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Dr Ranil Dion Guneratne (B.Sc. (Colombo), M.Sc., Ph.D. (Cornell), F.I.Chem.C) is a Sri Lankan chess player, chess administrator, chemist, scientist, academic and science administrator.

Education

Guneratne, like his grandfather E. B. Wikramanayake, was educated at S. Thomas' College, Mt Lavinia. and Faculty of Science, University of Colombo. He was Head Prefect of the College (1976) and was a member of the English Debating and Drama Societies, a Junior Librarian, Co-Editor of the College Magazine (with Chanaka Amaratunga and Richard de Zoysa, Leader of the Classical Quiz competition team (with Rohan Edirisinghe, Richard de Zoysa Uthum Herat, Chanaka Amaratunga and Devaka Fernando), a member of the Science Quiz team which reached the semi-finals of the national competition (with Uthum Herat Professor Chandu de Silva and Devaka Fernando), Tent Secretary of the Royal-Thomian Tent Committee and President of the Photographic Society. He was Captain of the Chess team in 1974, President Chess Society and was awarded Colours in Chess. Other classmates included Russell de Mel and Ivan Corea. Guneratne graduated from the University of Colombo in 1980 with a B.Sc. in Chemistry with First Class Honours.

Chess

Guneratne was a chess player of national and international repute considered a match for the best Indian players at the time along with Arjuna Parakrama, and the Aturupane brothers. After retirement from competition he went on to serve the Sri Lanka Chess Federation as Secretary and Vice President. Guneratne also served in similar capacities to the Chess Association of Sri Lanka in which he was a founder member.

Academic life

After completing his Ph.D. at Cornell University in the U.S.A. in 1987, Guneratne spent 3 years as a post-doctoral research associate at the University of Iowa. He then joined the Faculty of Bennington College, Bennington, Vermont. In 1995, he moved to Spring Hill College, Mobile, Alabama, where he was promoted to Associate Professor. In 2000, he returned to Sri Lanka to join the Department of Chemistry at the Open University of Sri Lanka. He later moved to the University of Colombo, where he served on the career guidance and other committees of the Faculty of Science, as well as the University Senate, until his retirement in 2017.

Institute of Chemistry

Guneratne is a Fellow of the Institute of Chemistry, served as Secretary for International Relations of the Institute of Chemistry.

National Science and Technology Commission

Guneratne was seconded as Director and CEO to the National Science and Technology Commission to promote development of science and research.

References

1. "National Science and Technology Commission Annual Report 2010 Page 10 (Qualifications listed)" (PDF). parliament.lk. Retrieved 10 April 2014.
2. "School prefects". Tyretracks.com. Retrieved 10 April 2014.
3. Rohan Edirisinghe: Those memorable days in the 1970's St Thomas' College Mount Lavinia, in The History of the Old Boys' Association, MD Gunasena &Co 1985 page 172
4. "Hosts Visakha win two titles at chess Sunday Leader 13th August 2006 Volume 13 Issue 6 Sports section". thesundayleader.lk. Retrieved 10 April 2014.
5. Centenary Issue S Thomas’College Magazine Term 1 1976
6. "Hosts Visakha win two titles at chess Sunday Leader 13th August 2006 Volume 13 Issue 6 Sports section". thesundayleader.lk. Retrieved 10 April 2014.
7. "A note on the making of a chess icon in Sri Lanka". dailynews.lk. Retrieved 10 April 2014.
8. "New organisation to promote chess". Island.lk. Retrieved 10 April 2014.
9. "Prize giving". lankachess.com. Retrieved 10 April 2014.
10. "Sampath Bank Chess Champs". Nation.lk. Retrieved 10 April 2014.
11. "Aturupane, President CFSL". thesundayleader.lk. Retrieved 10 April 2014.
12. "University of Colombo Annual Report 2005" (PDF). cmb.ac.lk. Retrieved 10 April 2014.
13. "Career Guidance Committee". cmb.ac.lk. Retrieved 10 April 2014.
14. "Prof JNO Fernando honoured". dailynews.lk. Retrieved 10 April 2014.
15. "Workshop on the Theme "Review of Science Study Programmes: Recent Reforms, Lessons Learned and Way Forward" Organized by the UGC Standing Committee on Sciences and World Bank-HETC Project Date: 20th August 2010 Venue: Hotel Janaki Local and global trends in Science Education Degree Programmes by Dr. RD Gunaratne, Director, NASTEC" (PDF). ugc.ac.lk. Retrieved 10 April 2014.
16. "National Science and Technology Commission Annual Report 2010 Page 10" (PDF). parliament.lk. Retrieved 10 April 2014.

• Alumni of the University of Colombo
• Academic staff of the University of Colombo
• Alumni of S. Thomas' College, Mount Lavinia
• Living people
• People from Dehiwala-Mount Lavinia