Dr Hirimburegama new VC of Colombo University

Dr. Kumara Hirimburegama, the first Director who re-established the Institute of Human Resource Advancement of the University of Colombo, and the first Dean of the Faculty of Management, Social Sciences and Humanities of the Kotelawala Defence University of the Defence Ministry was appointed the Vice Chacellor of the University of Colombo by President Mahinda Rajapaksa.

Professor. S. Suseendirarajah, an Emeritus Professor in Linguistics nominated Dr Hirimburegama for this post to the University Council for its acceptance.

Dr Hirimburegama who was the President of the Institute of Biology (IOB), Sri Lanka in 2006, is a Senior University Academic in the Faculty of Science from 1991 in the field of Microbiology.

He is an internationally recognised scientist with research involvement in Nuclear Techniques and Biological research and Molecular Biotech research at the International Atomic Energy Agency, Vienna-Austria, Cellular Biochemistry research at the University of Leuven-Belgium, Molecular Biotechnology research at Vulcani Agro Research Institute at Bet Dagan-Israel, Banana Virology molecular research at University Minnesota-USA, Chemical & Biological Weapon Prevention in Speiz-Switzerland, and in several other countries.

Dr Hirimburegama is a product with a BSc of the University of Peradeniya, and also the first PhD awarded in Botany of the same University through a joint research programme on Biofertilizers for rice with the International Atomic Energy Agency, Vienna.

Dr Hirimburegama has supervised to produce another PhD holder at the University of Colombo through his research in soil microbiology on straw utilization as an organic soil biological quality improver for rice cultivation. Dr Hirimburegama has carried out rice field research from Anuradhapura to Hambantota, and he was the Project Director of the feasibility study for a proposed new rail-road from Medawachchiya to Trincomalee.

He is a collaborative scientist in the banana improvement project in and a main scientist in establishing the Weligatta Agro Technology Institute of the University of Colombo at Hambantota.

He has introduced the Cisco Networking Academy program of US and the Microsoft Advanced Academy of US programme to the University of Colombo, in addition to several other university-industry collaboration programmes.

He was the Honorary Editor of the Sri Lanka Association for Advancement of Science (SLAAS) from 1999 to 2004.

DrHirimburegama is contributing through modern technology to promote Tamil-Sinhala language speech among Sri Lankans to develop national harmony and peace along with national policies.

Dr Hirimburegama received his entire school education at Richmond College, Galle. Recognizing his contribution as a scientist to education, the 36th Annual Aryabhata International Award for Education - 2010 was awarded to him in Bangalore, India.