KDU successfully concludes the 17th International Research Conference 2024

General Sir John Kotelawala Defence University (KDU) hosted its 17th International Research Conference (IRC) on September 26-27, 2024. This year’s event, themed “Unravelling the Paradigm Shift: Revolutions in the Era of AI,” brought together a global community of researchers, academics, and industry professionals to discuss the transformative impact of Artificial Intelligence (AI) across various disciplines.

The conference showcased 441 research papers selected from nearly 1,000 submissions across 11 diverse tracks, including Defence and Strategic Studies, Medicine, Health Sciences, Engineering, Technology and Computing, Basic Sciences, Law, Social Sciences and Humanities, and Built Environment and Spatial Sciences. These papers highlighted innovative approaches to using AI to address global challenges, drive innovation, and foster interdisciplinary collaborations that are set to shape the future.

The keynote speaker, Professor Tissa Wijeratne, Chair and Director of the Department of Neurology at Western Health, Victoria, Australia, delivered a powerful address on preventive brain health. He focused on the evolution of the field of brain health and the critical role that AI can play in advancing preventive brain health strategies, emphasizing the need for urgent action to combat brain disorders through AI-enhanced technologies.

The event was steered by Rear Admiral HGU Dammika Kumara, VSV, USP, psc, MMaritimePol, BSc (DS), Vice Chancellor of KDU, and Major General CA Wickramasinghe USP USACGSC, Deputy Vice Chancellor (Defence and Administration). Their guidance was  immense in making the conference an invaluable and a memorable event for the speakers and the participants.

The conference was chaired by Dr. Nirosha Wedasinghe, with Dr. HM Prasanna Herath serving as the secretary. The successful conclusion of IRC 2024 marks another milestone in KDU’s ongoing commitment to fostering research excellence and promoting academic collaboration on a global scale. Looking forward, KDU IRC aims to broaden its horizons by increasing international participation, diversifying research scope, and forming global research consortia to address real-world problems. The insights from this year’s conference will be instrumental in formulating policies relating to the application of AI in diverse fields such as defense, public health, and education, ensuring that the research presented continues to contribute to global advancements. Selected papers from the conference will be published in several venues such as journals of KDU, further extending the impact of research discussed.