Dr Suki Ekaratne

A marine ecology professor re-committed over the last 20 years as a Higher Educational Developer; now with international expertise in developing and conducting UK-accredited teaching development courses and faculty/teaching development workshops/advice, and having been internationally recognized for HE transformative leadership by the International Consortium for Educational Development with their 2010 Spirit of ICED Award (citation at http://icedonline.net/spirit-of-iced-awards/). With proven leadership skills in national and international Higher Education initiatives and with extensive administration experience as HoD, Founding-Director, PI, international scholar, Chair of national organizations, etc.

Teaching & developmental responsibilities

In charge of design, development and teaching of the mandatory training programmes for teaching staff such as the Introduction to Teaching & Learning, Advanced Teaching & Learning, Certificate in Teaching & Learning in Higher Education.

Teaching & Research Interests

Educational development
Marine ecology & conservation

Projects

University Staff Development project grant;
Grants for University Staff Development (US $ 3.5 million, SAREC, 1998 to 2008)

Other Grants such as for marine ecology and environmental conservation projects;
Grants received for research from international organisations including World Wildlife Fund, Biodiversity Support Program USA, USAID, NSF of the USA, World Bank, World university Service, IFS Sweden, MacArthur Foundation, Keidanren-Japan.

BOOKS, CHAPTERS AUTHORED/COAUTHORED

• Learning, teaching and assessment in higher education: global perspectives. Sally Brown (ed), Chapter: Ensuring sustainability of junior-lecturer led student-centred teaching practice improvements using an inherent sense of a community culture. Palgrave, UK.  November 2014.
• Supporting Educational Change: Do we know what works in supporting educational change? In: R Macdonald (ed). An international perspective: Case Studies. 35-38. Special Issue. Staff & Educational Development Association, UK. April 2013.
• Quality Enhancement in Higher Education: International Perspectives, George Gordon & Ray Land (eds), Routledge International Research Series. Chapter: How a nationwide student uprising brought about transformative quality enhancement in Sri Lankan hiUltimate student sacrifices forcing transformative HE quality enhancement. 225-234. May 2013.
• Social justice of Global Higher Education. Caroline Baillie (ed), University of Western Australia. 2012.
• PBL across the disciplines: research into best practice. John Davies, Erik de Graaff and Anette Kolmos(eds). p 594 – 607: Use of critical incidents in a PBL approach to generate creativity in higher education lecturer training.Aalborg University Press, Denmark. 2011.
• Avoiding the adverse effects of mariculture on Biodiversity. Secretariat for the Convention of Biological Diversity, Montreal, Canada: United Nations Environmental Programme Biodiversity Secretariat Pub. 12. 2004
• Aquaculture – The Ecological Issues. 2003. (for the British Ecological Society, UK) Co-authored with 4 other scientists from UK and Germany. Blackwell Publishing Co., Oxford. 89pp.
• ‘Take One Country’ (Chapter on Establishing University Staff Development to work at National Level). Staff and Educational Development: Case Studies: Experience, and Practice. Helen Edwards, David Baume, and Graham Webb (eds). pp. 162-169. Kogan Page, London and Sterling, VA. 2003
• Community Participation for Biodiversity and Wildlife Conservation in South Asia. Kalpravriksh, India (IN: Kothari, Ashish. 2003. Community-Oriented Conservation Legislation: Is South Asia Getting Somewhere? In Hanna Jaireth and Dermot Smyth (eds), Innovative Governance: Indigenous Peoples, Local Communities, and Protected Areas. Ane Books, New Delhi) 2003
• State of the Environment in Sri Lanka. Chapter: Coastal Resources and their Depletion. United Nations Environment Programme Publication, 86-99. 2001
• Coral Reefs of the Indian Region. Chapter: Coral Reefs of India and Sri Lanka, Oxford University Press, 295-324. 2000
• A Review of the Status and Trends of Exported Ornamental Fish Resources and their Habitats in Sri Lanka. FAO of the UN / BOBP and the Ministry of Fisheries & Aquatic Resources Development.  BOBP-FAO. 114pp. 2000.
• Coastal Conservation through Enterprise at Rekawa Lagoon, Sri Lanka. International Institute of Environment and Development, London (Evaluating Eden Project) & Kalpavriksh. 57pp. 2000.
• Developmental Biology I. Open University of Sri Lanka Press. 105pp. 1996.       
• Developmental Biology II. Open University of Sri Lanka Press.. 74pp. 1997
• University teacher training Course Handbooks written for the training of Higher Education Teachers for their Teaching Development – in Sri Lanka and UK: e.g.: CTHE (Certificate in Teaching in Higher Education), ASTHE (Accreditation of Senior Teachers in Higher Education), MaTE (Making Teaching Effective), SCUT (Short Course in Univesity Teaching),
• University teacher training Course Handbooks, UK, University of Bath-  PGCAPP (Post Graduate Certificate in Academic & Professional Practice), BCEAP (Bath Course in Enhancing Academic Practice)
• Environmental profile booklets – several: such as the Horton Plains Environmental Profile, Lake Gregory Profile.

