Navinda Kottege
"Imagination is more important than knowledge" - Albert Einstein (1879-1955)
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Navinda Kottege

BRISBANE, QLD, AUSTRALIA.
TELEPHONE : +61 400343017 E-MAIL : navinda -at- ieee -dot- org WEB : <Google/Yahoo/Bing> 'navinda kottege'

FIELDS OF INTEREST

    Sensor networks, Localisation & navigation, Experimental robotics, Robot swarms, Mechatronics.

    EDUCATION

    PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE

    • Postdoctoral Fellow - ICT Centre, Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO) (Dec. 2009 to present).
      • Conducting research on wireless sensor networks focussing on using multimedia sensor networks for biodiversity & ecological health monitoring.
      • Successfully lead a project where six acoustic sensor nodes were used to monitor the ecological health in a reservoir catchment area for four months with SEQWater as an external client.
      • Developing & implementing algorithms on BlackFin digital signal processors (DSP) using VisualDSP++ & on wireless sensor nodes using TinyOS (nesC).
      • Supervised a summer vacation student (University of Queensland - UQ), supervising an engineering thesis student (UQ), co-supervising a Masters degree student (ANU) & a PhD student (ANU).
      • Member of the CSIRO team teaching the course ‘Wireless Sensor Networks’ at UQ.
    • Tutor - School of Engineering, The Australian National University (July to Nov. 2009).
    • Engineer - School of Engineering, The Australian National University (Sep. to Nov. 2009).
      • Assembled, modified & tested a fast sailplane with an electric motor (Hotliner) for solar research.
    • Research Associate - Research School of Information Sciences and Engineering (RSISE), The Australian National University (May to Dec. 2008).
      • Conducted further experimental research in acoustical localisation and published findings building on the work done during my PhD candidature.
    • Tutor - Department of Computer Science, The Australian National University (July to Nov. 2008).
    • Coordinator - Outreach activity by the Australian National University where a team of school students (aged 14-18) competed in ‘UAV Challenge 2008 - Outback rescue’ - Australia (May to Sep. 2008).
      • Liaised with 20 Colleges in Canberra to initially recruit 34 students.
      • Provided leadership, guidance and supervision during the five month period where the students were trained to build, equip and fly remote controlled aircraft (fixed wing and rotary wing).
      • Coordinated communication and activities amongst the team members by arranging regular meet-ings, scheduling flight training sessions and via web based forums.
      • Arranged logistics for transportation of two teams (fixed wing and rotary wing - 10 persons) along with tools, equipment and aircrafts for the 1200km journey and looked after the welfare of the school students during travel and while at the competition.
    • Research Engineer (Part-time) - ATSA Defence Services - Australia (June to December 2006).
      • Conducted research on underwater acoustic localisation technology as a member of the ANU re-search team collaborating with an industrial partner to commercialise the ‘Serafina’ submersibles.
      • Gave demonstrations and presentations of research outcomes to representatives of SAAB underwa-ter systems (Sweden) and management of ATSA defence services.
    • Assistant Lecturer - Department of Physics, University of Colombo - Sri Lanka (Sep. 2003 - Feb. 2004).
      • Supervised and assessed final year honours students’ advanced electronics and computational physics labs.
      • Conducted tutorials for second and third year Physics students.
      • Collaborated with the faculty to restructure first year introductory physics and electronics labs.
      • Planned, developed and delivered a new training course titled ‘Microcontroller programming and its applications’ to be offered via the Physics department aimed at industrial sector personnel as a professional development program in collaboration with the faculty.
    • Teaching Assistant - Department of Physics, University of Colombo - Sri Lanka (July - Sep. 2003).
      • Supervised and assessed first and second year students’ introductory physics and electronics labs.

