Qualifications, skills and Achievements
Shortlisted and is a finalist for The Asian Women of Achievement Awards 2024 in the UK.
It recognises the extraordinary achievements of women of Asian origin in the UK, and celebrate multi cultural Britain and the contribution of diverse cultures and talents to UK society. The awards also play a key role in redefining the contribution of Asian women; and informing a new, positive, pro-diversity debate.
2023 Award Winner 2023 Kindness & Leadership, one of the fifty Leading Lights in the UK, supported by KPMG. The campaign seeks to shine a great big spotlight on leaders who are impacting others through kindness. They are using this campaign as a unique chance to build a new status quo, sharing advice and expertise from leaders and recognising the contribution of kind leaders to business, the economy and society.
2023 Award Winner 2023 Kindness & Leadership
Identified as one of the six “top-flight scientists and technologists of global repute”. Sri Lanka National Science Foundation (NSF), February 2022 .
Ceremonial launch of the Sri Lanka National Science Foundation (NSF) global digital platform (GDP), under the patronage of Hon. Mahinda Rajapaksa, Prime Minister of the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka. February 2022. The NSF State-of-the-art Global Digital Platform (GDP) to harness Sri Lankan expatriates for national development has the requisite capabilities and features to harness, mobilize and channel intellectual assets at home and overseas. NSF is the premier national institution in Sri Lanka mandated to promote R&D and scientific literacy for the socio-economic development and wellbeing of its people
University of Huddersfield : Three Minute Thesis Competition & Supervisor of the Year awards Wednesday 22 June, 2022
Recipient of the Best PhD supervisor of the Year 2022, School of Applied Sciences.
Top 2% of Global Scientists
in World’s Critical Science Disciplines since 2021
Professor Dilanthi Amaratunga is recognised for her career-long impact up until 2020 and is placed among the global top 2% of influential scientists, according to the report of “Composite Citation Metrics” by Elsevier BV Netherlands and Stanford University, UK, released in August 2021, 2022 and 2023
The selection is based on the top 100,000 by c-score, with and without self-citations, or a percentile rank of 2% or above.
Educational
Qualifications
Educational
Qualifications
- 2020 Strategic Management & Leadership Practice (Level 7) – senior, regional, specialist, director or CEO management and leadership role. Areas covered: Strategic leadership Collaboration and partnerships, Developing organisational strategy, Strategic risk management, Entrepreneurial practice, Personal and professional development for strategic leaders, Strategic approaches to equality, diversity and inclusion, Strategic approaches to mental health and wellbeing, Chartered Management Institute, UK.
- 2002 PhD in Built and Human Environment and Management, Research Institute for the Built and Human Environment, The University of Salford, UK
- 1993 B.Sc. in Quantity Surveying (First Class Hons.), Department of Building Economics, University of Moratuwa, Sri Lanka. Duration: 4-year Degree Programme/ Class Rank: First (obtained the highest average) in all four years of studies. Cohort size: 50. The percentages of the aggregate marks obtained by me at each examination are the highest for any candidate, culminating in an overall
- 1986 – General Certificate of Education – Advanced Level, Visakha Vidyalaya, Colombo, Sri Lanka (Pure Mathematics, Applied Mathematics, Chemistry, Physics)
- 1983 – General Certificate of Education – Ordinary Level, Visakha Vidyalaya, Colombo, Sri Lanka. Obtained Distinctions for all subjects
Professional
Qualifications
- 2020 Fellow & Chartered Manager, Chartered Management Institute, UK
- 2020 Fellow – Royal Geographical Society, UK
- 2016 Fellow – The Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS), UK
- 2008 Member – The Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS), UK
- 2002 Fellow – Higher Education Academy, UK (Advance HE)
Skills
Extensive knowledge on disaster risks, climate change and its adaptation, sustainable development, and their inter-relationships, gender equity, governance and early warning; Risk assessment and analysis; Excellent leaderships skills (project management planning and management, effective communication skills, coordination skills, Interpersonal skills, decision making , inclusivity, sensitivity understanding, team work, organisation, , emotional intelligence, negotiation and persuasion, adaptability and resilient, negotiation and budgeting skills) ; Critical and analytical thinking; problem-solving abilities; Interdisciplinary working; long standing relationships with global and national authorities and partners; an excellent trainer ; Public engagement skills; Time management and the ability to work under pressure; Excellent written, communication and presentation skills; Knowledge of teaching and the ability to design courses. ability to respond to responsibilities in a way that is timely, appropriate, well-coordinated, relevant and effective; Engagement with public and research users; Skills on stakeholder analysis and multi-stakeholder engagement; Communication, co-operation and governance in all aspects of policy and strategy development; Project implementation and management, at all scales in disaster contexts; Skills demanded to research – research methods, data collection, critical analysis and conclusion drawing; sense of confidence in my own abilities; excellent teacher and mentor in creating a positive impact on society.