REFEREED CONFERENCE PRESENTATIONS etc – a selection

• Weerakoon, S. and Ekaratne, Suki (2015, accepted). Use of curriculum designs and leadership to skill a range of higher education stakeholders. International Higher Education Curriculum Design & Academic Leadership Symposia, 15 – 17 April 2015, Hamilton, New Zealand.
• Glofcheski, R and Ekaratne, Suki (2014). Creating Paradigm Shifts in Teaching and Assessing Law in The University of Hong Kong.  Higher Education Research and Development Society of Australasia, July 2014, p 55.
• Weerakoon, S. and Ekaratne, Suki (2014). National Responses to Develop 21st Century Skills When Academics Become Change Agents. Higher Education Research and Development Society of Australasia, July 2014, p 71.
• Zeng, M. and Ekaratne, Suki (2014). Redesigning Existing Professional Development Provisions to Include Emergent Longer Term Self-regulated Skill Needs in Research Post Graduates in a Hong Kong University. Higher Education Research and Development Society of Australasia, July 2014, p 132.
• Chism, N., Areesophonpichet, S., Cheong, G., Ekaratne, S. and Weerakoon, S. (2012). Cultivating Reciprocal International Partnerships for Sustainable National Educational Development. Pre-Conference Workshop. International Consortium for Educational Development Conference, 2012 July, Thailand.
• Weerakoon, S. and Ekaratne, Suki (2012). Use of a Higher Education teacher training course redesign to energise lecturers to move beyond teaching improvements into professional practice development, International Consortium for Educational Development Conference, 2012 July, Thailand.
• Weerakoon, S. and Ekaratne, Suki (2011). Use of Critical Incidents in a PBL approach to generate creativity in HE lecturer training, 3rd International Research Symposium on Problem-Based Learning, Coventry University, UK, p 4.
• Ekaratne, Suki and Weerakoon, S. (2011). Making first year teaching strategies sustainable in faculty development courses by a design change from deductive to inductive reasoning. 24th International Conference on The First-Year Experience®, 21-24 June 2011, Manchester, UK, p 11.
• Ekaratne, S, Weerakoon, S. and Silva, JASD (2011). Promoting faculty-student co-learning when students take over self-transition unsupported by faculty.  18th Conference on Students in Transition, October, 2011, St. Louis, Missouri, USA.
• Ekaratne, S and Weerakoon, S (2010).- Locating a centrality of pedagogy for use in higher education teacher training programmes by interweaving a global pedagogy base to fit local purposes. 7th Annual Conference of the International Society for the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning, Liverpool, UK, p 84 .
• Ekaratne, S and Weerakoon, S (2010). Strategies for making similar pedagogies as fit-for-purpose to enhance teaching skills across a cross-section of university staff in developed and developing country settings. Eighth London Scholarship of Teaching and Learning International Conference, UK. p 64.
• Weerakoon, S and Ekaratne, S (2010). Challenges in Sustaining Scholarly Teaching for Higher Education Development in Information-rich and Scarce Country Settings. Sixth SDC-SLAIHEE joint Conference, April 2010, Colombo, p 9.
• Ekaratne, S and Weerakoon, S (2009). Development as Moving beyond Boundaries – Steps and Tools that facilitated Border Crossings in Higher Education Staff, Students and stakeholder Institutions. iPED 2009, 4th International Inquiring Pedagogies Conference ‘Researching Beyond Boundaries’, Academic Communities without Borders, September 2009, Coventry University, UK, p 128.
• Weerakoon, S and Ekaratne, S. (2009). Extending academic practice to support lifelong learning contexts in career development. Beyond Teaching and Research – Inclusive understandings of Academic Practice, University of Oxford, 13-15 December, 2009
• Weerakoon, S and Ekaratne, S. (2009). Removing Barriers that discourage writing measurable Learning Outcomes. Best Assessment Processes Symposium, Indianapolis, USA, p 27.
