I. M. Dharmadasa is Professor Emeritus at Sheffield Hallam University, UK. He has worked extensively in semiconductor research since becoming a PhD student at Durham University as a Commonwealth Scholar, in 1977, under the supervision by Prof. M. C. Petty and the late Sir Gareth Roberts. Prof. Dharmadasa’s interest in the electrodeposition of thin-film solar cells grew when he joined the Apollo Project at BP Solar in 1988. He explored this simple but powerful semiconductor growth technique after joining Sheffield Hallam University in 1990. He has over 260 publications and presentations on both research and development and applications of solar energy, 6 patents on thin-film solar cells and has successfully supervised 29 PhD programmes to date. He has also written Two books and edited the third in the PV field. He won several scholarships and awards, including the 2001 Eurosolar UK Prize for inspiring renewable energy applications. Prof. Dharmadasa is also passionate about promoting the use of renewable energy for economic development, the reduction of poverty and is active in setting up solar-powered energy hubs in developing countries to empower rural communities through education and commerce. "Solar Village" project has been successfully designed, piloted in 2008 in Sri Lanka, monitored for 4 years under his supervision and now in the replication stage. More details on: https://www.gofundme.com/f/Help-us-build-resilient-communities-in-Sri-Lanka