Thesis title: Production of sustainable polyurethane foams from sugarcane fibers Principal Supervisor: Dr Lalehvash Moghaddam Associate Supervisor/s: Prof Leonie Barner, and A/prof Zhanying Zhang Expected final thesis submission date: Before 31 December 2025 CAB Research program: Bioprocessing
Gevindu Widangamage is a second-year PhD student in the Bioprocessing Program.
Upon completion of his Bachelor’s degree in chemistry from the University of Colombo, Gevindu embarked on a journey through the realms of production, quality control, and research and development in the pharmaceutical industry for three fruitful years.
As a person who was passionate about sustainability, Dr Lalehvash Moghaddam’s research intrigued Gevindu and inspired him to pursue a PhD. His research ambition is to craft polyurethanes, a versatile polymer group, from waste generated in the sugar industry via hydrothermal conversion. Through this innovative endeavour, Gevindu aspires to slash our reliance on fossil fuels while transforming sugar industry waste into valuable assets.
When not immersed in his research, Gevindu finds happiness in the mesmerising world of his fish tank, attempting to capture the elusive beauty of his finned companions.