Prof. S. Chan Wirasinghe
Prof. Chandana Wirasinghe, also known as Chan, grew up in Colombo and was a distinguished old boy of Ananda College, Colombo. He was the eldest son of the Late P A Wirasinghe, Deputy Principal of Ananda College and the Late Mrs. Pearl Wirasinghe, legendary teacher from Visakha Vidyalaya, Colombo.
Prof. Wirasinghe is Professor Emeritus Dean of Engineering from the University of Calgary, Canada. He received his primary and secondary education at Ananda College where he excelled in studies, winning numerous awards including the gold medal for the nest student in his graduating class. He won a Fulbright Scholarship from the United States and moved to the University of California, Berkley to pursue his postgraduate studies. At UCLA her completed a Masters of Science Degree in Civil Engineering in the field of Transportation and continued to obtain his Ph.D. in Civil Engineering. He was elected to the prestigious Tau Beta Pi Honor Society on the basis of his graduate work.
On graduating from Berkley Prof. Wirasinghe joined the Department of Civil Engineering at the University of Calgary in Canada. He served for 12-1/2 years as the Dean of Engineering at the University of Calgary and led the naming of the faculty as Schulich School of Engineering in 2005.
Prof. Wirasinghe was a member of the Council of Natural Sciences and Engineering Research of Canada. He also served on Camp 18 of the Corporation of Seven Wardens and a professional engineer with the Association of Professional Engineering and Geoscientists (APEGA). He has held Board positions in numerous organizations in Canada and Fellow positions in many professional affiliations. He has a list of publications that run into several folios.
Prof. Chan Wirasinghe has been living in Calgary for 41+ years with his wife Damitha married for 48 years. Together they have three daughters and four grandchildren.