Academic and Professional Qualifications
Academic Qualifications
- Ph.D. in Soil Physics, McGill University, Canada.
- M.Sc. in Environmental Soil Science, University of Peradeniya, Sri Lanka.
- B.Sc. (Hons) in Agricultural Technology & Management (Majored in Soil Science), University of Peradeniya, Sri Lanka
Professional Experience
- Head of the Department of Soil Science University of Peradeniya, Sri Lank (May 2024 - to present)
- Senior Lecturer at the Department of Soil Science, University of Peradeniya, Sri Lanka (2019 - present).
- Chairman of Board of Study in Soil Science, Post Graduate Institute of Agriculture, University of Peradeniya, Sri Lanka (from January 2025 to present)
- Visiting Lecturer at Postgraduate Institute of Agriculture, University of Peradeniya, Sri Lanka (2019- present).
- Secretary of Board of Study in Soil Science, Post Graduate Institute of Agriculture, University of Peradeniya, Sri Lanka (2019-2024).
- The Deputy Proctor, Faculty of Agriculture, University of Peradeniya, Sri Lanka (2023-present).
- Secretary Alumni Association, Faculty of Agriculture, University of Peradeniya, Sri Lanka (2023-2024).
- Lecturer at the Department of Soil Science, University of Peradeniya, Sri Lanka (2013 - 2019).
- Doctoral Researcher at McGill University, Canada (2014-2019).
- Graduate Teaching Assistant, Department of Natural Resource Sciences, McGill University (September 2016 - December 2017).
- Research Scientist at Soils and Plant Nutrition Division, Coconut Research Institute, Sri Lanka (2012-2013).
Research Expertise by Key Words
- Soil physics
- Vadose-zone hydrology
- Soil spatial variability and Spatial statistics
- Soil sensor based irrigation scheduling.
- Transport of water, nutrients, chemicals, and pollutants through soil.
- Climate change, agricultural water balance & soil thermal properties.
ACADEMIC DISTINCTIONS & AWARDS
Awards
2021 March - October 2021 Early carrier research award under the University of Winnipeg Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee International Scholars Program at the University of Winnipeg
2018 Canadian Geophysical Union travel award
2017 Best poster award (President’s award), Canadian Society of Soil Science (CSSS 2017) annual meeting at Trent University, Peterborough.
2016 and 2018 GREAT award - Department of Natural Resource Sciences.
2014-2016 Differential tuition fee waiver award, McGill University
2014-2017 Graduate excellence award McGill University
2014-2015 Graduate student mobility award
Research Grants
Previously held
University of Peradeniya research grant (startup grant-2013-2015) – 1000.00 USD, PI (Title - Impacts of biochar application on soil properties of tropical soils).
Currently held
- Investigator Driven grants by National Research Council of Sri Lanka (2021-2024) –13800.00 USD, PI (Title - Investigation of crop water usage and soil hydrological dynamics of oil palm (Elaeis guineensis Jacq.) and rubber (Hevea brasiliensis Muell.Arg.) plantations in the low country wet zone of Sri Lanka).
- Sri Lanka Council for Agricultural Research & Policy under the national agricultural research plan (2019-2023) - 13000.00 USD, PI (Title -Identifying the impacts of climate variables on soil water and thermal dynamics in selected cropped fields of the Dry Zone of Sri Lanka).
- University of Peradeniya research grant (startup grant-2019-2022) – 3000.00 USD, PI (Title -Identifying the impacts of climate variable on soil water dynamics in selected rainfed cropped fields of the Dry Zone of Sri Lanka).
Collaborative grants currently held
- Swiss National Science Foundation (SNSF) (2021-2023) 504595.00 USD, project partner, (Title - Can organic farming practices increase nitrogen (N) use efficiency and decrease N losses in mature tea (Camellia sinensis L. (O.) Kuntze) plantations in Sri Lanka?).
- Sri Lanka Council for Agricultural Research & Policy under the national agricultural research plan (2021-2023) - 10,000.00 USD, CI (Title - Long term effect of single application of Rice Husk Biochar and Corn Cob Biochar on physical, hydrothermal properties and carbon dynamics in maize cultivated Reddish Brown Earth soil).
Publications
