Kieren Samarakoon

A native of Cairns, Australia, Kieren Samarakoon graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree in Mechanical Engineering in 2020 from West Virginia University Institute of Technology (WVU Tech). He is of Sri Lankan and Japanese descent and can speak Japanese fluently. During his undergraduate studies, Kieren acted as President of ASME, Vice President of Pi Tau Sigma, was an orientation leader, and also a student assistant for Heat & Mass Transfer, Dynamics, and Fluid Mechanics. In his senior year, he was involved in the development of a collision avoidance robot and the design of a law-enforcement specific tactical pen, the former which he and his team presented at the 2020 Undergraduate Research Day at the West Virginia Capitol. Kieren is currently working towards a master’s degree in the WVU Navigation Laboratory as a graduate research assistant.

Outside of academia, Kieren is an avid golfer, having been recruited to play golf during his undergrad. While on the team, he earned All-conference honors, conference Champion of Character and was named to the conference Scholar-Athlete Team. In addition, he enjoys photography, playing video games and travelling.