Eng. (Prof.) K T M Udayanga Hemapala

Bio-Data as submitted & certified by the candidate

Eng. (Prof.) K.T.M. Udayanga Hemapala graduated from the Faculty of Engineering, University of Moratuwa with a BSc Engineering Honours Degree (First Class) specialising in Electrical Engineering in 2004. He obtained his PhD in Electrical Engineering from the University of Genova, Italy in 2009. He is currently a Senior Professor in the Department of Electrical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, University of Moratuwa.

He was admitted as an Associate Member of the Institution of Engineers, Sri Lanka (IESL) in 2004, was elevated to Member grade in 2017 and to Fellow grade on 04 January 2024. He has served on the IESL Council during the 2018/2019, 2019/2020, 2021/2022, 2022/2023, 2023/2024, 2024/2025 and 2025/2026 sessions, including serving as the Honorary Secretary of the Institution. He has actively contributed to the Accreditation Board, Professional Review and Standards Committee (PRSC), Education Committee, Continuing Professional Development (CPD) Committee, and several professional review and engineering education initiatives of the Institution.

He has received the Outstanding Research Performance Award of the University of Moratuwa continuously since 2012. He is also a recipient of the Best Paper Award at the 3rd International Conference on Instrumentation, Control and Automation (ICA 2013), the National Science Foundation Award for Best Technology Grant, and the Italian Government Doctoral Fellowship. Prof. Hemapala has authored more than twenty peer-reviewed international journal papers, two internationally published books, several book chapters and over one hundred papers presented at international and national conferences. His research interests include smart grids, renewable energy integration, battery energy storage systems, microgrids, power system protection and power electronics. He has supervised one MPhil student and more than forty MSc students, while continuing to supervise undergraduate and postgraduate research.

He commenced his academic career as a Senior Lecturer Grade II at the University of Moratuwa in 2009, was promoted to Senior Lecturer Grade I and Professor in 2017, and to Senior Professor in July 2025. He has served as Head of the Department of Electrical Engineering, Dean of the Faculty of Engineering, Director General of the Sri Lanka Institute of Advanced Technological Education (SLIATE), Secretary to the Ministry of Energy, and Chairman of the Ceylon Electricity Board, while also chairing several state-owned energy sector organisations. Through these roles, he has contributed to engineering education, national energy policy, power sector reforms and infrastructure development.

Beyond IESL, he has served as Council Member of SLIATE since 2020 and has held several leadership positions within the IEEE Sri Lanka Section, including Chair of the IEEE Power & Energy Society Sri Lanka Chapter and leadership roles in the IEEE Robotics and Automation Society. He continues to contribute actively to the advancement of engineering education, professional standards, research, innovation and national development through engineering.

Election Statement as submitted & certified by the candidate

Throughout my professional career, I have had the privilege of serving the engineering profession through academia, industry, government and the Institution of Engineers, Sri Lanka. These experiences have strengthened my belief that IESL must continue to lead the profession by promoting excellence, integrity, innovation and service.

If elected, I will work collaboratively to strengthen engineering education, professional standards, industry engagement and the development of young engineers, while ensuring that the Institution remains relevant to the evolving needs of the profession and the nation. I will contribute my experience in engineering leadership, research, national policy and institutional governance to support a stronger IESL and a stronger engineering profession in Sri Lanka.