Ananda Medagoda Arachchige
senior structures advisor, National Highways
Expertise
Design, Construction, StructuralLocation
United KingdomMy highlights
Over 24 years of proven experience working on civil engineering projects
Fellow of the ICE
International Professional Engineer of the Engineering Council, UK
A day in my life
Mainly busy with my work on a technical delivery programme and managing people for business and personal goals.
I would recommend a career in civil engineering because we all have a responsibility to save our natural and built environment for the future generations.
Which individual project or person inspired you to become a civil engineer?
Parents are our first teachers: my dad inspired me to become a civil engineer by letting me observe his day-to-day DIY activities and mini engineering work.
We asked Ananda…
Complete this phrase: I’m a civil engineer, but I’m also…
A keen cricketer. Currently, I play for Weoley Hill Cricket Club, Birmingham for a local league championship, and Old Doms Cricket Club, Bromsgrove for friendly matches.
A supporter of education. As part of my charity work, I support the valuable education of three vulnerable children who were disturbed by 2004 Tsunami in Sri Lanka.
What about being a civil engineer gets you out of bed each morning?
I’ve learned to plan, organise, execute, assess, and review all my day-to-day activities - not just work.
What’s one great thing that you love about civil engineering that you didn’t know until you started working in the industry?
I started working 24 years ago. I was under the impression that civil engineering is mainly calculations, analysis, and construction. In fact, civil engineers do lots of diverse things to improve our natural and built environment.
I share my technical knowledge with the local students through National Highways’ STEM initiatives and with the local engineering community by organising events and undertaking presentations at workshops through the Midlands Concrete Society.
Which civil engineering project (past or present) do you wish you’d worked on?
The Great Wall of China, one of the greatest wonders of the world and one of the most visited tourist attractions globally.
Name one civil engineering myth you’d like to bust.
That civil engineering is just construction and working at a dirty, muddy site.
Any hobbies?
Travelling, reading, sports and socialising.
Ananda's career path
- Completed BScEng (Hons) in Civil Engineering with first-class honours, winning many awards including the Best Civil Engineering Student Award and the Best Civil Engineering Final Year Project Award.
- Completed a PhD and won the Overseas Research Students Award from the Committee of Vice-Chancellors and Principals of the Universities of the United Kingdom for my PhD.
- Reported my research work to the British Standards Institution for the publication of technical codes.
- Won ICE West Midlands and ICE International Papers Presentation competitions in the past.
- Presented and published technical papers at major international civil engineering conferences and with ICE international journals.
- Chartered Engineer and a Fellow of the ICE.
- International Professional Engineer of the Engineering Council, UK (IntPE [UK]).
- I work on the ICE International Bridge Engineering Journal editorial advisory panel on a voluntary basis as an associate editor.
- Currently work with National Highways as a senior structures advisor.
Major projects
- Qatar 2022 FIFA World Cup: I had an influential role within management and technical leadership as the client, Public Works Authority (PWA), for the implementation of key tourist attraction projects and the Qatar Expressway System, which provides vital transport links across Qatar.
- National Highways: I ensure the public safety of our strategic road network (SRN) in the Midlands Region by delivering projects to achieve safety, quality, technicality, and budget to challenging deadlines. Ultimately, to improve our customer service.
- The National Exhibition Centre (NEC) Bridge: I led and technically managed the remedial work to the NEC Bridge to fully reopen it for the Commonwealth Games.