Academic/Research
Achievements/Awards
2024-Have been shortlisted and is a finalist for The Asian Women of Achievement Awards 2024 in the UK. It recognises the extraordinary achievements of women of Asian origin in the UK, and celebrate multi-cultural Britain and the contribution of diverse cultures and talents to UK society.
2023–Award Winner 2023 Kindness & Leadership, 50 Leading Lights in the UK, supported by KPMG. Kindness & Leadership, 50 Leading Lights campaign seeks to shine a great big spotlight on leaders who are impacting others through kindness. https://www.kindnessrules.co.uk
2023–Top 2% of Global Scientists in World’s Critical Science Disciplines in 2023, 2022 and 2021. Is recognised for career-long impact and is placed among the global top 2% of influential scientists, according to the report of “Composite Citation Metrics” by Elsevier BV Netherlands and Stanford University, USA, released in August 2023. The selection is based on the top 100,000 by c-score, with and without self-citations, or a percentile rank of 2% or above.
2022-Best paper award, A Conceptual Framework to Understand the Multi-Hazard Early Warning Mechanism in Communication Management, 2022 Moratuwa Engineering Research Conference
- Best Poster Presentation, ReFMS 2022. Research Conference of Faculty of Medicine, Jaffna : “Shaping Medical Sciences in the New Normal”, hosted by Faculty of Medicine, University of Jaffna, for Kodituwakku KALC, Kamalrathne T, Amaratunga D, Haigh, R, Jayasekara JHPRU, Siriwardana C, Fernando N, Samaraweera DSD, Jayasinghe KDNK, Hetti NP, Abeysekara I, Arif N, Sangarappillai R, Sivakanthan S, Herath HOB, Ranaweera P, Ariyaratne V. Community preparedness for a multi-hazard scenario amidst the pandemic: A simulation-based training in Jaffna district. July 2022
Best paper award – Sehara Pitigala Liyana Arachchi, Chandana Siriwardana, Dilanthi Amaratunga and Richard Haigh. – A Conceptual Framework to Understand the Multi-Hazard Early Warning Mechanism in Communication Management, 2022 Moratuwa Engineering Research Conference. July 2022.
Best paper award – Asitha De Silva, Richard & Dilanthi Amaratunga – Education and Sustainability – Involvement of higher education institutions when promoting agroecosystems resilience. International Conference 2021 Sustainable Ecological Engineering Design for Society (SEEDS), September 2021. SEEDS invited papers from across the broad spectrum of the Sustainable Development Goals and encourages the community to bring forward practices that are tackling the climate emergency and to evaluate their impact.
Recipient of the Best PhD supervisor of the Year 2022, School of Applied Sciences – University of Huddersfield: Three Minute Thesis Competition & Supervisor of the Year awards, Wednesday 22 June, 2022.
- Winner of the Prestigious 2019Newton Prize (with Richard Haigh from the University of Huddersfield and Harkunti Rahayu from ITB, Indonesia. We are the winning team amongst 150+ projects, where delivery partners were: Royal academy of engineering, medical research council, UKRI, ESRC, British Council, EPSRC etc. Newton Prize recognises the best research and innovation projects which create an impact socially and economically, between Indonesia and the United Kingdom from 2016 to 2019. Newton Prize is supported by the UK’s Department for Business, Energy, and Industrial Strategy (BEIS), Newton Fund and Global Challenges Research Fund (GCRF). Our winning entry was based on our “Mainstreaming Integrated Disaster Risk Reduction and Climate Change Adaptation into Coastal Urban Agglomeration Policy” project and our new proposal which looks into “Developing and harmonising local tsunami early warning”. February 2020
- Received the “His Excellency the President of Sri Lanka Award” from His Excellency, Maithreepala Sirisena, President of Sri Lanka, for the contribution to Disaster Resilience in Sri Lanka. 23rd August 2018
- Received an Award from His Excellency the President of Sri Lanka on her contribution to Disaster Resilience in Sri Lanka, 23rd August 2018.
