Director General (Covering)

Sri Lanka Atomic Energy Board

Dr. Viraj Edirisinghe

Message from the Director General (Covering)

“Nuclear Science & Technology to Achieve National Development Priorities"

Sri Lanka Atomic Energy Board (SLAEB) has been providing the leadership and assistance to the country in the peaceful application of nuclear science and technology for about five decades. During the time country’s capabilities have increased significantly, and the SLAEB have moved from developing basic nuclear knowledge to applying it in a broad range of fields to improve daily life and wellbeing of the Sri Lankans. Over the period, we could have contributed for the achievement of national development priorities. Today, we are well rooted institute operates from three different locations at Colombo, Kelaniya and Biyagama. Over 158 staff members who are qualified in various nuclear applications together with the well-equipped modern state of art laboratories provide the services to different stake holders following national and international standards. Alongside the capacity building and service provision, as the International Atomic Energy Agency’s focal point of Sri Lanka, SLAEB supports networking, knowledge sharing and the development of partnerships.

SLAEB contributes to the national development, and dedicates to the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals. As nuclear science and technology will make an important contribution to the achievement of development priorities of the country, we expect the role of SLAEB to further expand in the coming years.

Profile of the Director General (Covering)

Dr. Edirisinghe graduated from University of Peradeniya in 2000 with BSc in physical science as the basic degree. He joined Sri Lanka Atomic Energy Authority (currently, Sri Lanka Atomic Energy Board-SLAEB) in 2001 as a Scientific Officer.  He was assigned to develop the isotope hydrology programme of the SLAEB. During the work in SLAEB, he completed a Master degree (MSc) in nuclear science at University of Colombo in 2007. He was able to establish well equipped laboratories for the development of isotope hydrology programme and he has been working in the fields of water management and dam safety for many years. He was promoted to the Deputy Director of the Isotope Hydrology Section in 2015. Meanwhile he completed a PhD degree in the field of isotope hydrology at University of Peradeniya in 2018. Dr Edirisinghe has mainly involved in research studies on groundwater origin, groundwater recharge, surface water-groundwater interactions, groundwater contamination, surface water pollution etc. in national and regional levels. He has several publications in peer reviewed journals. He was promoted to the current position in the SLAEB in 2017.