Professor Sena S. De Silva Memorial Research Scholarship

The Professor Sena S. De Silva Memorial Research Scholarship was established by the Sri Lanka Association for Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (SLAFAR) to honour the memory of Professor Sena S. De Silva, an internationally renowned Sri Lankan fisheries and aquaculture scientist who passed away on 6 May 2020.

Professor De Silva was a distinguished academic, visionary leader, and a founding member of SLAFAR. His contributions to fisheries and aquaculture education, research, and development in Sri Lanka and across the globe are immeasurable.

Academic Career and Contributions

After obtaining his B.Sc. (Honours) degree in Zoology from the University of Colombo in 1968, Professor De Silva began his academic career as an Assistant Lecturer in Zoology at the Vidyalankara University (now the University of Kelaniya). He earned his Ph.D. in Fisheries Biology from the University of Stirling, Scotland, in 1973, and was later awarded a D.Sc. from the same institution in 1989 for his outstanding research contributions.

In 1978, at the age of 32, he was appointed Professor of Zoology at the University of Ruhuna, becoming the youngest academic to hold such a position within Sri Lanka’s higher education system. He served as the founder Head of the Department of Zoology and Dean of the Faculty of Science at the University of Ruhuna. He was instrumental in establishing a sub-department of Fisheries Biology in 1986 and the Department of Fisheries Biology in 1988, laying the foundation for fisheries science education in Sri Lanka.

Professor De Silva’s influence extended far beyond Sri Lanka. He served as a Senior Visiting Fellow at the National University of Singapore and, in 1991, joined Deakin University in Australia, where he served as Professor in Aquaculture and Fisheries Management and Director of Research until 2006. He also held the position of Director General of the Network of Aquaculture Centres in Asia-Pacific (NACA).

Awards and Recognition

• Vidya Nidhi (Class I)at the inaugural Presidential Awards in 1986
• Doctor of Science (D.Sc.)from the University of Stirling in 1989
• Honorary Doctor of Sciencefrom the University of Ruhuna in 1996
• Visiting Professorshipwith the Chinese Academy of Sciences (2016–2018)

Publications and Global Impact

Professor De Silva authored over 250 peer-reviewed publications, served as the Editor-in-Chief of Reviews in Aquaculture, and was on the editorial board of numerous international journals. He was a leading researcher in fish nutrition, inland fisheries management, and climate change impacts on aquaculture.

The Scholarship

Professor De Silva was a beloved teacher and mentor to countless students who are now senior academics and researchers in Sri Lanka and abroad. The Professor Sena S. De Silva Memorial Research Scholarship is awarded annually to cover the registration fees of deserving students currently engaged in M.Phil. or Ph.D. studies in the fields of fisheries, aquatic ecology, aquaculture, fisheries economics, and sociology at Sri Lankan universities.

We invite you to honour Professor De Silva’s memory by supporting this scholarship and nurturing the next generation of fisheries and aquatic scientists.