greenhouse gas emissions stemming from the construction and use of rural roads in Sri Lanka

How to Compost Kitchen Waste in Your Garden

Co-authored with Prof. K.S. Walgama

Published in 2003 by Engineering Design Centre, University of Peradeniya, Peradeniya

ISBN 955-8916-00-5

Degenerating Orr-Sommerfeld Eigenmodes and Development of Three-dimensional Perturbations

Published in 1990 by LuleåUniversity of Technology, Sweden

ISSN 0348-8373 / ISRN 1990:81

Bifurcation Phenomena of Generalized Newtonian Fluids in Curved Rectangular Ducts

Published in 1986 by National Library of Canada, Ottawa

ISBN 0-315-23250-1 / 978-0-315-23250-1; OCLC 16019906

Keynote Speaker/Invited Speaker / Member /International Advisory since 2000

 Keynote speaker in the pure sciences track of the JaffnaUniversity International Research Conference – 2012, University of Jaffna, Jaffna, Sri Lanka

Held on 20-21 July 2012

Member / Technical Advisory Committee on Quality Management Systems (QMS) Certification, Sri Lanka Accreditation Board since Sept 2011

Panel member in a panel discussion on Is there a Gender Bias in the Professional Challenges faced by Engineers today? in the Women Engineers Day 2011

Organized by the Women Engineers’ Forum of the Institution of Engineers, Sri Lanka

Held on July 19, 2011

 Invited speaker on Water for Industry and Energy Generation in the Water for Development Session at theNational Forum on Identifying the Gaps and Priorities in Water Research in Sri Lanka

Organized by the National Science Foundation, Sri Lanka

Held on September 16-17, 2010

International advisory for the National Conference on Advances in Environmental Engineering (AEE) 2010

Organized by Dept of Chemical Engineering, Pravara Rural EngineeringCollege, Loni, India

To be held at RuralEngineeringCollege, Loni,India on March10-12, 2010

International advisory for theInternational Conference on Emerging Trends in Energy and Environment (ICETEE) 2010

Organized by Dept of Mechanical Engineering, SriSaiRamEngineeringCollege, Chennai, India

Held at SriSaiRamEngineeringCollege, Chennai, Indiaon January 7-8, 2010

 Invited speaker on Ethyl Alcohol as an Alternative Source of Energy

Organized by the Organization of Professional Kandy, Sri Lanka

Held at the KandyClub, Sri Lanka on January 24, 2008

 Invited speaker on Current Trends in Engineering Education in the Public Panel Discussion on The Future of Engineering Education in Sri Lanka

Organized by the Society of Structural Engineers - Sri Lanka

Held at the BMICH, Colombo, Sri Lanka on November 30, 2004

Keynote speakerin the Energy, Environment and Economics sessionof the First International Conference on Energy and Environment – A World of Challenges and Opportunities (EnerEnv’2003)

Held in Changsha, China during October 11-14, 2003

 Invited speakeron the topic of Global Warming, How to halt it?

Organized by the Jaffna Science Association – Section A Pure Sciences (JSA/A)

Held at the University of Jaffna, Sri Lanka on April 29, 2003

Invited speakeron the topic of Composter for Kitchen Waste Disposalat theWorkshop on Making an Income from Waste Recycling and Converting Kitchen & Garden Waste into Energy and Fertilizer

Organized by the Industrial Development Board, Katubedda, Sri Lanka

Held at the Industrial Development Board, Katubedda, Sri Lanka on July 12, 2001

Invited speakeron the topic of Emotional Intelligence and Effective Communication in Technological Aspects at the Inauguration of the Techno Bank - The Science and Technological Information Centre, Sri Lanka

Held at the Tajsamudra Hotel, Sri Lanka on July 01, 2001

Resource Person/Facilitator/Trainer in Workshops/Events since 2000

Facilitatorat theWorkshop on Prepare-Yourself-for-a-Career

Organized by Industrial Training and Career Guidance Unit of the Faculty of Engineering, University of Peradeniya, Peradeniya

Held at the Faculty of Engineering, University of Peradeniya on July 17 and 24, 2010

Facilitatorat the Workshop on Make Yourself Employable

Organized by the Department of Chemical & Process Engineering, University of Peradeniya

Held at the Faculty of Engineering, University of Peradeniya on Nov 14, 2009

Facilitatorat the Mid-Industrial Training Workshop for the Chemical & Process Engineering, Mechanical Engineering and Production Engineering Undergraduates on Sharing of the Industrial Training Experience and Learning From It

