Lanka Thabrew

Title

Systems Engineer
Western Power, Perth, Australia

Education

Ph.D., Design Construction and Planning, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL
M.S., Civil and Environmental Engineering, Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, PA
Diploma in Business Management, Open University, Sri Lanka
B.S., Civil Engineering, University of Moratuwa, Sri Lanka

Professional Experience

Consultant, German Technical Cooperation, Colombo, Sri Lanka, 2007-2008
Researcher, University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, 2004-2005
Environmental Engineer, Synergetics Lanka (Pvt) Ltd., Colombo, Sri Lanka, 2001-2003

Research Interests

Life cycle assessment and GHG accounting
Multi-stakeholder decision making and integrated Development planning
International sustainable development
Environmental Policy Assessment

Research Projects

Life cycle implications of inland freight transportation: environmental footprinting of the Ingram Marine Group (IMG), Nashville, TN.
- Collaborators: Alexandra Ewing, Debra Perrone, George Hornberger, Mark Abkowitz , Leigh Ann, (IMG), Patrick Brennan (IMG)
- Funding support: Ingram Marine Group
Comparative life cycle assessment of nuclear and coal electricity generation
- Collaborators: Bethany Smith, Heather Truelove, David Kosson, Jim Clarke, Chuck Powers, George Hornberger, Ray Wymer
- Funding support: Consortium for Risk Assessment with Stakeholder Participation (CRESP)
Water, energy, and behavior in a changing climate in Sri Lanka
- Collaborators: George Hornberger, Amanda Carrico, Heather Truelove, Jim Fraser, Jonathan Gilligan, Kishan Sughathapala (National Building Research Organization, Sri Lanka), Udeni Nawagamuwa (University of Moratuwa, Sri Lanka)
- Funding support: Vanderbilt International Office

Recent Publications

Thabrew, L., Ries, and R. 2009. Application of life cycle thinking in multi-disciplined stakeholder contexts for sustainable cross-sectoral planning and implementation of development projects: a case-study in Sri Lanka. Integrated Environmental Assessment and Management, 5(3): 445-460.

Thabrew, L. and Ries, R. 2009. Use of life cycle thinking and assessment in trans-disciplinary integrated planning and implementation for sustainable regional development. In proceedings: 3rd International Conference on Smart and Sustainable Building Environment. June 15-19, 2009. TU Delft, The Netherlands.

Thabrew, L., Wiek A. and Ries R. 2008. Environmental decision making in multi-stakeholder contexts: applicability of life cycle thinking in development planning and implementation, Journal of Cleaner Production, 17(1): 67-76.

Thabrew, L. and Ries, R. "Use of LCA in multi-stakeholder contexts". In: Proceeding of IREE Grantee Conference, West Lafayette, USA, October, 2007.

Thabrew, L., Lloyd, S., Cypcar, C.C., Hamilton, J.D. and Ries, R. 2007. Life cycle assessment of industrial and institutional water-based acrylic floor maintenance systems. International Journal of Life Cycle Assessment, 13(1), 65-74.

Manuscripts Under Review

Thabrew, L., R. Ries, and G. H. Hornberger. 2010. Transdisciplinary framework for trans-boundary watershed management, in C. N. Madu, (Ed.), Handbook of Sustainable Management., Imperial College Press, book chapter submitted for publication.

Thabrew, L., and Ries, R. 2008. Integrated Assessment and Planning for Multi-Institutional Decision Making. Journal of Industrial Ecology.

Recent presentations

Ewing, A., Thabrew, L., Perrone, D., Hale, L. A. and Abkowitz. 2010. LCA for Strategic GHG Reduction in Inland Marine Freight Transportation. 4th Canadian Forum on the Life Cycle Management of Products and Services, Montreal, Canada.

Thabrew, L. and Ries, R. 2009. Life Cycle Thinking and Assessment in a Stakeholder-Based Learning Process for Multi-stakeholder Decision Making and Collective Action. Life Cycle Management Conference, Cape Town, South Africa.

Thabrew, L. and Ries, R. 2009. Use of life cycle thinking and assessment in trans-disciplinary integrated planning and implementation for sustainable regional development. 3rd International Conference on Smart and Sustainable Building Environment, TU Delft, The Netherlands.

Thabrew, L. 2007. Sustainable decision making in multi-stakeholder contexts: Case-studies from Sri Lanka. NSSI Factory, ETH. Zurich, Switzerland.

Thabrew, L. and Ries, R. 2007. Sustainable development and environmental decision-making in cross-sectoral multi-stakeholder Contexts. ISIE Conference, Toronto, Canada.