Overview
Suthan Suthersan (10 June 1956 – 20 February 2017) was a Sri Lankan–American environmental engineer and executive who played a prominent role in advancing applied remediation and environmental consulting in North America. He combined technical expertise with senior leadership, serving as Chief Technical Officer and Executive Vice President at Arcadis North America. His work bridged engineering practice, project delivery, and the translation of research into field solutions.
Education and early life
Suthersan was born in Jaffna, Sri Lanka. He pursued higher education both in Sri Lanka and abroad, attending the University of Peradeniya before continuing studies in Canada at the University of Toronto. These formative experiences gave him a foundation in engineering principles and an international perspective that informed his later career in environmental remediation and consulting.
Career and contributions
In his executive roles he provided technical oversight and strategic direction for complex environmental projects, including contaminated-site assessment, groundwater and soil remediation, and long-term stewardship planning. As a senior leader at Arcadis he helped guide multidisciplinary teams that integrated hydrogeology, chemistry, and engineering design to address regulatory, technical, and stakeholder challenges.
Areas of expertise
- Contaminated-site investigation and remediation strategies
- Groundwater and soil treatment technologies
- Technical leadership in environmental consulting firms
- Bridging research, field application, and regulatory compliance
Legacy and significance
Suthersan is remembered for his combination of technical depth and corporate leadership, and for helping to professionalize and scale remediation practice within a global consulting firm. He died on 20 February 2017 in Hopewell Township, New Jersey at age 60. Colleagues and the organizations he worked with have noted his influence on project approaches, mentoring of younger engineers, and emphasis on practical, science-based solutions for environmental problems.
For further context on firms and places associated with his career, see information from institutional and regional sources linked above.