Organized by Industrial Training and Career Guidance Unit of the Faculty of Engineering, University of Peradeniya, Peradeniya

Held at the Faculty of Engineering, University of Peradeniya on Oct 11 and 25, 2008

Chairperson of the committee that successfully conducted a 2-day event on Engineering for Industry 2008 (efi2008) with the theme “Towards an energy efficient Sri Lanka” during which industrialists, engineering professionals, academia and undergraduates of the faculty came together to uncover innovative ways and means to deal with Sri Lanka’s Energy Crisis

Held at the Faculty of Engineering, University of Peradeniya during 19-20 Sept 2008

Trainerat the Training Programme on Thermodynamics for AES Kelanitissa Plant Engineers

Held at the Combined Power Plant producing 168 MW electric power from a Combined Cycle Thermal Power Plant, AES Kelanitissa (Private) Limited, Sri Lanka on April 25 and 26, 2005

Facilitatoratthe Workshop on Make Yourself Employable

Organized by the Department of Chemical & Process Engineering, University of Peradeniya

Held at the Faculty of Engineering, University of Peradeniya on July 17, 2004

Resource person at the Workshop on the Use of Macromedia Flash for 2-D Digital Animation

Organized for the academic staff of the Faculty of Engineering, by the Engineering Education Unit of the Faculty of Engineering, University of Peradeniya

Held at the Faculty of Engineering, University of Peradeniya on June 11, 2004

Facilitatoratthe End-of-Industrial Training Workshop for the Mechanical Engineering and Computer Engineering Undergraduates on Sharing of the Industrial Training Experience and Learning From It

Organized by Industrial Training and Career Guidance Unit,Department of Computer Engineering and Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Peradeniya

Held at the Faculty of Engineering, University ofPeradeniya on Nov 16 and Dec 15, 2003

Awards and Merits won

Won Honourable Mention (first) in the Poetry and Short Story Competition 2008 organized by the English Writers Cooperative of Sri Lanka for the poetry titled “Thinking of You”

Awarded a shield by Hoechst (Ceylon) Company Limited at the Annual Research Sessions 1996 for the best the research paper from the Faculty of Engineering, University of Peradeniya, Sri Lanka.

Awarded Canadian Commonwealth Scholarship tenable at the University of Alberta, Canada, in September 1983

AwardedUnion Carbide Award for the best performance in Chemical Engineering at the B.A.Sc. Part III Examination, University of Moratuwa, Sri Lanka, held in September 1980

Awarded Ceylon Tobacco Company Award for the best result in Chemical Engineering at the B.A.Sc. Part II Examination, University of Moratuwa, Sri Lanka, held in July 1979

Awarded Ceylon Petroleum Corporation Scholarship for the best result at the B.A.Sc. Part I Examination, University of Moratuwa, Sri Lanka, held in July 1978

Awarded Studentship for the best performance at the Bachelor of Applied Science First Examination, University of Moratuwa, Sri Lanka, held in May 1977.

Research publications

Shanthini R. 2012

“Trust the technology to get the climate to behave” – the message from tales of sustainability told by the movie industry

Submitted for publication

Menike AMW, Shanthini R, Kalpage CS, Karunarathna DGGP and Kankanamge A. 2012

Chlorpyrifos contamination of fresh water in a commercial vegetable cultivation area in Sri Lanka, and the factors affecting the contamination

Accepted for publication, Journal of the National Science Foundation of Sri Lanka

Shanthini R. 2012

Does Rio+20 assure a sustainable future?

Economic Review, June/July 2012: 39-43

Shanthini R. 2012

Is the economic growth in the United States influenced by its fossil fuel-based carbon dioxide emissions?

Journal of Sustainable Development, 5(3): 59-75

Shanthini R. 2011

Identifying the factors influencing Sri Lanka’s electricity consumption, and modelling it – a grey system approach

National Energy Symposium – 2011, Sri Lanka Sustainable Energy Authority, Ministry of Power and Energy, Sri Lanka, 5-13

Menike AMW, Shanthini R, Kalpage CS, KarunaratneDGGP. 2011

Analysis of Chlorpyrifos in soil at Marassanna vegetable cultivation area

Annual Transactions of the Institution of Engineers, Sri Lanka (IESL) 2011, 398-405

Shanthini R. 2010

Water for Industry and Energy Generation; Part II: Industrial water pollution, prevention and control and hydropower generation potential.

