Member Profile Series
#2 - Dinesh Jayasuriya
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February 2021
Welcome to the second feature in EAROPH Australia's Member Profile Series, in which we get the thoughts of our talented members on their professional, personal, and EAROPH journeys, and the benefits of EAROPH membership. Since joining EAROPH Australia and its Technical Working Group, Dinesh Jayasuriya, a sustainability and humanitarian engineer, has drawn upon EAROPH's multidisciplinary membership to access networking and business opportunities . Dinesh draws on a deep set of Australia-wide and international experiences in his sustainability, engineering, and humanitarian thinking and praxis. |
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Tell us where you are currently based and what you are up to.
I am based in Melbourne, Australia, and am working in Susmet, an engineering and software consultancy specialising in sustainable engineering and humanitarian engineering. I began Susmet around a decade ago to allow me to pursue projects that I am passionate about.
Where have you worked elsewhere in Australia and internationally?
My work has taken me across Australia to a variety of sites including: a fuel refinery near Brisbane, an abattoir in Tamworth, a glass manufacturing site in regional South Australia, a grain storage site in country New South Wales, a wastewater treatment plant in Gippsland in Victoria, a smelter in remote Western Australia, a coal mine in regional Queensland, and a power station in Karratha, Western Australia. Internationally, I have worked in multiple countries including Ireland, the USA, Palestinian territory, Pakistan and the Philippines.
What’s your story of joining EAROPH?
I met the current EAROPH president, Dr Jane Stanley, in mid-2019 after a workshop by the Clean Energy Regulator. During my discussion with Jane, I became aware of EAROPH and its alignment with various topics of interest to me. I am especially interested in the issues and impacts of climate change in the Pacific. I joined EAROPH intending to learn more about work in this field.
How have you benefited from EAROPH membership?
Being part of EAROPH has already provided me with networking and business opportunities.
Why should someone join EAROPH?
I believe that climate change and sustainability present challenges that are beyond any one country and any one profession. EAROPH is an opportunity to collaborate and work on these challenges.
What advice would you give to aspiring or upcoming professionals in an urban-related field, whether it be planning, design, or otherwise?
At the start of 2020, many of the challenges in Australia seemed to be related to long-term urbanisation with a focus on the capital cities. While it is too early to know for certain, COVID-19 seems to have changed that with more workers seemingly moving to regional towns. If this trend holds, there is likely to be a new set of challenges and opportunities that emerge for upcoming professionals.
When you’re not working for better cities and communities, how do you like to spend time?
I have very young kids so I spend as much time with them as I can. I also volunteer with multiple community organisations, including a few that I have founded or co-founded. Finally, I have been working on an Artificial Intelligence Ethics project called “Ethigi” which I slowly progress as time allows.
Is there anything else you would like to tell our current and prospective members?
Some of humankind’s existing unresolved problems, such as environmental sustainability, and emerging issues, such as automation, are already significantly impacting on who we are and how we live. EAROPH is part of the international multidisciplinary teams tackling these issues.
I am based in Melbourne, Australia, and am working in Susmet, an engineering and software consultancy specialising in sustainable engineering and humanitarian engineering. I began Susmet around a decade ago to allow me to pursue projects that I am passionate about.
Where have you worked elsewhere in Australia and internationally?
My work has taken me across Australia to a variety of sites including: a fuel refinery near Brisbane, an abattoir in Tamworth, a glass manufacturing site in regional South Australia, a grain storage site in country New South Wales, a wastewater treatment plant in Gippsland in Victoria, a smelter in remote Western Australia, a coal mine in regional Queensland, and a power station in Karratha, Western Australia. Internationally, I have worked in multiple countries including Ireland, the USA, Palestinian territory, Pakistan and the Philippines.
What’s your story of joining EAROPH?
I met the current EAROPH president, Dr Jane Stanley, in mid-2019 after a workshop by the Clean Energy Regulator. During my discussion with Jane, I became aware of EAROPH and its alignment with various topics of interest to me. I am especially interested in the issues and impacts of climate change in the Pacific. I joined EAROPH intending to learn more about work in this field.
How have you benefited from EAROPH membership?
Being part of EAROPH has already provided me with networking and business opportunities.
Why should someone join EAROPH?
I believe that climate change and sustainability present challenges that are beyond any one country and any one profession. EAROPH is an opportunity to collaborate and work on these challenges.
What advice would you give to aspiring or upcoming professionals in an urban-related field, whether it be planning, design, or otherwise?
At the start of 2020, many of the challenges in Australia seemed to be related to long-term urbanisation with a focus on the capital cities. While it is too early to know for certain, COVID-19 seems to have changed that with more workers seemingly moving to regional towns. If this trend holds, there is likely to be a new set of challenges and opportunities that emerge for upcoming professionals.
When you’re not working for better cities and communities, how do you like to spend time?
I have very young kids so I spend as much time with them as I can. I also volunteer with multiple community organisations, including a few that I have founded or co-founded. Finally, I have been working on an Artificial Intelligence Ethics project called “Ethigi” which I slowly progress as time allows.
Is there anything else you would like to tell our current and prospective members?
Some of humankind’s existing unresolved problems, such as environmental sustainability, and emerging issues, such as automation, are already significantly impacting on who we are and how we live. EAROPH is part of the international multidisciplinary teams tackling these issues.
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EAROPH Australia is the Australian Chapter of the Eastern Regional Organisation for Planning and Human Settlements
EAROPH Australia is the Australian Chapter of the Eastern Regional Organisation for Planning and Human Settlements
