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A/Prof

Dush Thalakotuna

Associate Professor

School of Electrical, Mechanical and Biomedical ENG

Orcid identifier0000-0002-4504-6139
  • Associate Professor
    School of Electrical, Mechanical and Biomedical ENG

BIO

I embarked on an unconventional journey into academia in 2019, following a career spanning over 7 years in defence and commercial industries. My expertise lies in the areas of antennas, radio frequency, electromagnetics, and communication systems, and systems engineering—a domain I've delved into passionately, solving complex challenges along the way. While my background suggests a focus on applied research, my R&D ranges from tackling fundamental physical hurdles to system level applications, mostly covering the TRL0-TRL6 range.


Since joining UTS in 2020, I've been a lead CI or a CI in 16 projects, predominantly within defence and space domains, a total project income exceeding $10 million. My contributions have gained recognition, including prestigious accolades such as the 2023 Eureka Prize for Outstanding Science in the Safeguarding Australia category (team award) and Australian Research Council Industry Fellowships (individual award) for pioneering work in satellite ground station technology. Moreover, I've been honoured as the Academic of the Year in 2024 Australian Defence Industry Awards and a finalist in multiple categories at the 2024 Australian Space Awards (National Award), - Academic of the Year and Scientist of the Year in individual categories and Research Team of the Year in the team category. 


Within the wider academic landscape, I've made substantial contributions to advancing the body of knowledge in the antenna and RF discipline. This includes three patents, two book chapters, and over 50 journal and conference articles till 2024. My dedication extends to volunteering with IEEE, where I've served in various capacities, earning recognition with the IEEE NSW Section Outstanding Volunteer Award in 2022.
Inspiring the next generation in science and engineering is another facet of my passion. As the head inventor of Little Inventors STEM Academy, I craft engaging programs for primary school children. Additionally, I've led STEM workshops and served as a mentor and judge in robotic competitions, fostering enthusiasm for technology among high school students.


My pre-academic tenure includes diverse roles at renowned companies like Commscope, BAE Systems, and Thales Australia, where I contributed to major defence projects. From MILSTD 461 testing to system integration, my experience spans a breadth of disciplines. In the commercial sphere, I've made impactful contributions at Analog Devices, Commscope, and Dialog Telekom, gaining experience in MMIC design, base station antenna development, and network administration.


Overall, my journey blends industry expertise with academic rigor, fueled by a commitment to advancing technology and inspiring future generations.

UNIVERSITY OF TECHNOLOGY SYDNEY APPOINTMENTS

  • Space Sector lead
    University of Technology Sydney, Sydney, Australia14 Jul 2025 - present
  • Associate Professor
    University of Technology Sydney, Sydney, Australia8 Jan 2025 - present
  • Co-Director
    NSW Space Research Network, Australia16 Dec 2024 - present
  • Senior Lecturer
    University of Technology Sydney, Sydney, Australia1 Jul 2022 - 7 Jan 2025
  • Lecturer
    University of Technology Sydney, University of Technology Sydney, South Wentworthville, Australia1 May 2020 - present
  • First and Further Year Coordinator, FEIT
    University of Technology Sydney, Sydney, Australia1 Mar 2024 - present
  • Program coordinator - Master of Engineering in Telecommunications and Electronics
    University of Technology Sydney, University of Technology Sydney, Ultimo, Australia1 Aug 2020 - present

ACADEMIC POSITIONS

  • Lecturer
    Macquarie University, School of Engineering, Sydney, Australia7 Jan 2019 - 30 Apr 2020
  • STEM Teacher - FIRST Robotics
    Macquarie University, Sydney, Australia1 Jan 2010 - 1 Jan 2013

NON-ACADEMIC POSITIONS

  • Senior Systems Engineer/V&V manager
    Thales (Australia), Secure Communications, Sydney, Australia3 Jul 2017 - 4 Jan 2019
  • Senior Radio Frequency Engineer
    Rapiscan Systems (Australia), Sydney, Australia4 Jan 2016 - 30 Jun 2017
  • Radio Frequency Engineer
    CommScope (United States), Sydney, Australia4 Feb 2013 - 31 Dec 2015
  • Telecommunication Engineer
    Dialog Telekom, Colombo, Sri Lanka1 Jul 2008 - 31 Jul 2009

DEGREES

  • PhD
    Macquarie University, Sydney, Australia
  • BSc Electronic and Telecommunication
    University of Moratuwa, Moratuwa, Sri Lanka

PROFILE TYPE

  • Academic

AVAILABILITY

  • Industry Projects
  • Masters Research or PhD student supervision
  • Mentoring (short-term)
  • Collaborative projects

DISCIPLINES