Dr J. G. Shantha Siri acquired his BSc degree (second class upper division) in biological sciences from the University of Colombo in 1999. He obtained his MSc in Management and IT from the University of Kelaniya in 2007 and PhD in Nanotechnology from the Wayamba University in 2020. He joined NSF as a Scientific Officer in 2001 and climbed the career ladder from Senior Scientific Officer to Principal Scientific Officer. Before he assumed duties as the Additional Director, he has served as the Head of the Technology Division and Head of the International Affairs Division of NSF. Before he joined NSF, he has served as a Research Assistant at the Industrial Technology Institute and as an Analytical Chemist in the private sector.

He has gone on training in Sri Lanka as well as in abroad in the fields of R&D administration and management, R&D commercialization, patenting and intellectual property management, technology transfer, technology foresight, technology development and start-ups. He has also successfully completed advanced course on intellectual property management offered by the World Intellectual Property Organization. He has been trained in the field of science, technology and innovation at National Institute of Science and Technology Policy (Japan), Asian Institute of Technology (Thailand), International Science, Technology and Innovation Center (Malysia), UNESCO Institute of Statistics – Kathmandu Office (Nepal), NAM S&T Centre & The Energy & Resources Institute (India). He has acquired experience and skills in national and regional project management, international liaison, R&D commercialization, patent prosecution, national level policy formulation, technology foresight, national/international scientific event management, strategic planning, multidisciplinary research project coordination, administration and management, facilitating international research collaboration and technical cooperation during his tenure at NSF.

He has served as an invited resource person for capacity building programmes on patenting process and intellectual property conducted by external organizations. He has served in many national level committees namely, Inter-Agency Committee on Sri Lanka’s Engagement with the International Seabed Authority (Ministry of Foreign Affairs), Advisory Committee on Electronic Sector (Export Development Board), National Mirror Committee on Nanotechnology to ISO Standards (Sri Lanka Standards Institution) and Technical Committee on National Export Awards (National Chamber of Exporters).