• Ekaratne, S  and Weerakoon, S. (2009). Change Strategies to Support Scholarly Teaching Practices across Cultural Barriers in a SEDA-accredited Staff Development Course in Higher Education. SEDA 2009 Spring Conference, May 2009, UK, p 31-32.
• Ekaratne, S  and Weerakoon, S. (2008). The use of new alliances to broaden the SoTL horizons in training new lecturers. The London SoTL 7th International Conference, May 2008,  London, p 32
• Ekaratne, S  and Denister, J, (2008). Spatial and Temporal Variation of Macrofauna in Reef-Associated Halimeda and seagrass of a Bleach-Resisting Bay in Sri Lanka. 11th International Coral Reef Symposium,  Fort Lauderdale, Florida.  p 570.
• Ekaratne, S and Jinendradasa, S. (2008). Successful Reef Rehabilitation through Coral Transplantation at Hikkaduwa Marine Park. Sri Lanka. 11th International Coral Reef Symposium, Fort Lauderdale, Florida. p 529.
• Ekaratne, S and Weerakoon, S. (2007). Catapulting faculty from non-doing to doing using Purposeful   Oscillatory Alignment. POD 2007 Conference, Pittsburg, USA, p. 24.
• Ekaratne, S and Weerakoon, S. (2007). Facilitating directional ‘Movement of Thought’ using Learning Agreements as Change Instruments in Teacher and Student Development. Third SLAIHEE Conference, April 2007. Newsletter, Volume 3, p. 4.
• Ekaratne, S and Weerakoon, S. (2006). Supporting First-Year Learning in a Developing Higher Education Setting: Identifying the Bottlenecks and Beyond, 13th National Conference on Students in Transition, Missouri, USA, p. 41.
• Ekaratne, S and Weerakoon, S. (2006). Identifying Teaching-Learning Practices and Perceptions for Effecting a Paradigm Shift from Teaching to a Learning Culture, Second Conference, Sri Lanka Association for Improving Higher Education, Colombo, Sri Lanka, p.8.
• Ekaratne, SUK. (2004). Developing the PBL Approach to Meet Life Long Learning Needs through Biology Education in Developed and Developing Country Settings. Biology in Asia International Conference. Singapore, Dec 2004
• Ekaratne, SUK. (2004). Redefining faculty developers to move beyond targeting academic teaching in educational management: is it needed only in Developing Country Higher Education? ICED 2004, Ottawa.
• Weerakoon, YMSK and Ekaratne, SUK. (2004). A Role for Individual Faculty to Converge with Staff Development – Stepping out to Manage Student and Faculty Resistance to Learning Needs in a Business Teaching Setting, International Consortium for Educational Development, p. 23.
• Ekaratne, SUK. (2004). Needs and mechanisms for the management of staff research focus for enhancing higher education productivity in a Developing Country context. ACU, UK- SARIMA International conference on Research Management: Research as an Agent for Transformation and Development.  May 2004, Cape Town, South Africa.
• Ekaratne, SUK. (2004). Harnessing staff development for raising accountability in our universities and for national development. Inaugural Issue: University Grants Commission Newsletter on Staff Development
• Brock, GW and Ekaratne, S.U.K. (2003). Perceptions of Research Misconduct at a South Asian University. Annual meeting of the Society for Research Administrators (Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania). Refereed Poster presentation.
• Santhanam, E.,  Ekaratne, SUK., Beaty, EM., Way, D.,  Boujhous,  D. (2002). Portfolios and their   use in Personal Development and Career Advancement in University Academics. International Consortium for Educational Development Conference on Visions for Education, Perth. July 2002. p143.
• Ekaratne S and Cox Sl (2000). Educational Development in Higher Education in Sri Lanka: Increasing the acceptability of innovative teaching and learning practices to the academic power base in a university of a developing country. Annual Conference, Staff Education and Development Association of UK.
• Abeysirigunawardana, MD and  Ekaratne, SUK (2000). Responses by corallivorous drupellids to bleach-induced changes in coral species composition. International Coral Reef Symposium, Bali.
• Abeysirigunawardana, MD and  Ekaratne, SUK (2000).Changes in corallivorous and herbivorous fish assemblages associated with coral bleaching at a marine reserve in Sri Lanka. International Coral Reef Symposium, Bali.

