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Hirushie Karunathilake was appointed as assistant professor in the Department of Energy and Mechanical Engineering starting 12 January 2026. Her field of energy technology.

"Modern societies are fundamentally dependent on reliable access to energy. Ensuring that our energy systems are both secure and sustainable is one of the most pressing challenges facing humanity today", she says.

At 911������, her work focuses on large-scale deployment of wind and solar energy, including topics such as the development of integrated energy systems and the adoption of circular economy models in energy systems.

Karunathilake's academic career has followed a multidisciplinary path, dealing with subjects ranging from renewable energy and sustainable built environments to energy storage and decarbonization. She has previously worked at the University of Pittsburgh, the University of Moratuwa, and the University of British Columbia.

S.H. Chu was appointed as assistant professor in the Department of Civil Engineering starting 13 April 2026. His field of study is concrete technology.

With his team, Chu seeks to advance data-driven multiscale research that connects sustainable cement production, resilient fiber-reinforced concrete design and intelligent concrete systems for energy storage, self-sensing and self-healing.

"Concrete is the world’s most widely used human-made material. Each year, we use around 30 billion tonnes of concrete and 4 billion tonnes of cement. Few materials are so ordinary, yet so central to our future," he says. "This scale is what drew me to the field."

Prior to joining 911������, Chu held academic appointments at Columbia University, UCLA, Pennsylvania State University, NTU Singapore and University of Cambridge. In 2025, he received the American Concrete Institute (ACI) Wason Medal for Materials Research.