    VOLUNTEER WORK

    • Mentor - Student Information & Guidance Network (SIGN) Mentoring program, The Australian
      National University - Australia (Feb. 2008 to present).
      • Helped new students to settle in to Canberra by giving them guidance and information, assisted them to familiarise with the University and its facilities as well as introduced them to the student community social activities.
      • Up to now I have mentored eleven PhD candidates, nine Masters Degree students and one Graduate Diploma student from ten different countries & diverse cultural backgrounds.

    IT SKILLS & EXPERTISE

    • Proficient in programming with Python, ADA and C/C++ .
    • Experienced in programming microcontrollers (PIC & Atmel) in Assembly & C languages, programming sensor nodes in nesC (TinyOS) & Blackfin DSPs in VisualDSP++.
    • Experienced in circuit board design, construction & use of tools such as Protel DXP & pSpice.
    • Experienced in using scientific software packages MAPLE, Mathematica, MatLAB & LabView.
    • Experienced in web programming using HTML/CSS with PHP & JavaScript, use of web design tools such as Flash & Dreamweaver & web content management systems such as Joomla & Wordpress.
    • Experienced in working on Linux, Windows & MacOS platforms, using numerous application packages along with most of Microsoft & Adobe product ranges including Illustrator, InDesign & FrameMaker.
    • Proficient in scientific and technical document production using FrameMaker, LaTeX and Word.

    SCIENTIFIC PUBLICATIONS

    SEMINAR PRESENTATIONS

    CONFERENCE PRESENTATIONS

    • Gave presentation titled Cross-correlation Tracking for Maximum Length Sequence Based Acoustic Localisation in session ‘Navigation - II’ at the Australasian Conference on Robotics and Automation 2008 (ACRA ’08) - Canberra, Australia (December 2008).
    • Gave presentation titled Acoustical Methods for Azimuth, Range and Heading Estimation
      in Underwater Swarms       in session ‘Sensor Technologies for Autonomous Acoustic Sensing Systems’ at Acoustics ’08 - Paris, France (July 2008).
    • Gave presentation titled Relative Localization for AUV Swarms in session ‘Vehicle Control & Swarms’ at
      the International Symposium on Underwater Technology ’07 - Tokyo, Japan (Apr. 2007).
    • Gave presentation titled MLS-based, Distributed Bearing, Range, and Posture Estimation for Schools of
      Submersibles       in session ‘Estimation and Localisation’ at the 10th International Symposium on
      Experimental Robotics - Rio de Janeiro, Brazil (July 2006).
    • Gave presentation titled Acoustical Localization in Schools of Submersibles in session ‘Acoustic &
      Magnetic Localisation’ at the IEEE OCEANS ’06 conference - Singapore (May 2006).
    • Gave presentation titled Virtual robot arm control model at the 20th Technical session of the Institute of
      Physics - Sri Lanka (Mar. 2004).

    SCIENCE CITIZENSHIP

      I have been on the program committee of the International Symposium on Distributed Autonomous Robotics Systems (2010) & have been invited to be on the technical program committee of the Intelligent Sensors, Sensor Networks & Information Processing conference (2011). I have reviewed scientific publications submitted for the following international journals & conferences:

      AWARDS

      • ‘Australian Postgraduate Award’ scholarship to conduct my PhD studies at The Australian
        National University (2004)
      • RSISE supplementary scholarship in recognition of my academic performance (2004-2008)
      • Sri Lanka Association for the Advancement of Science (SLAAS) Physical Science Award 2003 in Physics
        at the 59 th annual session of SLAAS for undergraduate project ‘Virtual Robot Arm Control Model’.
      • Merit award in the Tertiary Education Institutes Category of the National ICT Excellence (NICE)
        competition (Sri Lanka) for undergraduate project ‘Virtual Robot Arm Control Model’ (2003).
      • ‘Arthur Lambert Rupasinghe Scholarship in Physics - 2000’ for performance in the 1 st & 2 nd year
        examinations conducted by the University of Colombo - Sri Lanka (2002).

