NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES OF SRI LANKA 120/10, …

NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES OF SRI LANKA (NASSL) PROFILES OF NOMINEES 2020/2021

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NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES OF SRI LANKA 120/10, Wijerama Mawata, Colombo 7. Email: <[email protected]>

Annexure I – Notice of the 42nd Annual General Meeting of the National Academy of Sciences of Sri Lanka To: all Fellows of the National Academy of Sciences of Sri Lanka Agenda item – Election of New Fellows The Council, in terms of Rules 3.11 to 3.13, has recommended the following nominees as eligible for election as Fellows vide rule 3.23.

LIST OF NOMINEES - Election of New Fellows: 2020/2021

A: MEDICAL, DENTAL AND VETERINARY SCIENCES 1. Asiri Samantha Abeyagunawardena 2. Sagarika Ekanayake 3. Gathsaurie Neelika Malavige 4. Bammanne Arachchige Hema Ranjan Premaratne 5. Udaya Kumara Ranawaka 6. Danansuriya Bogodage Mahinda Wickramaratne 7. Vithanage Pujitha Wickramasinghe

B: AGRICULTURE, FORESTRY AND FISHERIES 8. Oscar Amarasinghe 9. Mohamad Cassim Mohamed Iqbal

10. Anoma Janaki Mohotti 11. Keerthi Meepe Mohotti

12. Nissanka Arachchi Appuhamilage Sarath Premalal Nissanka 13. Athula Lokhamaniya Thilak Perera 14. Dharmapala Kankanamalage Nihal Gamini Pushpakumara 15. Kuruppu Mudiyanselage Swarnalatha Wimalasiri

C: ENGINEERING, ARCHITECTURE AND SURVEYING 16. Janaka Bandara Ekanayake 17. Joseph Rohan Lucas

D: LIFE AND EARTH SCIENCES 18. Harindra Joseph S Fernando 19. Liyanaarachchige Ranjith Jayasekara 20. Marakkal Manage Pathmalal 21. Herath Mudiyanselage Thalapitiye Gedera Amarasooriya Pitawala 22. Dissanayake Mudiyanselage Deepthi Yakandawala

E. CHEMICAL SCIENCES 23. Priyani Ashoka Paranagama

24. Pitumpe Appuhamilage Nimal Punyasiri 25. Meththika Suharshini Vithanage

F. SOCIAL SCIENCES & ANTHROPOLOGY 26. Imiya Mudiyanselage Kamala Liyanage

Date: 27 August 2021

Schedule to Annexure I


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1. Asiri Samantha Abeyagunawardena (Prof. Asiri Abeyagunawardena)

Proposer: Prof. B M Ratnayake Bandara Seconder: Prof. S A M Kularatne Date of Birth: 22nd October 1963 Profession: Senior Professor of Pediatrics Qualifications: MBBS (Univ. Peradeniya), Diploma in Child Health, MD (Paediatrics, Univ.

Colombo) Scientific Discipline: Medical

Scientific Achievements:

Professor Asiri Abeyagunawardena [MBBS (SL), MD (Col), OCH (Col), MRCP (UK), FRCPCH (UK)] is the Professor of Paediatrics and the current Dean of the Faculty of Medicine, University of Peradeniya. He is also a Consultant Paediatrician with a special interest in Paediatric Nephrology. He graduated from the University of Peradeniya winning the gold medal for the highest competence at the final MBBS examination. He was the first in the order of merit in both Part 1 and Part 2 MD paediatrics examinations and was the recipient of the gold medal for best performance at the DCH examination. He was elected a Fellow of the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health in 2006. He received the Outstanding Asian Paediatrician Award from the Asia Pacific Paediatric Association (2018). He had the rare distinction of being invited as a Guest Speaker to as many as nineteen International Conferences held outside Sri Lanka (2004-2019). He delivered six orations at national and international distinguished gatherings (2002-2018). He received four Presidential Awards for outstanding scientific research (2007-2014). He has over 50 original peer-reviewed research publications in reputed journals and over 100 conference presentations both nationally and internationally, some of which received the best presentation awards. He was instrumental in developing dedicated paediatric nephrology services including first paediatric renal transplant programme in Sri Lanka at Peradeniya Hospital (2004). He was the Chairperson of the Board of Study in Paediatrics (2015-2018) and the President of the Sri Lanka College of Paediatricians (2017). He served as the Director of the Centre for Education Research and Training on Chronic Kidney Disease, University of Peradeniya (2014-2018).


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2. Sagarika Ekanayake (Prof. Sagarika Ekanayake)

Proposer: Prof. H M D Namal Priyantha Seconder: Prof. P R T Cumaranatunga Date of Birth: 02nd November 1965 Profession: Senior Professor in Biochemistry Qualifications: BSc (Spe in Chemistry, Univ. Peradeniya), MPhil (SJP), PhD (Lund, Sweden), C Chem, F I Chem C, Fellow (IUPAC) Scientific Discipline: Medical


Academic Achievements: Obtained B.Sc. (Special) degree in Chemistry (Second upper) (University of Peradeniya, 1992), M.Phil. Biochemistry (University of Sri Jayewardenepura - 1999) and Ph.D. in Food Chemistry & Applied Nutrition (Lund University, Sweden-2005). Currently Senior Professor in Biochemistry (USJ).