JOURNAL PUBLICATIONS – a selection representing research interests

• Ekaratne, SUK. & Weerakoon, YMSK. (2005). Motivation and helping to change practices in the university setting. Capacity, 3, 10-11, Association of Commonwealth Universities, London.
• Jinendradasa, SS and Ekaratne, SUK (2000). Post-bleaching changes in coral settlement at the Hikkaduwa Marine Reserve in Sri Lanka. In: Moosa, M.K., S. Soemodihardjo, A. Soegiarto, K. Romimohtarto, A. Nontji, Soekarno and Suharsono (ed.). Proceedings of the Ninth International Coral Reef Symposium, Bali. 1, 417-420.
• Jinendradasa, SS and Ekaratne, SUK (2000). Composition and monthly variation of fauna inhabiting reef-associated Halimeda. In: Moosa, M.K., S. Soemodihardjo, A. Soegiarto, K. Romimohtarto, A. Nontji, Soekarno and Suharsono (ed.). Proceedings of the Ninth International Coral Reef Symposium, Bali. 2: 1059-1064.
• Davenport, J., Ekaratne, SUK.,  Lee, D.  and Walgama, R.S. (1999).Successful stock enhancement of a lagoon prawn fishery at Rekawa, Sri Lanka using cultured penaeid shrimp postlarvae. Aquaculture. 180: (1-2) 65-78.
• Corea, A.,  Johnstone, R., Jayasinghe, J., Ekaratne, SUK and Jayawardena, K. (1998). Self pollution: A major threat to the prawn farming industry in Sri Lanka. Ambio, 27 (8), 662-668.
• Ekaratne , S.U. K., Davenport, J., Lee, D. and Walgama, R.S. (1998). Community-based  Coastal Natural Resources Management as exemplified by the lagoon prawn fisheries at Rekawa lagoon. In:  Communities and Conservation: Natural Resource Management in South and Central Asia. Eds: A. Kothari, N. Pathak, R.V. Anuradha, B. Taneja, Sage Publications, New Delhi.  481-491.
• Young, CM, Ekaratne, SUK and Cameron JL. (1998). Thermal tolerances of embryos and planktotrophic larvae of Archaeopneustes hystrix(Spatangoidea) and Stylocidaris lineata (Cidaroidea), bathyal echinoids from the Bahamian slope. J. Experimental Marine Biology and Ecology, 223, 65-76.
• Ekaratne, S U K and Jinendradasa, S S. (1997). Aquatic Resources Extraction: Issues Involved In Sustainability and Long-term Ecological Implications. Economic Review. 23(6), 8-12, 29-31.
• Young, C.M., Devin, M,G,, Jaeckle, W,B,. Ekaratne, S.U.K. and  George, S.B. (1996). The potential   for ontogenetic vertical migration by larvae of bathyal echinoderms. Oceanologia Acta, 19,   (3 – 4), 263-271.
• Corea, A.S.L.E.A., Jayasinghe, J.M.P.K., Ekaratne, S.U.K. and Johnstone, R.W. (1995). Environmental Impact of prawn farming on Dutch Canal: the main water source for the      prawn culture industry in Sri Lanka. Ambio, 24 (7-8), 423-427.
• Ekaratne, S.U.K. and Davenport, J. (1995). Autotomy and siphon regeneration in the Manila   clam, Tapes philippinarum. J. S. Asian Nat. History, 2(1), 91-94.
• Kuruppu, M. M. and  Ekaratne, S U K. (1995). Comparative evaluation of Sri Lankan and San   Francisco Bay Artemia as live feed for fish and shrimp hatcheries LARVI-95 – Fish and     Shellfish Larviculture.. (eds, P Lavens, E. Jaspers and I Roelants), University of Ghent,   Belgium. European Aquaculture Society Special Pub., 24, 209-212.
• White, A. T. and Ekaratne, S.U.K. (1995). Coastal Tourism in Sri Lanka: Guidelines for Environmental Protection. In: Eco-tourism: Concept, design and strategy (eds,  S Hiranburana, V Stithyudhakarn and P Dhambutra) Srinakharinwirot University Press, Bangkok. 115-134.
• Kuruppu, M. M. and  Ekaratne, S U K. (1995). Life history of the brine shrimp, Artemia parthenogenetica Sri Lanka (Crustacea: Brachiopoda: Anostraca: Artemiidae). J. S. Asian Natural History, 1 (2), 203-212.
• Kuruppu, M. M. and  Ekaratne, S U K. (1995). Ecology and population structure of the Artemia parthenogenetica population inhabiting a major saltern in Sri Lanka. International Journal of Salt Lake Research. 4, 117-131.
• Kuruppu, M. M. and  Ekaratne, S U K. (1995). Characterisation of  brine shrimp, Artemia from   Sri Lanka. J. National Science Council of Sri Lanka. 23(4), 153-160.
• Ekaratne, S.U.K. & Goonewardena, D. (1994). Behaviour and consumption of Thais    mutabilis preying on Cerithidia cingulata (Mollusca) and its effect on structuring estuarine soft-bottom communities. J. S. Asian Natural History, 1, 49-60.        
• Ekaratne, S.U.K. and  Davenport, J. (1993). The relationships  between the gametogenetic status of triploids or diploids of Manila Clams, Tapes philippinarum, and their oxygen uptake and gill transport.  Aquaculture, 117, 335-349.
• Kuruppu, M.M. &  Ekaratne,  S.U.K..  (1989). Nutritional evaluation    of    Sri Lankan   Artemia parthenogenetica for use  in   larval  rearing.  In: Finfish Nutrition Research in Asia,   ed. S.S. de  Silva,  Asian  Fisheries  Society Special Publication  No.4,  Manilla, Philippines,    pp. 112-117.
• Ekaratne, S.U.K. & Crisp,  D.J.  (1983). A  geometric analysis  of growth in gastropod  shells, with particular  reference to turbinate  forms. .  Journal  of  the  Marine Biological  Association  of  the  United Kingdom, 63, 777-797. 
• Ekaratne, S.U.K. & Crisp, D.J.  (1982). Tidal micro‑growth bands in intertidal gastropod shells, with an evaluation in band‑dating techniques. Proceedings of the Royal Society of  London, B 214, 305-323.

