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Month: July 2025

Human-Centered Design Workshop: Empowering Engineers with a User-Focused Innovation Mindset

Human-Centered Design Workshop: Empowering Engineers with a User-Focused Innovation Mindset

Date: July 14-18, 2025

The Human-Centered Design (HCD) Workshop was a comprehensive five-day experiential learning program aimed at equipping engineering students with industry-relevant skills essential for industrial training, internships, and real-world engineering projects. The workshop focused on developing a strong foundation in design thinking, emphasizing the importance of understanding user needs, building empathy, and creating innovative solutions that are practical, impactful, and user-focused. Facilitated by Prof. Vidya Haran (Teaching Associate Professor of Business Administration, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign), the workshop followed a structured yet engaging approach that guided participants through the complete Human-Centered Design lifecycle.

The workshop began on Day 1 with an introduction to human-centered design and design thinking, encouraging participants to adopt an empathy-driven approach to problem-solving. Day 2 emphasized immersion and observation, helping students identify real user needs through careful analysis of real-world contexts. Day 3 focused on ideation and collaboration, where teams brainstormed and refined ideas through discussion and feedback. Day 4 involved hands-on prototyping, turning concepts into practical models through experimentation. The program concluded on Day 5 with reflection and appreciation, allowing participants to review their learning and acknowledge the facilitator’s guidance.

Overall, the Human-Centered Design Workshop provided a holistic learning experience that bridged theory and practice. Participants gained valuable skills in user empathy, creative problem-solving, collaboration, and innovation for success in modern engineering roles.



HCD Workshop Image 1

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HCD Workshop Image 2

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HCD Workshop Image 3

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HCD Workshop Image 4

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Prof. Kiruba Haran’s Visit and Industry–Academia Project Collaboration

Prof. Kiruba Haran’s Visit and Industry–Academia Project Collaboration

Date: July 17, 2025

The visit of Prof. Kiruba Haran on July 17, 2025, from the University of Illinois, USA, marked an important milestone in strengthening international collaboration and industry–academia engagement within the department. During his visit, Prof. Haran conducted a dedicated session at the UBL Incubation Center, introducing Hinetics, a startup initiative under UBL, and exploring potential avenues for collaborative research and development. As part of this collaboration with Hinetics, an electric three-wheeler (EV) project was initiated, involving academic staff and undergraduate students from the Department of Electrical and Electronic Engineering, with funding support from Hinetics. The project aligns with the Northern Sri Lanka development vision, focusing on sustainable mobility, renewable energy integration, and energy-efficient transportation solutions.

In addition to the EV initiative, the collaboration extended to broader research activities in renewable energy and energy systems, enabling student involvement in multiple applied projects with real-world impact. Furthermore, through the collaboration with Prof. Arijit Banerjee from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign (UIUC), the department received power electronics educational laboratory kits, significantly enhancing hands-on learning capabilities. This partnership has directly contributed to the ongoing development of a modern power electronics laboratory within the department, strengthening practical education, research capacity, and long-term academic–industry collaboration in power electronics and energy systems.

Movie Night

Movie Night: "Screenbites"

Dates: 7th, 8th, and 16th July 2025  | 
Location: Mechanical Department Lecture Hall, Faculty of Engineering, University of Jaffna, Kilinochchi[cite: 1]

A three-day movie night named “Screenbites” was organized by the Mechanical Engineering Society as a fundraising initiative[cite: 1]. The event was held on 7th, 8th and 16th July 2025 at the Mechanical Department Lecture hall with the participation of all engineering batch students[cite: 1].


Screenbites Refreshments Stand

Refreshments & Popcorn Stall


Screenbites Screening Audience

Student Audience at Lecture Hall


Movie Night

Movie Night: "Screenbites"

Dates: 7th, 8th, and 16th July 2025  | 
Location: Mechanical Department Lecture Hall, Faculty of Engineering, University of Jaffna, Kilinochchi[cite: 1]

A three-day movie night named “Screenbites” was organised by the Mechanical Engineering Society as a fundraising initiative[cite: 1]. The event successfully brought together engineering batch students across the faculty for an engaging community experience[cite: 1].


Screenbites Setup

Popcorn & Refreshments Stand

Screenbites Screening

Student Audience at Screening

Webinar on “Development of Ocean Energy Technologies in Sri Lanka”

Webinar on “Development of Ocean Energy Technologies in Sri Lanka”

Date: July 8, 2025

On July 8, 2025, the IEEE PES Student Branch of the University of Jaffna hosted a specialized webinar titled “Development of Ocean Energy Technologies in Sri Lanka,” featuring Dr. Ravindu Lokuliyana as the keynote speaker. A Senior Lecturer at The Open University of Sri Lanka and a Presidential Award recipient for his research, Dr. Lokuliyana provided expert insights into the technical complexities of Wave Energy Converter (WEC) systems and wave-wind hybrid energy solutions. The session highlighted his collaborative research with Queen’s University Belfast and explored the strategic potential of utilizing Sri Lanka’s vast marine resources to meet national renewable energy goals.

This webinar served as a critical addition to the branch's series of technical events, further broadening the academic horizons of the students by introducing them to frontier marine technologies. By facilitating a dialogue with a leading researcher in sustainable energy, the PES Student Branch successfully bridged the gap between theoretical physics and the practical implementation of ocean-based power generation. These initiatives continue to empower University of Jaffna engineering students with the specialized knowledge and industry-standard perspectives necessary to lead future innovations in the global renewable energy sector.



Ocean Energy Webinar Image 1

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