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)
- Editor in Chief Tropical Agricultural Research Journal (2025 -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
- Machine learning and soil hydraulic properties
- 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 & Fellowships
- CAS-ANSO Fellowship 2025 - at the Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences (RCEES), Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), Beijing, China
- 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