- UALL International Award for 2018 for CADRE (Collaborative Action towards Disaster Resilience Education): An innovative partnership that created change in an international context. UALL International Award recognises innovative engagement, including partnerships, that create change in an international and transnational context. Criteria for assessment included: Innovation and Creativity, Impact and Transferability.
- 2016 Best Paper Award. CIB World Building Congress, Tampere, Finland, June 2016. (with Chamindi Malalgoda & Richard Haigh). Paper title ” Knowledge gaps in the construction industry to increase societal resilience: A local and national government perspective”. 2016 CIB World Congress was the biggest global research, development, and innovation event of the year with 400+ papers accepted to be presented where 50 countries bringing in the world’s leading professionals and delegates.
- 2014 Winner of the President’s Awards for Scientific Publication – September 2014 -A refereed journal paper entitled: “Post disaster C&D debris management: A Sri Lanka Case Study” published in the Journal of Civil Engineering and Management has received a President’s Award for Scientific Publication.
- 2014 AXA Outlook award short list – August 2014 – nominated to receive grants from the AXA Outlooks funding scheme. AXA Outlooks are aimed at supporting innovative engagement activities, targeting public ranging from policymakers to vulnerable populations. This initiative gives excellent researchers the means to engage public in science on key emerging risks affecting civil society.
- 2013 Nomination – UN Sasakawa Award for Disaster Risk Reduction. Along with Professor Richard Haigh was nominated UN Sasakawa Award 2013 submission. Under the 2013 theme “Acting as One”. The UN Sasakawa Award for Disaster Risk Reduction recognizes excellence in reducing disaster risk for a safer, more sustainable world.
- 2013 Chartered Institute of Building (CIOB) award for the Best Overall Paper, 2013. (with Chamindi Malalgoda & Richard Haigh), “Empowering Local Governments in Making Cities Resilient Disasters: Case Study as a Research Strategy”, 11th International Postgraduate Research Conference (IPGRC 2013), Media City, UK, 8-10 April 2013.
- 2013 Guardian University Awards 2013 – runners up of the “International Strategy Category” and the university submission included my input based on the project I co-led on Conflict Prevention through Infrastructure Reconstruction which brought together a creative international collaboration which improved understanding of the relationships between physical infrastructure reconstruction programmes and social cohesion among people affected by conflict, helping local stakeholders deliver conflict-sensitive reconstruction programmes.
- 2012 Best Paper Award. 6th International Conference on the Built Environment in Developing Countries – Fragmented futures: the built environment in a volatile world, School of Natural and Built Environments, University of South Australia, Adelaide (with Taufika Ophiyandri & Chmainda Pathirage). Paper title “Critical Success Factors for Community-Based Post-Disaster Housing Reconstruction Projects”
- 2012 Highly Commended Award. 6th International Conference on the Built Environment in Developing Countries – Fragmented futures: the built environment in a volatile world, School of Natural and Built Environments, University of South Australia, Adelaide, Australia, 4 – 5 December 2012. (with Gayani Karunaseana and Raufdeen Rameezdeen). Paper title “Post-disaster construction & demolition waste management: the case of COWAM project in the city of Galle, Sri Lanka”
- 2012 International Collaboration of the Year – University of Salford nomination for Time Higher Education Awards. Initiative on Conflict Prevention through Infrastructure Reconstruction which I was the Co-I
- 2011 Best Supervisor short listed, Students’ Union Teaching Awards, University of Salford, UK
- 2011 International Collaboration of the Year – Short listed, THE AWARDS (I, along with Professor Richard Haigh was the University of Salford nomination for the Times Higher Education Awards 2011 – International Collaboration of the Year 2011 and we were one of the five shortlisted for this prestigious award. This award recognises exceptional projects carried out jointly between a British institution and one or more international partners and in our case, between University of Salford and the Chamber of Construction Industry, Sri Lanka, a series of projects to contribute to conflict mitigation and recovery. We helped to better understand and develop local capacity to reconstruct housing, public buildings, and infrastructure to restore dignity, provide job opportunities and increase social cohesion)
- 2010 Best Paper award. CIB World Congress, Salford Quays, Salford, UK. May 2010. with Roshani Palliyaguru, “Policy Implications of Integration of Disaster Risk Reduction to Infrastructure Reconstruction”. In the proceedings of Building a Better World – CIB 2010 World Congress, 10-13 May 2010 Salford Quays – United Kingdom
- 2010 RICS Best Paper award. RICS COBRA conference, Paris, France. Disaster prevention and management theme paper
- 2009 Best Paper Award. Associated School of Construction, USA, 2009 Annual International Conference, Florida, USA. With Sepani Senaratne, ‘Principles of Integrating Research into Teaching in Higher Education: Built Environment Perspective’.
