Dr.UpekshaH

Dr. Upeksha Hettithanthri

Deputy Dean / Senior Lecturer / HOD

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Profile

Dr. Upeksha Hettithanthri is a distinguished academic, researcher, and design professional with interdisciplinary expertise in architecture, interior design, urban design, and design thinking.

She holds a PhD from Stockholm University, Sweden, along with a Postgraduate Diploma in Urban Design. She is a Chartered Architect and holds the status of an Associate Member of the Sri Lanka Institute of Architects (SLIA) and is also a Corporate Member of the Sri Lanka Institute of Urban Designers (SLIUD).

Her scholarly contributions have been formally acknowledged through the conferral of the Research Excellence Award (2023) by the Sri Lanka Institute of Architects, underscoring the significance and innovative nature of her work. Her academic interests include design thinking, creativity, and innovation within design education.

In her academic role, she serves as a Senior Lecturer and Deputy Dean at the Faculty of Engineering, NSBM Green University, where she is actively involved in curriculum development, research supervision, and academic leadership.

Beyond her academic and professional pursuits, Dr. Hettithanthri is also a skilled, professional martial artist. She holds a 1st Dan Black Belt from the Japan Karate Association, Sri Lanka, and has earned the National Black Belt for her excellence in Shotokan Karate Do.

Research Interests

  • Design Thinking
  • Digital tools for learning
  • Architectural education
  • AI integration in education

Awards

  • Recipient of the Research Excellence Award 2023, conferred by the Sri Lanka Institute of Architects, in recognition of outstanding research contributions.

Journal Publications

  1. Hettithanthri, U., & Hansen, P. (2021). Design studio practice in the context of architectural education: A narrative literature review. International Journal of Technology and Design Education, 1–22. Springer Nature Journals. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10798021-09694-2
  2. Hettithanthri, U., Hansen, P., & Munasinghe, H. (2022a). Exploring the architectural design process assisted in conventional design studio: A systematic literature review. International Journal of Technology and Design Education. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10798-022-09792-9

Conference Presentations and Publications

  1. Hettithanthri, U., Hansen, P., Fors, U., Munasinghe, H. (2026). Design Thinking Process Employed in Real-Life Design Studio Context. In: Wang, WS., Sandnes, F.E., Lai, CF.,Sandtrø, T.A., Huang, YM. (eds) Innovative Technologies and Learning. ICITL 2025.Lecture Notes in Computer Science, vol 15914. Springer, Cham.
    https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-98197-5_8
  2. Hettithanthri, U., & Hansen, P. (2020). Using Mobile Phones as a Learning Tool in Nature Inspired Furniture Design Process. In S. Fong, N. Dey, & A. Joshi (Eds.), ICT Analysis and Applications (pp. 489–497). Singapore: Springer Singapore.
  3. Hettithanthri, U., Hansen, P., & Munasinghe, H. (2022b). Exploring the Collaborative Design Process at Conventional Design Studio. In Innovative Technologies and Learning:5th International Conference, ICITL 2022, Virtual Event, August 29–31, 2022,Proceedings (p. 230). Cham: Springer International Publishing. Springer Nature eBooks. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-15273-3_25
  4. Hettithanthri, U., Hansen, P., & Munasinghe, H. (2024). Influences of ICT Tools on the Empathizing Phase of the Design Thinking Process of Design Students. Design, User Experience, and Usability : 13th International Conference, DUXU 2024, Held as Part of the 26th HCI International Conference, HCII 2024, Washington, DC, USA, June 29 – July 4, 2024, Proceedings, Part V, 14716, 79–92. Springer Nature eBooks. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-61362-3_6
  5. Hettithanthri U, Hansen P, Munasinghe H, (2024), Influences of ICT tools on the empathizing phase of the Design Thinking process of design students, 26 International Conference on Human Computer Interaction, HCII 24, Proceedings, Lecture Notes in Computer Science
  6. U Hettithanthri ,W Senaratharachci (2023). Moving to online design learning: Exploring the design process adopted in online design studio. Proceedings of International Conference of Business Innovation (ICOBI) , Volume 6, 2023 (published by NSBM Green University
  7. U Hettithanthri, H Munasinghe, (2023). Exploring the group dynamics in pedagogic design studio context. Proceedings of the 16
    th International Research Conference, FARU 2023,pg 23-29 (Faculty of Architecture Research Unit)
  8. Wasana Liyanage, U Hettithanthri (2024). Role of digital drawing vs hand drawing in architectural design process. Proceedings of the 17
    th International Research Conference, FARU 2024 (Faculty of Architecture Research Unit)
  9. U Hettithanthri ,D Dewapriya (2023). A Study on Digital Platform Integration for design innovation. Proceedings of International Conference of Business Innovation (ICOBI), Volume 7, (published by NSBM Green University)
  10. Archt. Upeksha Hettithanthri,  “Fostering creativity through interactive workshops. An analytical study on developing a creative model to stimulate creativity in architectural education“, International Conference on Business Innovation,  (NSBM)
  11. Archt. Upeksha Hettithanthri,  “Understanding and fostering creativity through nature inspired structures project“, International Conference on Business Innovation, (NSBM)