Ravindra Jayaratne

My principal research interests are in the field of coastal engineering, particularly wave hydrodynamics, wave-structure interaction, sediment transport modelling and disaster prevention mechanisms against storm surges, extreme waves and Glacier Lake Outburst Floods (GLOF) exacerbated by global warming effect and geo-physical hazards such as tsunamis.
I carried out several post-disaster field surveys in Thailand, Sri Lanka, Tanzania, Japan and UK. I subsequently used field data to develop soft engineering solutions (e.g. management strategies, flood maps, education seminars, disaster preparedness activities) and hard engineering solutions (e.g. developing predictive tools; formulae/mathematical models, numerical models, and design guidelines) through collected field data, numerical, theoretical/mathematical and laboratory modelling of worst-case disaster scenarios for future resilience of flood defence and infrastructure. I have extended my research in to modelling of natural hazards with disaster risk reduction (DRR) in coastal and river communities in Sri Lanka, Vietnam, Indonesia, Japan and UK.
I have received external funding from the Kansai’s University (2020), UK’s Natural Environment Research Council (2018), Research England – Global Challenges Research Fund (2018), Daiwa Anglo-Japanese Foundation (2018), Newton Fund (2017), Great Britain Sasakawa Foundation (2012, 2013, 2014, 2017, 2019), Royal Society (2014), Ministry of Education, Science and Culture of Government of Japan (2013) Royal Academy of Engineering (2008, 2010), Japan Society for the Promotion of Science (2005, 2010), Yokohama National University (2018), University of Tokyo (2016), Waseda University (2011, 2013), Japan. Moreover, I have secured several internal funding grants from the UEL (Sabbatical Scheme 2018-19, Mid-Career Researcher Fund, 2016; Impact Fund, 2016, 2020; International Research Collaboration Fund, 2014; Early Career Researcher Accelerator Fund, 2012; Promising Researcher Award, 2009).
I have authored 100+ peer-reviewed journal, peer-reviewed conference proceeding and national-level research articles in the above disciplines. I have contributed for School’s UK REF2014 research submission (UoA 15 General Engineering) by submitting internationally standing 4 journal papers and the research grant awarded by the Great Britain Sasakawa Foundation (#D55). I am currently supervising 2 PhD students (as DoS) in coastal engineering / disaster mitigation and 3 (2nd / 3rd Supervisor) in civil engineering infrastructure modelling. I am the Impact Champion for the School's REF2021 Engineering submission (UoA 12 Engineering).
I am an Associate Editor for the Coastal Engineering Journal (Taylor & Francis) since September 2019. I serve as a peer-reviewer for the following journals; Maritime Engineering (ICE), Journal of Waterway, Port, Coastal & Ocean Engineering (ASCE), Journal of Marine Science & Engineering (MDPI), Coastal Engineering Journal (Taylor & Francis), Ocean Engineering (Elsevier) and Natural Hazards (Springer). Also, I serve reviewing papers of the International Society of Offshore and Polar Engineers (ISOPE) and International Conference on Structural Engineering and Construction Management (ICSECM) Conference series.
I was an organising committee member of CIWEM-UEL Water Emergencies & Management Conference in 2019, Waseda-YNU Coastal Engineering Research Seminar series held in Sri Lanka in 2006 and UEL’s AC&T Conference series from 2010-2012. I have been a Visiting Researcher to the Complex Disaster Research Institute of Waseda University since 2011, the Department of Urban Innovation of Yokohama National University (YNU), Japan in 2018, Department of Civil Engineering of University of Ottawa (uOttawa), Canada in 2017 and the Institute of Engineering of the National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM) in 2014.