- 2009 Best paper award. 9th International Postgraduate research conference in the built and human environment, University of Salford, UK
- 2008 Highly commended award. Emerald Literati Network. 2008 Awards for Excellence. With Chaminda Pathirage, Richard Haigh & David Baldry, ‘Enhancing the quality and consistency of undergraduate dissertation assessment: A case study’, The Journal of Quality Assurance in Education, (2007), Vol. 15 (3), pp.271‐ 286.
- 2007 Best paper award. 7th International Postgraduate research conference in the built and human environment. With Thurairajah, N. & Haigh, R. (2007), Confronting Barriers to Women in Leadership Positions: A Study on Construction Industry”, Proceedings of 7th International Postgraduate Conference in the Built and Human Environment, Salford Quays, UK: 28th – 29th March.
- 2004 MERIT award – School of Construction and Property Management, University of Salford, UK
- 2002 Received commendation. BIFM (British Institute of Facilities Management) Award for Best Paper on FM Innovation at the international CIBW70 conference. “Performance Measurement in Facilities Management Organisations: Transition from Measurement to Management”, paper presented at CIB Working Commission W70 – The 2002 Global Symposium, Glasgow, UK
- 2002 Received commendation. DBF (Design and Build Foundation) Award for Best CIBW70 paper on the Integration of Design, Build and Facilities Management at the international CIB W70 conference. “An Integrated Life Cycle Costing Database: System Proposal and Methodology”, paper presented at CIB Working Commission W70 – The 2002 Global Symposium, Glasgow, UK.
- 2001 Emerald Literati Award for the Best Research Paper published in 2001. With Baldry, D. & Sarshar, M. (2001), ‘Process Improvement through Performance Measurement: The Balanced Scorecard Methodology’, Work Study Journal, 50:4/5:179-188. (This paper was also among the first 100 most cited papers among emerald published papers in 2005)
- 2000 Research Fellowship, British Federation of Women Graduates, London, UK
- 2000 RICS (Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors) Award for the Best Paper, International Postgraduate Research Conference, University of Salford, UK. Paper titled: “Theory Building in Facilities Management Research: Case Study Methodology”, in the proceedings of the Bizarre Fruit Postgraduate Conference
- 1999 RICS Education Trust Award, Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS), UK.
- 1998 Recipient of the Travel Award, awarded for the Best Paper, Bizarre Fruit Postgraduate Conference, University of Salford, UK. Paper titled: Post-Occupancy Evaluation of Higher Education Teaching Spaces – A Methodological Approach
- 1997 Overseas Research Students Award (ORS): awarded by the Committee of Vice Chancellors and Principles of Universities in the UK (CVCP) for outstanding academic excellence and research potential (1997 – 2000).
- 1996 TCDC scholarship (Technical Cooperation for Developing Countries) (Netherlands Government funded), Asian Institute of Technology, Thailand.
- 1996 CFTC Award (Commonwealth Fund for Technical Corporation, UK), Asian Institute of Technology, Thailand.
- 1993 The prestigious Sri Lanka Institute of Quantity Surveyors Award for the Best Overall Performance, B.Sc. (Hons.) in Quantity Surveying, University of Moratuwa, Sri Lanka.
- 1993 Professor H.P.S. Caldera Memorial Award for the Highest Average/Best Performance at the final year examination, B.Sc. (Hons). in Quantity Surveying, University of Moratuwa, Sri Lanka.
- 1993 Award for the Best Dissertation and obtained the highest marks of the year. University of Moratuwa, Sri Lanka. Dissertation titled: ‘Price Fluctuation Reimbursements in Sri Lankan Building Contracts’, BSc. Dissertation, Department of Building Economics, University of Moratuwa, Sri Lanka.
- 1993 Distinction for the performance of Industrial Training Programme organised by the University of Moratuwa, Sri Lanka and the National Apprenticeship and Industrial Training Authority of Sri Lanka
- 1992 University of Moratuwa Award, Highest Average at the B.Sc. Hons. Quantity Surveying Degree programme, Third Year examination
- 1991 University of Moratuwa Award, Highest Average at the B.Sc. Hons. Quantity Surveying Degree programme, Second Year examination
- 1990 University of Moratuwa Award, Highest Average at the B.Sc. Hons. Quantity Surveying Degree programme, First Year examination