Awards, Scholarships, Fellowships, Distinctions, etc.,

International Awards

• “Spirit of ICED Award”- 2010, International Educational Development Award by International Consortium for Educational Development (ICED)   
• Fulbright Senior Research Fellowship award in marine science, 1993
• Fulbright Senior Research in educational development, 2003
• Royal Society of London Research Fellowship award, 1990.
• Commonwealth Scholar award, 1979.
• International Visiting Scholar, Indianapolis University Purdue University Indianapolis, USA
• American Biographical Institute Fellowship, 2000
• International Travel Award, The Professional and Organizational Development (POD) Network in Higher Education, USA, 2006.
• International Travel Awards, International Society for Reef Studies, 2000 and 2004.
• National Science Foundation, USA Travel Award, 1981.
• Marquis Who’s Who in the World: Listed over the last fifteen years & as ‘15th year Listee’ in 2014.
• “International Man of the Millenium” award by The International Biographical Centre, Cambridge
• “The 2000 Millenium Gold Medal of Honor” award by The American Biographical Institute
• "Outstanding Man of the 20th Century" award by The American Biographical Institute
• “20th Century Award of Achievement for Science” by The International Biographical Centre, Cambridge
• Selected: “One of 500 Living Legends of the World” by The International Biographical Centre, Cambridge, 2002
• “Leading Personalities of the 20th Century” award by The International Biographical Centre, Cambridge