      GRADUATE COURSE WORK

      • Graduate course on ‘Applying linear algebra in engineering & computer science’ conducted by
        National ICT Australia Ltd. (2004).
      • Graduate course on ‘Linear systems theory’ conducted by The Australian National University (2004).
      • Graduate course on ‘Science communication’ conducted by The Australian National University (2005).

      TRAINING

      • Attended the ‘Introduction to MatLAB & Simulink Technology’ one day seminar conducted by Math
        Works - Australia (Feb. 2008)
      • Attended the ‘6 th ACEVS-CVS Summer School on Animal Navigation’ hosted by the Research School of
        Biological Sciences, The Australian National University - Australia (Nov. 2007).
      • Attended a short course in ‘Modelling & Control of Mechanical Systems’ conducted by Prof. Sunil
        Agrawal of the University of Delaware, USA held at UNSW@ADFA - Australia (July 2007)
      • Completed training course on Introductory Workshop Practice & Safety conducted by The Australian
        National University - Australia (June 2005).
      • Completed nationally accredited short course in Senior First Aid including remote area - Australia
        (Feb. 2005).
      • Completed a one day training program in Project Management conducted by the Australian Institute
        of Management - Australia (Nov. 2004).
      • Completed the five month Career & Personality Development programme held by the Faculty of
        Science, University of Colombo - Sri Lanka (Nov. 2002 - Mar. 2003).
      • Received a month long training at John Keells Computer Services - Systems Engineering Division
        (3rd year industrial placement by the University) - Sri Lanka (2002).
      • Received training on telecommunications technology by the national telecom provider Sri Lanka
        Telecom         in preparation for the '50th Anniversary of Independence' exhibition and convention - Sri Lanka (Nov. 1997 - Feb. 1998).
      • Received month long trainings by Sri Lanka Telecom for the INFOTEL exhibitions where ADSL technology was introduced and demonstrated - Sri Lanka (Sep. 1998 & Jan. 2001).

      MEMBERSHIPS & ACHIEVEMENT

      SPORTS ACHIEVEMENTS

      • Sri Lanka University Sports Association award for outstanding performance in Rowing for year 2000.
      • Awarded University of Colombo Colours Insignia for Rowing for year 2000.
      • Re-awarded University of Colombo Colours Insignia for Rowing for years 2001 & 2002.
      • Member of the University of Colombo Rowing team which received the B. C. Perera Memorial Trophy
        for winning the Inter-institutional regatta organised by the Royal College Rowing Club in 2002.
      • Member of the University of Colombo Rowing team which received the Stanley Wijesundara Challenge
        Trophy for winning the Inter-university regatta in years 2000 & 2001.
      • Member of the University of Colombo Rowing team which won the Dr. Mohan Pillai ‘A Four’
        Challenge Trophy at the 7 th Sri Lanka University Games in 2001.

      SOCIAL ACTIVITIES

      • Formulated questions & adjudicated at the South East Asian Regional Computer Confederation
        (SEARCC)         Software Competition 2003 hosted by the Computer Society of Sri Lanka (Dec. 2003).
      • Compiled the year book of the 98/99 Batch of the Faculty of Science, University of Colombo (2002).
      • Participated in two day drama workshop organised by the University of Peradeniya Drama Society -
        Sri Lanka (2001).
      • Presided over the fund raising committees for the ‘Freshers’ Welcome 2000’ - the annual welcoming
        ceremony (attended by nearly 1000 people) hosted by the 2 nd year students for the 1 st year students &
        the ‘Going Down 2001’ - the annual farewell ceremony hosted by the 3 rd year students for the final
        year students at the Faculty of Science, University of Colombo, Sri Lanka.

      OTHER INTERESTS

        I am a keen amateur photographer scaling a steep learning curve. I also enjoy bushwalking & cycling. Currently learning to play the guitar & fly a remote controlled model helicopter (not at the same time).

        REFEREES

          References will be provided upon request.

          Date: April 2011
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