|
|
||||||||||||||||||
|
National Academy of Sciences of Sri Lanka
c/o SLAAS 120/10 Vidya Mawata,
Colombo 7, Sri Lanka
|
||||||||||||||||||
|
EDITORIAL Becoming Sustainable The time has come for the NASSL to be sustainable especially with relation to funding aspects. From the address of the NASSL president at the AGM, it was obvious that we cannot thrive on government grant in the future. The NASSL and I am sure, many other professional societies, did not receive the customary government grant for the last four years. This has drained the reserves of these societies, where the main income has now become the interest earned from invested membership fees. The Korean experience was quoted sometime before and the minister urged for investment of at-least 1% of GDP of the country in Science and Technology. This did not happen for obvious reasons. I am sure the minister will try whatever possible ways and means to obtain more funding for Research & Technology, but we are not sure about the response he will get from other responsible parties in the government. As the Academy consists of many experts of different disciplines, it is time we undertake or bid for projects as research teams and remit a percentage from such earnings for the sustainability of the Academy. Today, while many administrators seem to have become consultants, the scientist in the Academy is not making use of their professional knowledge and experience. The secretary of NASSL has provided “food for thought” by providing information on funding opportunities for the NASSL as given in this news letter. We hope that the fellows take this matter seriously as one way of making the Academy sustainable
|
|
NOTICES/ NEWS 31st Annual General Meeting Held The 31st Annual General Meeting of the NASSL was held on 19th March 2010, at the Wimalasurendra Auditorium, Institute of Engineers, Wijerama Mawatha, Colombo 7. The AGM was followed by a Fellowship dinner .The special feature of this years Annual General Meeting was a presentation by Prof. Sir Arnold Wolfendale, FRS, Astronomer Royal on “COSMIC RAYS, GLOBAL WARMING AND THE ORIGIN OF LIFE’. The 31st Council of the NASSL Dr. Locana Gunaratne was inducted as the President of NASSL. Prof. I.K. Perera requested the membership to accept his resignation from the office of General Secretary, for personal reasons. He further expressed his willingness to continue as a member of the Council and assist the new General Secretary. Prof. Upali S. Amarasinghe, Professor of Zoology at University of Kelaniya was appointed as the General Secretary of the Council. As Professor Veranja Karunaratne and Professor L.L. Ratnayake tendered resignation as Members of the Council and as Professor M.J.S. Wijeyaratne’s tenure expired, the following fellows were appointed as Council members for these vacancies. Prof. Wijaya Kumar Dr. Ravi Pereira Dr. Siril Wijesundara The NASSL Council for year 2010 consists of the following Office Bearers Dr. K. Locana Gunaratne - President Prof. T.M. Sunethra Athukorala - Immediate Past President Dr. Kingsley de Alwis - Vice President Prof. Upali S. Amarasinghe - General Secretary Prof. Rohini Hewamanna - Assistant Secretary Dr. Ranjith Mahindapala - Treasurer Prof. J.N.O. Fernando - Secretary, Foreign Relations Prof. Ranjith B. Mapa - Editor
Members Prof. A.R.P. Aluwihara - Council Member Eng. Dr. Mervyn Gunasekara - Council Member Prof. Ajith Abeysekera - Council Member Prof. T.R. Ariyaratne - Council Member Page 2 |
|
Prof. Ira Thabrew - Council Member Prof. I.K. Perera - Council Member Prof. Vijaya Kumar - Council Member Dr. D.S.A. Wijesundara - Council Member Dr. Ravi Pereira - Council Member
New Fellows Elected at AGM The following new fellows were elected to the Academy · Prof. Ajith de Alwis (University of Moratuwa) Academic Discipline: Chemical Engineering · Prof. (Mrs.) Nilanthi Renuka de Silva (University of Kelaniya) Academic Discipline: Medical Parasitology Honorary Fellow Elected at AGM Professor Sir Arnold Wolfendale FRS, Astronomer Royal was elected as a Foreign Fellow/ Honorary Fellow of the Academy at the 31st Annual General Meeting of the NASSL was held on 19th March 2010 Presidential Address Dr. K. Locana. Gunaratne was inducted as the president of NASSL for this year at the AGM held on 31st Annual General Meeting of the NASSL was held on 19th March 2010. During his presidential address he stressed that the Academy consist of the most valuable human resource pool in the country. These members are expert in various disciplines and are willing to contribute to the national development. When compared with sister academia as the Royal Society in Britain or the American Academy, the NASSL is not recognized and respected by the government. He also stated that the NASSL did not receive any funds from the government for the last four years. The political leaders should frequently consult the academy on nationally important issues. He insisted of a long term vision by the academy, at-least for 5 years and therefore a cooperate plan which will help us to get involved with useful work as an institution but also promote our fellows in national development strategies. We hope the fellows take note of these ideas and the council should work towards to fulfill these needs in near future. KNOW YOUR FELLOWS The following new Fellows were elected at the last AGM Prof. Ajith De Alwis, B.Sc., Ph.D. Academic Discipline: Chemical Engineering Dr. Ajith de Alwis has been a Professor of Chemical & Processing Engineering at the University of Moratuwa since 2004, and currently is one of the two science team Page 3 |
