Hasala Dharmawardena
Hasala Dharmawardena is a fourth-year Ph.D. student at Clemson University. He received his bachelor’s degree in Electric Power Engineering from the University of Moratuwa in 2010 and his master’s degree in Electric Power Engineering from Norwegian University of Science and Technology in 2015. He is currently a researcher with the Clemson University Real-Time Power and Intelligent Systems Lab.
In the last ten years, he has worked at LTL Projects, Statkraft, and Minel Lanka. His industry career highlight was at LTL, where he contributed as Electrical site manager of the Kilinochchi Grid Substation. This project was the first large scale development project of post-war Sri Lanka directed at resuscitating the economy of the war-torn North.
Hasala’s research is focused on intelligent voltage control of the distribution grid. In the last few years, he has also contributed to promoting open-source tools for distribution system analysis by organizing webinars and workshops within the IEEE PES YP Continuing Education Program that he initiated.
Hasala is currently the PES Student Branch Chapter Coordinator – US and Canada; Chair – IEEE Region 3 Young Professionals Committee; member – IEEE-USA Energy Policy Committee; member – PES YP and Membership Development Committee; and member – IEEE MGA vTools committee.
In the past, he has held posts such as YP Chair – Sri Lanka Section, Webmaster- Norway Section, Student Activities Committee Chair-Norway Section, and PES Chapter Chair – Piedmont Section. He is also the General Chair of the 2020 PES GSC Congress.