The Stormwater Management Academy is hosting two Fullbright students Kushan Aravinda Bellanthudaw and Min Aung Myat Ko for their graduate studies. Kushan Aravinda Bellanthudawa completed his B.Sc. degree in Environmental Conservation and Management from the Faculty of Science, University of Kelaniya, Sri Lanka with a gold medal for the best academic performance in 2013-2017. He employed as a Lecturer in the Department of Coastal and Marine Resources Management, the Ocean University of Sri Lanka from 2018 to 2019 providing his service in environmental monitoring and sampling techniques, basic chemistry, surface and ground water resources and marine and coastal pollution areas from September 2018-June 2019. In his carrier, he employed as an Environmentalist in water supply and sanitation improvement project (WaSSIP) in Kegalle district supportive unit, Sri Lanka, funded by the World Bank, under Ministry of City Planning and Water Supply in Sri Lanka from March 2018- September 2018. He worked as an Adjunct Lecturer and Undergraduate Teaching Assistant covering animal diversity, soil and mineral resources, environmental monitoring, environmental toxicology, applied ecology, evolution and bio geography in Department of Zoology and Environmental Management in Faculty of Science, University of Kelaniya from March 2017- February 2018. Mr. Kushan Aravinda is an activist in environmental conservation through vast scientific research in the disciplines of surface water ecology, wildlife conservation, natural resource conservation and aquatic pollution control. He is interested in water treatment, water resources management and conservation and environmental engineering disciplines. Being an active member in environmental and scientific societies has enhanced his active contribution towards the conserving on nature. He has contributed to 2 international journal articles, 1 national journal articles, 2 international conference papers and 17 abstract papers in international conferences in his research interests. Kush Aravinda strives to be a strong environmentalist with the vision of sustainable resource management and Environmental conservation and management. He got selected as a United States Fulbright scholar (2019-2021) from Sri Lanka who was funded by the Department of States, USA. At present, he is a master student (M.Sc.) in the Environmental Engineering (2019-2021) program at University of Central Florida, Florida, USA. He successfully completed the “Intensive English Program” at Ohio University, USA in July 2019 and “Fulbright Enrichment Program titled: Lab to market” at Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania in March 2020. Currently, he is working on “Cyclic Effects of Climate Variations on the Biophysical Processes in Santa Fe river basin in Florida, USA” as his master research project.
Min Aung Myat Ko received his Bachelor of Engineering in Civil Engineering from Technological University of Mawlamyine and a post graduate diploma in Environmental Engineering from Yangon Technological University, Myanmar (Burma) in 2014 and 2017 respectively. Currently, he is pursuing his MS in Environmental Engineering at University of Central Florida as a Fulbright Scholar from Myanmar. Hailing from Mon State, Myanmar, one of the most susceptible regions for floods in the country, his research interests are tied to the study of hydrological/hydraulic models with their efficiency and applicability for a specific environment. Min is also interested in environmental sustainability with application of low impact developments and nature-based solutions to better manage the environmental challenges in changing climate. His current research is focused on hydrological/hydraulic modeling for flood forecasting as well as simulation and optimization modeling of low impact developments for peak runoff attenuation in urban watersheds. Before joining to UCF, Min worked as a junior engineer at Mon State Development Committee. He also received an academic fellowship from US Department of State to study Global Environmental Issues at the University of Montana in 2015 which enabled him to lead a community development project that was brought from US to help improve solid waste management at the community level. Min has an immense passion in working for the people and environment as he plans to become a researcher in the field of Environmental Sustainability in the future.