|
leaders at the Sri Lanka Institute of nanotechnology. He obtained his B.Sc. degree in Chemical engineering in Moratuwa with first class honours in1985 and his Ph.D. from Cambridge University in 1990 while on Cambridge University trust Scholarship & Overseas Research Studentship. He was awarded the 1989 Senior Moulton Medal by the Institution of Chemical Engineers, UK (best research paper), 1989 SCI Food group Travel prize by the society of Chemical Industry, UK (research presentation), 1991 SCI (UK) John Coppock Memorial Fund Award & 1991 Danckwerts-Maxwell Prize (for the best chemical engineering Ph.D. thesis. Prof. De Alwis has published 47 peer reviewed articles and book chapters and over 55conference abstracts. He has been the recipient of the University of Moratuwa Research Award from 1008-2007. He was the founder editor of ‘Chemunique”, and is on the editorial board of IChemeE (UK) Transactions C Food and Bio-producers Processing journal (European Journal). He has served in over 25 national committees, including those in the Central Environmental Authority (Technical Advisory), in the Ministry of Health (Health Care Waste Management) in the Ministry of Forestry and Environment (standards development and national reporting systems), Environmental Impact Assessment and Strategic Environmental assessments of the Trincometro development project, Eco-industrial estate developments in Sri Lanka, 163 MWe combined cycle power plant, Kerawalapitiya, Lionvert refinery and power plant , Biyagama EPZ second phase for BOM, Weerawila International Airport, 300 MWe combined cycle power plat at Kerawalapitiya. Prof. (Mrs.) Nilanthi Renuka de Silva, MBBS, M.Sc., Ph.D. Academic Discipline: Medical Parasitology Dr. Nilanthi de Silva has been the Professor of Parasitology at the University of Kelaniya since 2003 and was Head of Parasitology Department for several years and currently heads the faculty’s Medical Education Center. She has also served as a consultant to the Ministry of Higher education on Policy and Strategy Development and to the national Education commission on the project “Inter-sectorial Study of Education and Health”, and as a resource person in many training workshops organized by the Quality assurance and Accreditation Council of the UGC. She has been the recipient of Presidential Research Awards, FAIMER International Fellowship, National Science Foundation Merit Award, Patrick Buxton award, Commonwealths Medical Fellowship, S.E. Seneviratne Award, Prof. Rajasooriya Award, Sir Frank Gunasekara Award and E.M. Wijerama award. She is also a member of the WHO’s Food-borne Disease Epidemiology Reference Group and as Associate Editor of the open aces Journal PLoS Neglected Tropical Disease for the past three years. She has published 53 articles in peer reviewed journals and has presented 58 research papers at international and national research symposia and contributed to three text book chapters. She is a member of three professional Page 4 |
|
associations and a Fellow of the Royal Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene. She is currently Chairperson of the International Advisory Board of the Partnership for Child Development at Imperial college, London: the WHO working group on “Access to Medicine for Neglected Tropical Diseases’; and the Mebendazole Advisory Committee, an independent group of experts that advice the US-based NGO Children Without Worms. Prof. Upali Amarasinghe honored by a British University Professor Upali Amarasinghe from the Department of Zoology of University of Kelaniya is awarded a Doctor of Science (D.Sc.), by the Bangor University in North Wales, UK to honour his life-long scientific contribution to fisheries biology and development of inland fisheries in Sri Lanka. This is another instance of international recognition of research carried out by a Sri Lankan scientist. Upali has been elected as a Fellow of the Academy in 2009, and is presently the General Secretary of the Council Groundwater In Sri Lanka- A Most Precious But Highly Threatened Resource By A. Dennis N. Fernando The follow up of the Anuradhapura Workshop on Ground Water Resources was held at the IUCN Office, Colombo on 22 January, 2010. The workshop was attended by a number of Fellows of the Academy. Discussions centered on suggestions for a national ground water policy in the context of an overall national water policy. The main points discussed at the workshop are summarized below: 1. The formulation of a ground water policy should not be dealt with in isolation but in the context of all related forms of water resources, namely, rainfall, surface water and ground water as all are necessary for human survival and agriculture and are often used conjunctively; 2. Ground water resources in specific areas vary and have been indicated in the book on “The Ground Water Resources of Sri Lanka” published by the Ministry of Irrigation, Power and Highways in 1973; 3. The importance of forest conservation was emphasized as it is essential to ensure regulated surface water and groundwater flows into reservoirs; 4. The original objective of the Mahaweli River Basin Development was for irrigation, and power was only a secondary benefit. Generation of hydropower was to be only from irrigation issues. Unfortunately this policy has been reversed over the years and today some farmers are even committing suicide due to the lack of water for irrigation; 5. Industrial pollution of water bodies has to be prevented as it renders both surface and ground water unsuitable for domestic use; Page 5 |
