Yamuna is the Architecture Research Hub (Interim) and PGR Lead at the Manchester School of Architecture. A Chartered Architect (RIBA), she completed her BSc in Built Environment (First Class Honours) and MSc in Architecture at the University of Moratuwa, Sri Lanka; MSc in Building Design for Developing Countries at the Bartlett School of Architecture, UCL; and PhD in Architecture at the University of Cambridge. Before joining MMU, Yamuna was an Associate Professor at LSBU, Reader at Kingston University, Senior Research Fellow at University of Greenwich and was awarded the University of Greenwich Early Career Research Excellence Award.

Yamuna has held Senior Leadership roles in several Higher Education Institutions and contributes to the formulating and implementing of university policies in relation to teaching and learning, research and enterprise, and internationalisation. She supports and mentor colleagues to achieve their research objectives while implementing a structured doctoral programme supported by training and mentoring. She supervises a group of PhD students as the Principal Supervisor and mentors a group of academic staff for PhD Supervision. She is an external examiner for PhD nationally and internationally (Australia).

Yamuna’s research expertise are Smart and Green Cities, Resilience of Urban Cities & Communities, Biomimicry and Nature Based Solutions for Architecture and User Behaviour and Engagement in Sustainability. She has won EPSRC & GCRF research grants as Principal Investigator and worked as Co- Investigator in several UK, EU, and international projects. Her recent project ‘Gender and disability inclusion in Build Back Better Programmes’ was chosen as the LSBU, UKRI impact study. Her collaborative international research in relation to Global South (Brazil, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Mozambique) focus on Societal Resilience, Inclusivity, Equality & Sustainable Development Goals and have real world implications and impact. This impact has been strengthened by her position as editor and reviewer for international peer reviewed journals and member of several international research partnerships and networks.

Yamuna’s previous research was in relation to Sustainable refurbishment and retrofitting requirements in the social housing sector in UK in consortium with 50 Housing Associations. The innovative, cutting-edge results from the projects influenced social housing refurbishment policies and the guidelines made a significant contribution and influenced the new innovative technology uptake and changed behaviour in adapting to new technology in the social housing sector. Her EPSRC 'Sustainable living and the older community' project is showcased as a best practice project by the National Coordinating Centre for Public Engagement and won the Highly Commended Certificate in Green Guardian Award; Sustain Magazine Award; and the Final Shortlist for Green Gown Award. Internationally, the project was cited in The Wall St. Journal and Alpha Galileo, Europe for its life-changing impact within the elderly community for the provision of suitable housing.