Several International Citations: e.g.;
In “Marquis’s Who’s Who in the World”
In “Marquis’s Who’s Who in Asia”
In “Who’s Who in Science & Technology in the World”
In “Bibliographies of the World”
In “Leading Personalities of the 21st Century”

Selection of invited Presentations, Editorial Boards, Voluntary work etc

• Member, HKU Teaching Exchange Fellowship Award Committee (2013 to present)
• Keynote:  ‘In honour of fellow Higher Education Developers in the service of others”, Tenth Annual SLAIHEE Conference, Colombo, Sri Lanka, June 2014.
• External Reviewer: Graduate Certificate in HE Course, Leeds Metropolitan University, 2012.  
• External Adviser: Post-graduate Certificate in Academic Practice Course Validation Team, Wolverhampton University, UK, 2011.
• Invited Resource Person & Lecturer: International HE Teacher e-Training Course ‘Improve Your Teaching Quality’- by Imperial College, London & Epigeum, UK, 2011.
• Invited Facilitator: web delivery – Doctoral Program in HE Management, Indianapolis University, USA. 2010-11.
• Keynote: ‘CPD for CRD in Higher Education – Continuous Re-identity Development in the International context’, University College London Teaching & Learning Conference, 5 – 9 July 2010.
• Keynote:  ‘Developing skills in university staff and students’. Third Annual SLAIHEE Conference, Colombo, Sri Lanka, 2007.
• Keynote: (with Professor Liz Beaty): ICED International Conference: Academic development practices policy and practice: International Perspectives, Sheffield Hallam University, June 2006.
• Keynote: ‘Globalisation of Higher Education’, Internationalization of UK HE Conference, National Space Centre, University of Leicester, UK, Sept 2006.
• Keynote: Current Status of Marine Fauna of Sri Lanka, The World Conservation Union, August 2004.
• Closing Plenary: Visions of Educational Development –  a perspective from the Third World Closing ICED, 2002, University of Western Australia
• Closing Plenary: ICED Conference on Higher Education, June 2004, Ottawa, Canada
• Keynote: A Vision for Education – an Academic’s Viewpoint. National Education Conference, Ceylon Chamber of Commerce, 2002, Bentota, Sri Lanka.
• Keynote: Exploring the Future Learning. Vision for Business 2010. The Ceylon Chamber of Commerce, Inaugural Convention on ‘Vision for Business 2010’
• Book Reviewer: University of Sydney. Scholarship of Teaching and Learning in Action. 2006.
• Founder (2004): Sri Lanka Association for Improving Higher Education Effectiveness (www.slaihee.org)
• Co-Founder (1976): Field Ornithology Group of Sri Lanka (http://www.fogsl.net/ )
• Conference co-convener: ICED International Conference: Academic development practices policy and practice: International Perspectives, Sheffield Hallam University, June 2006 (http://icedonline.net/international-conferences/).
• Conference Chair: several Higher Education conferences in Sri Lanka
• Chair: World University Service, Sri Lanka National Committee
• Chair: March for Conservation, Sri Lanka
• Hosted US Senior Fulbright Research Fellows in both in the Staff Development Centre and marine ecology lab.
• Editorial Board (Current): Innovations in Education and Teaching International (IETI), Journal of the Staff and Educational Development Association, SEDA, UK.
• Editorial Boards (past);
  • International Journal of Academic Development
  • Journal of Sri Lanka Association for Fisheries & Aquatic Resources
  • Journal of National Aquatic Resources Agency of Sri Lanka
  • Sri Lanka Nature
  • Higher Education Staff Development Newsletter, University Grants Commission, Sri Lanka
• Review Board, Association for the Study of Higher Education Reader on ‘Teaching & Learning in the College Classroom (3rd Edition, 2010, 538pp), Pearson Publishing, USA.
• Member, Research Board of Advisors of the American Biographical Institute
• Member, Advisory Council of the Cambridge International Biographical Centre
• Member,  World Commission on Protected Areas