‘IVY TECH’ is a multidisciplinary research and innovation company based in UK focusing on pushing the boundaries by enabling the technologies to make the fourth-industrial revolution a reality. The ‘IVY TECH’ is interested in branching out to Sri Lanka where a strategic partnership will be built with the National Science Foundation of Sri Lanka for mutually reinforcing and rewarding benefits. This partnership will be a turning point as it will not only create synergy at organizational level but also catalyze and mobilize research and innovation leading to fourth-industrial revolution as a nation. Eng. Nipuni Karunaratne, an expatriate Sri Lankan professional has pioneered the establishment of the ‘IVY TECH’, UK who is also working as the Digital Technology Manager at Rolls Royce PLC. UK. A virtual meeting was organized by the NSF with Eng. Nipuni Karunaratne and Dr Shehan Lowe, UK Nuclear Research Center which was held on 22nd June 2021 at 03.00 p.m. (SLST) to strengthen partnership and to harness their immense potential for advancement of science technology innovation sector in Sri Lanka. Prof. Ranjith Senaratne, Chairman of the National Science Foundation and other relevant Officials from the NSF attended the meeting together with a team of eminent academics and research professionals from Sri Lanka.
Discussions at this meeting were focused on collaborative research and development towards fourth industrial revolution, continuous improvement, tapping the local and global talent pool, internships and other schemes aimed at graduates, supporting and inspiring the younger generation of Sri Lanka through STEM activities, career talks and mentorships. It was highlighted that the creating synergy through partnership will pave the way forward with a befitting time bound roadmap in place. It was also surfaced that Eng. Nipuni Karunaratne is accoladed with prestigious awards for her engineering excellence being a young engineer who has been played a pioneering role at Rolls Royce to enhance process efficiency and revenue generation. World’s largest aircraft repair center in Atlanta, USA, had also been built on her leadership and technical advice. Dr Shehan Lowe from the UK Nuclear Research Center is involved in cutting edge technology development and also a partner of ‘IVY TECH’. His research is focused on finite element methods and signal processing on ultrasonic which has direct applications in problem solving in industry.
The National Science Foundation will take follow up actions to fruition of this partnership for advancement of the innovation ecosystem of Sri Lanka.