Proceedings of the National Forum on Water Research: Identification of gaps and priorities, National Science Foundation, Sri Lanka, 167-184

Shanthini R and Perera K. 2010

Is there a cointegrating relationship between Australia’s fossil-fuelbased carbon dioxide emissions per capita and her GDP per capita?

International Journal of Oil, Gas and Coal Technology, 3(2): 182-200

Elangasinghe MA and Shanthini R. 2008

Determination of atmospheric PM10concentration in Kandyin relation to traffic density

Journal of the National Science Foundation of Sri Lanka, 36(3): 245-249

Shanthini R and Perera K. 2007

Oil price fluctuations incorporated models for carbon dioxide emissions and energy consumption of high-income economies

Ceylon Journal of Science: Physical Sciences, 13: 45-59

Ariyarathna SMWTPK, De Silva WPM, NihmiyaAR and Shanthini R. 2006

Sustainable energy recovery with agro-residue at rice mills in Sri Lanka

Proceedings (CD ROM) of the International Conference on Energy for Sustainable Development: Issues and Prospects for Asia (Session: Emission Reduction) held in Phuket, Thailand during March 01-03, 2006

Shanthini R and Pathirana SD. 2003

Thinking afresh in making of an Engineer at the Faculty of Engineering, University of Peradeniya

Proceedings of the International Seminar on Economic Advancement based on the Knowledge Society – Role of the Engineer in a Developing Country, Sri Lanka, pp. 14-22

Shanthini R. 2003

Influence of population and per capita income upon carbon dioxide emissions

Energy & Environment — A World of Challenges and Opportunities, Eds.: Zeng, G.-M., Huang, G.-H., Yang, Z.-H., Jiang, Y.-M., Liu, H.-L., and Catania, P. Science Press New York Ltd, pp. 465-470

Shanthini R. 2003

Does carbon dioxide emissions originating from the global energy consumption follow an Environmental Kuznets Curve?

Energy & Environment — A World of Challenges and Opportunities, Eds.: Zeng, G.-M., Huang, G.-H., Yang, Z.-H., Jiang, Y.-M., Liu, H.-L., and Catania, P. Science Press New York Ltd, pp. 471-476

Shanthini R. 2003

Hard facts on atmospheric carbon dioxide concentrations, and a sure way to stabilise it

Proceedings of Annual Sessions 2002/2003, The Institution of Engineers Sri Lanka Centre, Central Province, pp. 41-54

Shanthini R. 2002

Inclusion of the explicit contributions of population and income in the empirical modelling of carbon dioxide emissions: a cross-country study

Proceedings of the International Seminar on The Engineer in Sustainable Social and Economic Development – Regional Contribution Towards Agenda 21, Sri Lanka, pp. 52-61

Arulanantham MELN and Shanthini R. 1998

Electrodialysis treatment of Embilipitiya black liquor

Engineer, Journal of the Institution of Engineers, Sri Lanka, XXVII(1) : 72-81

Arulanantham MELN and Shanthini R. 1997

Recovery of sodium hydroxide from Embilipitiya black liquor by electrodialysis

IPPTA, Quarterly Journal of Indian Pulp and Paper Technical Association, 9(3):1-8

Ariyarathna SMWTPK, Ketharaswari P, Shanthini R and WalgamaKS. 1997

Experimenting with a Household Composter

Proceedings of the Annual Research Sessions 1997,University of Peradeniya, pp. 89-95

Arulanantham MELN, Shanthini R and Walgama KS.1997

Mathematical modelling of anode temperature dynamics of an electrodialyser

Proceedings of the Annual Research Sessions, Faculty of Engineering, University of Peradeniya

Shanthini R. 1991

On the nonlinear development of small three-dimensional perturbations in plane Poiseuille flow: a single modeapproach

Studies in Applied Mathematics, 84: 93-104

Gustavsson LH and Shanthini R. 1990

Degeneracies and direct resonances in water-table flow

Studies in Applied Mathematics, 83: 61-89

Shanthini R. 1989

Degeneracies of the temporal Orr-Sommerfeld eigenmodes in plane Poiseuille flow

Journal of Fluid Mechanics, 201: 13-34. doi:10.1017/S0022112089000819

Shanthini W and Nandakumar K. 1986

Bifurcation phenomena of generalized Newtonian fluids in curved rectangular ducts

Journal of Non-Newtonian Fluid Mechanics, 22: 35-60 doi:10.1016/0377-0257(86)80003-9