Honoring Jagath Kaluarachchi: A Legacy of Innovation and Growth at USU Engineering

Jagath Kaluarachchi, former Dean of the College of Engineering at Utah State University, passed away on March 17 at the age of 70.

A native of Sri Lanka, Kaluarachchi was a pillar of the USU community for more than three decades. At the time of his retirement, he was the Dean of the College of Engineering.

"Jagath will be remembered as a kind and compassionate leader," said Matt Jensen, director of communications for the College of Engineering. "He impacted the lives of so many people at USU. I learned a lot from him and am forever grateful for the opportunities he gave me."

Kaluarachchi led the college through a period of sustained growth in academics and research. He doubled research awards across the college and expanded the number of research centers to nine, including the National Science Foundation-sponsored ASPIRE Engineering Research Center for electrified transportation.

He established the college's first three endowed professorships and grew the faculty through the Engineering Initiative legislative funding program. A strong advocate for student success, Kaluarachchi also led the creation of numerous college resources, including a dedicated student study space, the Engineering Tutoring Center, the Engineering Writing Center, the Metal Factory, the Idea Factory, the Engineering Math Resource Center, upgraded computer labs and more.

Under his leadership, the college added new master's programs in composite materials and structures, engineering education, space systems engineering, and a first-of-its-kind online aerospace engineering master's program.

Kaluarachchi earned a bachelor's degree in civil engineering from the University of Moratuwa, Sri Lanka, and later earned a master's in civil engineering with an emphasis in hydrology from the University of Hong Kong. He completed his doctorate work at Virginia Tech in 1988 in environmental sciences and engineering with an emphasis on subsurface hydrology and contaminant transport.

An active researcher in the water resources engineering community for 30 years, he was named a Fellow of the American Society of Civil Engineers and the Environmental & Water Resources Institute. He was also a Diplomate in Water Resources Engineering, a prestigious credential bestowed by the American Academy of Water Resources Engineers. He received several teaching and research awards from USU, including the Robins award for Outstanding Faculty Researcher in 2007.

Alongside his professional accomplishments, Kaluarachchi remained humble and was widely respected for his commitment to education as a force for change.

Memorial events and additional information about Jagath Kaluarachchi can be found here: https://starksfuneral.com/obituary/jagath-janapriya-kaluarachchi/

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Writer: Madeline Buskirk, madeline.buskirk@usu.edu, 435-797-7512