Biography
Priyanwada obtained her first degree in Town Planning from the University of Moratuwa, Sri Lanka in2010andcompleted her Masters degree,MSc in Urban Development Planning at the University College London(UCL),United Kingdom.Since 2014, she had been working as a lecturer at the Department of Town and Country Planning, University of Moratuwa, Sri Lanka and in 2018,joined the Department of Building and Real Estate,Hong Kong Polytechnic University to pursue her PhD studies.
Supervisor
Chief Supervisor: Prof.Eddie Chi Man HUI, MH
Co-Supervisor: Dr.Wadu Mesthrige Jayantha (RMIT University, Australia)
Area of Research
State/Public Land Development and Management
Research Scope
Public land ownership is a common practice in many countries of the world due to various historical reasons and public lands with urban development potential are an invaluable public asset in this era of rapid urbanisation.However,withholding valuable public lands in the hands of the public sector for longer periods has become a critical concern both in developed and developing countries.This Phd research study examines the critical factors affecting such underutilisation of public lands in the urban areas of Sri Lanka.
Research Methodology
This research adopts the case study approach.The study utilises various methods for data collection such as interviews, observations and document analysis to capture multiple dimensions and for data triangulation to improve the validity of its findings.The research process follows an abductive approach and proposes an explanatory hypothesis which is subsequently tested in the field with empirical evidence.The study combines both quantitative and qualitative methods for data analysis.
Prizes and Awards
- 2018-PhD Studentship, Department of Building and Real Estate, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University.
- 2013-Commonwealth-Shared Scholarship Award, Development Planning Unit, University College London.
Publication List
- Amarawickrama,S.Singhapathirana,P.and Rajapaksha,N. 2015. Defining Urban Sprawl in the SriLankan Context: With Special Reference to the Colombo Metropolitan Region. Journal of Asian andAfrican Studies: Volume 50, pp 1-25.
Hobbies
