Senior Lecturer
Geomatics
Email : erandakan@geo.sab.ac.lk
PhD in Hydrography, Universiti Teknologi Malaysia.
MSc in Hydrography, Universiti Teknologi Malaysia.
BSc in Surveying Sciences, Sabaragamuwa University of Sri Lanka.
Dr. M.D.E.K. Gunathilaka a Senior Lecturer at the Department of Surveying and Geodesy, Faculty of Geomatics at the Sabaragamuwa University of Sri Lanka. His main responsibility is teaching Hydrographic Surveying subjects and conducting related practical components for undergraduate and postgraduate students. His research interests are in the field of Hydrographic Surveying and Spatial Sciences. Apart from that, he is the programme coordinator for BSc in Surveying Sciences Specialisation in Hydrographic Surveying (IBSC FIG/IHO/ICA Category B). Further, he is a member of the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (MRICS) and Member of the Australasian Hydrographic Society. In 2022, Dr. Gunathilaka appointed as the chair of the commission 4 (on hydrography) of International Federation of Surveyors (FIG) for the term of 2023 to 2026.
Climate Change, Sea Level Rise and Coastal Innundation Modelling
Tidal Studies
Swath Sounding Systems
Marine Spatial Data Infrastructure
Offshore Navigation and Positioning
GNSS
Co-investigator : An Assessment of Tidal Asymmetry around the Sri Lankan Coastline, (with National Hydrographic Office of Sri Lanka, NARA) 2020-2021.
Principal Investigator: An Investigation into Sea Level Rise in Sri Lankan Waters with Satellite Altimetry, Sabaragamuwa University Research Grant 2016 - SUSL/RG/2015/16 – Rs. 195,000.00
Coinvestigator: Development of a Unified Vertical Reference Framework for Land and Hydrographic Surveying in Sri Lanka - National Science Foundation Research Grant 2017 – RG/2017/EA/ &ICT/01 – Rs. 1,653,280.00
Coinvestigator: Diffusion of Survey Profession in Sri Lanka, Sabaragamuwa University Research Grant 2016 - SUSL/RG/2016/15 – Rs. 792,500.00
Fernando, P., Lewis, S., Perera, A., & Gunathilaka, M. (2023). Resolving problems in symbol identification in compilation of electronic navigational charts utilising paper charts, The Journal of Navigation, 76(2-3), pp. 394 – 411. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1017/S0373463323000188
Prasanna, H.M.I., Gunathilaka, M.D.E.K. & İz, H. B (2023). Sea level variability at Colombo, Sri Lanka inferred from the conflation of satellite altimetry and tide gauge measurements, Journal of the National Science Foundation of Sri Lanka, 51(2), pp 205-214. DOI: 10.4038/jnsfsr.v51i2.10713
Prasanna, H.M.I. and Gunathilaka, M.D.E.K. (2022). Detection of GPS-levelling datum variation using heterogeneous data: A case study in Sri Lanka. Journal of Geospatial Surveying, 2(1), pp.1–6. DOI: 10.4038/jgs.v2i1.34
Perera, A.N.D. and Gunathilaka, M.D.E.K., 2022. Rapid Assessment Survey Using Side Scan Sonar: International Obligations and Role of Hydrography in Ensuring Safety of Navigation – Case Study of the Aftermath of MV X- Press Pearl Incident. Journal of Geospatial Surveying, 2(1), p.7-10.DOI: https://doi.org/10.4038/jgs.v2i1.35
Gunathilaka M.D.E.K. and Kannangara W.S. (2021). An Investigation into Sea Level Rise in Sri Lankan Waters with Satellite Altimetry. Journal of Geospatial Surveying, 1(2), pp.14–22. DOI: http://10.4038/jgs.v1i2.30