Sri Lanka is short of a basic component that’s a prerequisite for sustainable development as the country lacks about 15,000 scientists who can be actively entrenched in scientific research, said the Project Director of the Coordinating Secretariat for Science, Technology and Innovation, Prof. Ajith De Alwis. This was said at a media briefing at the Government Information Department yesterday.
“Even of the 5000 available scientists in the country only 2500 are active in the field while the rest are tied up in administrative functions” he said. Professor Alwis stressed that the upcoming Science and Technology for Society (STS) Forum-2016, will provide a platform to spur on an in the number of scientists produced in the country whose expertise can be channelled into achieving sustainable development goals in Sri Lanka.
The STS Forum which opens on 7 September at the Nelum Pokuna Mahinda Rajapaksa Theatre will then continue from 8-10 September at the Waters Edge Auditorium, Colombo.
The Forum will include 5 plenary sessions and 21 break-up sessions and will be attended by 600 local scientists and 100 scientists from 23 countries.
Professor Alwis added that the best quality graphite in the world has always come from Sri Lanka and that it is an essential element in nanotechnology.
“The STS forum will provide a platform to develop nanotechnology in Sri Lanka by extracting the maximum benefits of Lanka’s graphite reserves” he said.
By Nelani De Costa