, ▁gradu ating ▁in ▁ 1 9 5 6 ▁with ▁a ▁first ▁class ▁hon ours ▁B Sc ▁general ▁degree . ▁He ▁received ▁a ▁first ▁class ▁hon ours ▁B Sc ▁special ▁degree ▁in ▁physics ▁in ▁ 1 9 6 0 . ▁He ▁then ▁received ▁a ▁Ph D ▁degree ▁from ▁the ▁University ▁of ▁Br istol ▁in ▁ 1 9 7 5 ▁after ▁producing ▁a ▁th esis ▁titled ▁Theory ▁of ▁Th erm od ynamic ▁Properties ▁of ▁Li qu id ▁Met als . ▁ ▁Career ▁K umar av ad ivel ▁was ▁lect urer - in - charge ▁of ▁the ▁Department ▁of ▁Physics , ▁Per aden i ya ▁Camp us ▁of ▁the ▁University ▁of ▁Sri ▁L anka ▁between ▁January ▁ 1 9 7 8 ▁and ▁January ▁ 1 9 7 9 . ▁He ▁served ▁as ▁Head ▁of ▁the ▁Department ▁of ▁Physics , ▁University ▁of ▁J aff na ▁three ▁times : ▁February ▁ 1 9 8 5 ▁to ▁February ▁ 1 9 8 8 ; ▁March ▁ 1 9 9 1 ▁to ▁June ▁ 1 9 9 1 ; ▁and ▁April ▁ 1 9 9 4 ▁to ▁November ▁ 1 9 9 9 . ▁He ▁was ▁Head ▁of ▁the ▁Computer ▁Unit ▁at ▁the ▁university ▁from ▁August ▁ 1 9 8 9 ▁to ▁October ▁ 1 9 9 0 . ▁ ▁K umar av ad ivel ▁served ▁as ▁de an ▁of ▁the ▁Fac ulty ▁of ▁Science ▁from ▁November ▁ 1 9 9 9 ▁to ▁July ▁ 2 0 1 0 . ▁He ▁was ▁a ▁nom ine e ▁for ▁the ▁vice