Charuni discovered that she was built to teach

Dr Charuni Dissanayaka is Lecturer in Building Services and STEM Technical Lead at Hugh Baird College with experience in Civil engineering and construction, specialising in water technology.

Charuni developed an early interest in engineering, growing up in Sri Lanka surrounded by the construction of the 1980 Victoria Dam and Reservoir project. Charuni became fascinated with water as a result. This sparked her imagination to pursue a career in the water construction industry, completing a degree in Civil Engineering in 2011.

After graduating, Charuni found employment as a construction cost engineer. She later changed her career direction to pursue a route in academia, research, and development with a focus on sustainable materials.

Charuni and her team achieved great success and won ‘The World Inventor Award’ in 2014 with a rainwater model using sustainable materials.

Charuni travelled to Dubai and other Middle Eastern countries where she trained professionals in CPD certifications.

Charuni’s career advanced towards teaching through a Liverpool John Moores University-led programme in Sri Lanka. Charuni relocated to the UK in 2019 and enrolled at Liverpool John Moores University to pursue a PhD in water engineering.

Charuni graduated in 2022 after working with the Sri Lankan water board and receiving funding from the British Council. Since 2022 Charuni has worked as a Lecturer at Hugh Baird College, where she helps ignites civil her students’ passion for civil engineering by sharing her professional experiences with them.