Personal Information

• Full Name: Professor Chandra B. Dissanayake, commonly referred to as C.B. Dissanayake
• Birth: 8 January 1944, Sri Lanka
• Early Education: Trinity College, Kandy (1953–1964)

Academic Background & Career

• B.Sc. (Chemistry) from University of Ceylon, Peradeniya, 1968
• First Class Honours in Geology, 1971 – first ever in B.Sc. Special Degree Examination
• Head of the Department of Geology, later Emeritus Professor at University of Peradeniya

Scholarly Recognition

• D.Sc. from Oxford University for contributions in environmental geology and geochemistry
• National award of Vidya Jyothi – Sri Lanka’s highest distinction in science (1998)

Leadership & Admin Roles

• Director of the National Institute of Fundamental Studies (NIFS), Sri Lanka (1991–1996, 2009–2015)

Research Contributions

• Essay in Science (2005): “Of Stones and Health: Medical Geology in Sri Lanka”
• Geothermal energy site identification across Sri Lanka (Trincomalee to Ussangoda)

Awards & Legacy

• Posthumously recognized among top scientists at NIFS
• Honorary Doctorate (D.Sc.) from University of Peradeniya, 24 May 2023

Summary at a Glance

Academic Background

• B.Sc. (Hons) in Geology, University of Peradeniya, Sri Lanka (Upper Second Class)
• M.Sc. in Marine Geology and Oceanography, Shimane University, Japan
• Ph.D. in Marine Geology and Oceanography, Hokkaido University, Japan

Academic Career

• Professor, Department of Earth Resources Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, University of Moratuwa (since 2014)
• Senior Lecturer, Department of Earth Resources Engineering, University of Moratuwa (2005–2014)
• Head of Department of Earth Resources Engineering (briefly in 2019)

Leadership & Service

• Vice Chancellor, Ocean University of Sri Lanka (2019–2021 & reappointed June 2024)
• Past President, Geological Society of Sri Lanka
• General Secretary & Editor, Institute of Geology, Sri Lanka (2014–2016)

Research & Expertise

• Specializes in Marine Geology, Sedimentology, Petroleum Geology, Ocean-land interactions
• Published extensively on diagenesis, rare earth elements, monsoon sedimentation, and phytomining
• Google Scholar metrics: 1,786+ citations, h-index 20, i10-index 32

Community Engagement & Outreach

• Lectures on coastal environments: wave dynamics, coral restoration, pollution mitigation
• Initiated coral reef seeding projects inspired by Maldives models

Summary at a Glance

Career & Roles

• Over 30 years of experience in global mining sectors across Europe, Australia, Africa, and Asia
• Former Global Director of Mining at Elementis plc
• Principal Advisor at MEC Advisory, Australia
• Expert in mining asset evaluation and project development (exploration → production)

Awards & Recognition

• 2015 Merit Award for Business Leadership from the Australian Trade Commission (AusTrade)

Education & Qualifications

• Postgraduate Certificate in Environmental Management and Law, Murdoch University
• M.Sc. in Engineering Geology, Asian Institute of Technology
• B.Eng. in Mining and Mineral Processing, University of Moratuwa
• Professional Titles: CEnv (UK), CEng (UK), EUR ING (FEANI)

Locations & Focus

• Perth, Australia & Helsinki, Finland
• Mining-focused projects across Australia and Europe

Summary at a Glance