Prof. Atula Senaratne holds a B.Sc. degree in Geology from the University of Peradeniya, Sri Lanka and a M.Sc. degree in Environmental Technology from the Imperial College of Science, Technology and Medicine, University of London. He obtained his Ph.D. Degree from the Johannes Gutenberg University of Mainz, Federal Republic of Germany.

He joined the academic staff of the Faculty of Science in 1980 and since then served the Faculty of Science of the  University of Peradeniya and the University system in Sri Lanka at different capacities. He was the Head, Department of Geology from 1999 to 2004. He also served as the Director –Science Industry Interaction Cell, Faculty of Science and Chairman of the Board of Study in Earth Sciences of the PGIS.  From Aug. 2012 to end of July  2015, he held the highest position of the University, the post of Vice Chancellor.

At the national level, he served as the Chairman of the Water Resources Board of Sri Lanka, Director-Atomic Energy Authority of Sri Lanka and as a member of the Presidential Task Force “Natural Hazards”. He was also the President of the Geological Society of Sri Lanka in 2001-2002. He has received many awards at national and international levels. He received Alexander von Humboldt Foundation Fellowship/Germany in 1996/97, D.A.A.D. (German Academic Exchange Service) Fellowship, Johannes Gutenberg University, Mainz, F.R.G. in 1984-1988, U.S.A.I.D. Fellowship, Water Resources Division, U.S. Geological Survey, Colorado, U.S.A., in 1983 and The Third World Scholarship, Imperial College of Science and Technology, University of London in 1981- 1982. In 2014, he was decorated with the coveted Ananda Coomaraswamy medal of the Geological Society of Sri Lanka. At present he is the Chair Professor of Geology of the University of Peradeniya.