Professor Tilak Hevawasam Appointed New Chairman of the Central Environment Authority

Professor Tilak Hevawasam has been appointed as the new Chairman of Sri Lanka's Central Environment Authority (CEA). A distinguished academic and environmental expert, Professor Hevawasam brings with him a wealth of knowledge and experience in the fields of geology and environmental sustainability.

He is a Senior Professor of Geology at the University of Peradeniya's Department of Geography and has also served as the Director of the Center for Environmental Sustainability at the same university. Professor Hevawasam holds a Ph.D. in Geomorphology and Surface Geochemistry from the University of Berne, Switzerland, which he completed in 2003.

 His academic journey also includes an M.Phil. in Geology from the University of Peradeniya and a B.Sc. Special (Hons) in Geology with Second Class Upper Division from the same institution in 1994.

Professor Hevawasam's international experience further strengthens his credentials, having completed two prestigious Post Doctoral Fellowships—one at the German Research Center for Geosciences (GFZ) in Germany and another at the University of Glasgow in the United Kingdom. 

With a career spanning over three decades in academia, he has held various key positions in professional societies, committees, and forums, contributing to the advancement of geological and environmental research. He was also involved in significant international research through his association with the Department of Earth Science at the National Institute of Fundamental Studies (NIFS) in Sri Lanka.

Upon assuming office at the CEA, Professor Hevawasam expressed his commitment to implementing policies that ensure environmental safety while supporting Sri Lanka’s economic development. He emphasized his vision to expand the CEA's services, making them more accessible to the public while strengthening the agency’s role in safeguarding the nation’s environment.

Under his leadership, the Central Environment Authority aims to take decisive actions in environmental protection and contribute to Sri Lanka's sustainable development efforts.