Dr. Haridas “Hari” Kumarakuru earned his Bachelor of Science (B.Sc.) with First Class Honors in Physics from the University of Jaffna, Sri Lanka. He was awarded the prestigious Overseas Research Scholarship (ORS) and completed his Ph.D. in Physics at the University of Bristol, United Kingdom, where he conducted research within the Micro and Nano-Materials Research Group.
Following his doctoral studies, Dr. Kumarakuru pursued a postdoctoral research fellowship at the Centre for High Resolution Transmission Electron Microscopy (HRTEM) at Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University (now “Nelson Mandela University”) in South Africa. His research focused on the advanced electron microscopy-based characterization of nanostructured energy materials.
Dr. Kumarakuru currently serves as an Associate Teaching Professor in the Department of Physics at Northeastern University. With over 20 years of experience in higher education across four continents, he brings a global perspective and deep expertise in curriculum development, instructional delivery, scientific research, technical writing, and student mentorship.
Dr. Kumarakuru has mentored numerous undergraduate and master’s students an endeavor he considers central to his academic mission. Many of the student projects under his guidance have been showcased at prominent venues such as the Research, Innovation, Scholarship, and Entrepreneurship (RISE) Expo, the American Society for Engineering Education (ASEE), ASEE-Northeast, and Sigma Xi, with several earning formal recognition.
His contributions to science and education have been acknowledged through multiple honors, including the “Distinguished Service Award” from the Technological Advances in Science, Medicine, and Engineering (TASME) Conferences in 2021. In 2024, he was named one of six finalists among more than 200 nominees for the “College of Science Teaching Excellence Award”. Most recently, he received the “College of Science Innovation Award 2025”.
Dr. Kumarakuru is an active member of the Institute of Physics (UK), the American Association of Physics Teachers (AAPT), and the American Society for Engineering Education (ASEE). He also serves as a reviewer for several peer-reviewed scientific journals.