|
1. The city of Colombo is underlain by Pliocene sands in 80% of its area. Ground water is available within 20 feet below ground level. Although not fit for drinking, the groundwater is suitable for flushing of toilets, home gardening and washing of cars. If only groundwater is utilized for these purposes, we could save 50% of the current potable water supply and provide potable water to another 50% of households without any increase in the capacity of the water supply department; 2. Over-pumping of ground water in Jaffna Peninsula and in the Kalpitiya Peninsula has caused salt water intrusion which is a problem that needs to be addressed; 3. The necessity to establish a Groundwater Council consisting of groundwater experts for consultation was discussed; 4. The compilation of a directory of all publications on groundwater for reference purposes was proposed; 5. In order to ensure rational use of our scarce water resources we recommend dividing the country into Dissawanies or Districts as practiced by our ancients in their wisdom and recommended by the OPA and CIMOGG. Funding Opportunities for the Academy Prof. Upali Amarasinghe According to the provisions of the Act of Incorporation and the Rules of the Academy [Articles 3(a) and 4.2(a)], the Academy has powers to undertake research and receive grants in cash or otherwise from local or foreign sources. As discussed at the informal meeting of Council members that was held on the 10th May at NASSL office, there is a necessity to find funds for the Academy for its survival. Below are recent advertisement of funding opportunities. This has the ceiling of Sterling Pounds 60,000. http://www.dfid.gov.uk/working-with-dfid/funding-opportunities/not-for-profit organisations/development-innovation-fund-dif/frequently-asked-questions/ Maximum funding per application: £60k. It is open to NGOs with average annual turnover of under £500k over the last 3 years. One would need to demonstrate eligibility, with approved accounts etc. A key part of the project is UK public awareness raising – which can most easily be done via one or more UK partners. DFID-Development Innovation Fund DFID's White Paper, 'Eliminating World Poverty: Building Our Common Future', outlines DFID's approach to working with civil society. It highlights the fact that DFID recognizes that the work of governments alone will not be enough to eliminate world poverty and that to achieve further and faster poverty reduction, governments must work closely with citizens and civil society groups. The White Paper states that over the next few years DFID will increase its work with Page 6 |
|
organizations in the UK and overseas who play an important role in development. This will include groups with who do not currently benefit from DFID support. Many of these groups are involved in supporting very small scale, often localized activities which do not meet the criteria we have for our existing centrally managed civil society funding schemes, such as the Partnership Programme Arrangements (PPA) and Civil Society Challenge Fund (CSCF). To address this, DFID has established a new funding stream aimed at community based organizations involved in providing specific small scale, one-off support that directly targets poverty in the developing world and includes a significant development awareness component in the UK. The Fund will be operational for an initial 16 months from 2010. The Fund is intended to offer funding opportunities to not for profit organizations but is not intended to replace or overlap with other DFID funding mechanisms.
Eligibility based in the UK. We will consider proposals from not for profit groups from any country in
the
world. You must also send a. A copy of whatever documentation you have which could be described as your
organization’s constitution d. A budget showing how you intend to spend the grant requested, in the format
provided.
Application form [DOC - 105 KB]- Budget form [DOC - 41 KB] More info: http://www.dfid.gov.uk/dif Programs & Fellowships
ICTP
Programme Mathematics Research Fellowships 2011 The Abdus Salam International Centre for Theoretical Physics (ICTP) invites applications for a Senior Post – Doctoral Fellowship. The fellowship is open to outstanding young mathematicians form around the world, and has especially attractive terms with a total tenure of 2+3 years, starting in 2011.Candidates should apply online at : http://math.ictp.it/fellowships/Senior_Postdoctoral_Fellowship.html Page 7 |
|
Contact Us: President: Dr. K. Locana. Gunaratne Tel: (011) 2588156 E-mail: locana@sltnet.lk Vice President: Dr. Kingsley De Alwis Tel: (011)-266-5427 E-mail: kingsleydealwis@yahoo.com General Secretary: Prof. Upali Amarasinghe Tel: (011) 290-3397 E-mail: zoousa@kln.ac.lk; upali54@gmail.com Treasurer: Dr. Ranjith Mahindapala Tel: (011) 268 - 2416 E-mail: ranjith@iucnsl.org Editor: Prof. Ranjith B. Mapa Tel: (011) 263 - 5201 E-mail: maparb@yahoo.com |