SOFE Awareness Session with South Asian Regional Champion Ms. Thamalu Kumarasinghe | News | Department of Mechanical Engineering

SOFE Awareness Session with South Asian Regional Champion Ms. Thamalu Kumarasinghe

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imeche-student-chapter-of-kdu

Date
July 15, 2025

Author
Web Master

On the 2nd of July 2025, the Institution of Mechanical Engineers (IMechE) Student Chapter of General Sir John Kotelawala Defence University (KDU) proudly hosted an exclusive SOFE Awareness Session featuring Ms. Thamalu Kumarasinghe, the South Asian Regional Winner of the Speak Out for Engineering (SOFE) competition in 2025.

Ms. Kumarasinghe, an alumna of KDU, currently serves as a Safety Management System Executive in Blue Skies Aviation Solutions, captivated the audience not only with her accomplishments but also with her engaging and insightful delivery. Her session provided an invaluable opportunity for students to delve into the essence of impactful public speaking and understand the prestigious platform that SOFE offers to aspiring engineers.

Throughout the session, Ms. Kumarasinghe enlightened attendees on how to build confidence when speaking in public, sharing practical techniques to reduce nervousness, including a few exercises, preparation methods, and mindset strategies.

Ms. Kumarasinghe also introduced the audience to the different types of speakers such as the Storyteller, Teacher, Entertainer, and Presenter etc, encouraging each attendee to find their own voice and style. Additionally, she explained the triangle of persuasive speaking: Ethos, Pathos, and Logos, which focuses on credibility, emotional connection, and logical appeal; fundamental elements for crafting a powerful message.

Sharing her journey through the SOFE competition, Ms. Kumarasinghe walked the audience through her transformation from a hesitant speaker to a confident regional champion. Her story was deeply encouraging and helped boost the confidence of many aspiring student speakers in the room.

The session served not only as a motivational experience but also as a stepping stone for students looking to step onto international stages and represent their university with pride. The IMechE Student Chapter of KDU extends its heartfelt gratitude to Ms. Thamalu Kumarasinghe for sharing her story and conducting this valuable awareness session.

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The Department of Mechanical Engineering at the Faculty of Engineering, KDU offers two bachelor’s degree programmes, namely, BScEngHons in Mechanical Engineering and BScEngHons in Mechatronic Engineering. These four-year undergraduate programmes aim to impart competencies in courses related to Design, Manufacturing, Control Systems, and Information Technology in order to produce graduates who are well equipped to become competent Mechanical and Mechatronic Engineers.The department is playing a dynamic role in the faculty. The presence of qualified panel of lecturers with a wide range of expertise, their academic background, teaching experiences, research capabilities, and industrial exposure make a significant contribution to the overall strength of the department. The department possesses well-equipped laboratories and implements its well-designed curricula in lectures and practical sessions. The department also organises industrial visits and guest lectures, providing further opportunities for the enhancement and consolidation of students’ knowledge. The student intake is expanded by admitting Officers of the Tri-Services and Day Scholars, both local and international. The department strives to maintain the highest standards of education for the Officers from the Tri-Services, Officer Cadets, and Day Scholars to be readily employable in the industry.Why choose Mechanical Engineering or Mechatronic Engineering?Mechanical Engineers build the world around us. From the tiniest nanotechnology through cars and buildings to aeroplanes and space stations, mechanical engineers are responsible for the design and development of many things. Studying mechanical engineering is a combination of science, mathematics, and computing. The field of mechanical engineering touches virtually every aspect of modern life, including the human body, a highly complex machine. A career in mechanical engineering allows you to build a better future for yourself and the world. Mechanical engineers design and build solutions to a range of problems, improving efficiency across a wide range of industries. By studying mechanical engineering, students can look forward to good job prospects, high salaries, and varied work. Mechanical engineers are always in demand for jobs such as Aerospace engineers, Automotive engineers, Control and Instrumentation engineers, Maintenance engineers, Nuclear engineers, etc.Mechatronic is an emerging field that blends mechanical engineering, electrical engineering, and computer science to demonstrate the close integration of these disciplines in product design. The Mechatronic Engineering degree programme offers both theory and practical work in the areas of Automation, Control, Robotics, Engineering design, and applications. The knowledge and skills acquired will be useful to deal with the professional and career development goals of graduates in the future. The designed curriculum also offers a vast area of opportunities for future studies and research as a graduate and even beyond.

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