Recognition and Honours Received: Recipient of > 40 awards/honours for research including prestigious awards, Dr. CL de Silva Gold Medal (2013), Prof. MUS Sultanbawa Award for Research (Chemistry) in 2008 & 2015, Zonta Woman of Achievement Award (Science and Technology-2014), Dr. Henry Rajaratnam Award (2016), NASTEC Award for Excellence in Scientific Research (2009), Presidential (1999, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2014) & merit awards for scientific publications (2012, 2013, 2015, 2016), Vice Chancellors Award (2016), many Fellowships from international and local agencies. Delivered Prof Stanley Wijesundara oration (2019), Cited in Marquis Who is Who in the World 2014 & 2015; Who is Who in Science and Engineering 2016-2017.

Contribution to the Field and Its Practical Applications: Excellent teacher with nearly two and half decades of teaching experience, who has taught Biochemistry and Food & Nutrition in many state and non-state higher education institutes and for postgraduates. Has produced data on nutrient composition and glycaemic responses of over 100 typical Sri Lankan foods and data made available via database and publications for access to nutritionists, medical practitioners and general public. Collaborates with food industries and research organization in determining the nutrient composition and glycaemic indices and toxicity of market products or novel products produced targeting various categories of individuals and food product labeling for GI. Contributed to development the FBDG for Sri Lankans in 2012 and been in the expert panel and involved in updating the FBDG in 2020. Research in Clinical Biochemistry led to identify some unstudied new biomarkers in Sri Lankan CVD and breast cancer patients. Contributes as an expert on borderline products committee in the NMRA, Sri Lanka. Has authored <65 publications in peer - reviewed journals, produced over 200 research communications and contributed to book chapters and text books.

Exercise of Scientific Leadership: Obtained over 25 research/equipment grants from local (NSF, NRC, University) and international bodies (IPICS & IFS, Sweden, WHO & India-Sri Lanka Foundation) as the Principal Investigator. Has supervised 06 Ph.D. 08 M.Phil. and 06 MSc students, trained numerous under/graduates on research methods. Project Leader (2007) 2009)/Deputy Leader (2004-2006) project SRI: 07(IPICS, Uppsala University, Sweden); President, Institute of Chemistry Ceylon (2020/21); President (Section A-2012), Chairperson, General Research Committee (2017), Awards Committee (2019), Science Education Committee (2018), Assistant Editor (2013-2016) of SLAAS; National Representative for the Division VII (Chemistry and Human Health) IUPAC (2018-2019); delivered over 10 invited lectures locally and internationally.


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3. Gathsaurie Neelika Malavige (Prof. Neelika Malavige)

Proposer: Prof. H J de Silva Seconder: Prof. N R de Silva Date of Birth: 21st March 1974 Profession: Professor - Immunology and Molecular Medicine Qualifications: MBBS (Col), MRCP (UK), DPhil (Oxon), FRCP (Lond), FRCPath (UK), AFHEA

(Associate Fellow of Higher Education Academy, UK) Scientific Discipline: Medical


Neelika Malavige graduated MBBS from the University of Colombo in 2000 obtaining a first class. She obtained a PhD on Viral Immunology at the University of Oxford, funded by a Commonwealth Scholarship. She passed MRCP (UK) and was subsequently elected a Fellow of the Royal College of Physicians and the Royal College of Pathologists, UK.

Neelika has received the CVCD Excellence Award for Young Researchers in Health Sciences in 2008, a Ten Outstanding Young Persons Award in 2011, Third World Academy for Scientists Award for the Best Young Researcher in 2012, and a Zonta Woman of Achievement award in 2014. She received the Inspirational Woman of the Year award at the Top 50 Professional and Career Women Awards 2020 for her work on COVID-19.

Her main research has been on dengue. Her work has significantly improved our understanding of the pathogenesis of this infection. Her team was responsible for identification of mediators of vascular leakage during severe dengue, leading to two clinical trials for potential treatments. She and her team have also made significant contributions during the COVID-19 pandemic, including whole genomic sequencing of the virus, and studying the immunopathogenesis and correlates of protection. She is widely published and cited (Google h-index 29), has delivered several orations and received presidential awards for scientific publication every year from 2006 to 2018.

She is the Head and Professor in the Department of Immunology and Molecular Medicine, Faculty of Medical Sciences, University of Sri Jayewardenepura, and Director of the Centre for Dengue Research in the University. She has been an academic visitor at the University of Oxford since 2008. She is a council member of the International Society of Infectious Diseases since 2012 and was elected as one of the 10 members of the Executive Board of ISID in 2020.


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4. Bammanne Arachchige Hema Ranjan Premaratne (Prof. Ranjan Premaratne) Proposer: Prof. N R de Silva Seconder: Prof. H J de Silva Date of Birth: 07th November 1964 Profession: Professor in Medicine Qualifications: MBBS, MD, FRCP(Gls), FCCP Scientific Discipline: Medical

Scientific Achievements: Prof. Ranjan Premaratna is Senior Professor in Medicine, at the Faculty of Medicine, University of Kelaniya. He had specialist training in infectious diseases at the Royal Liverpool University Hospital, UK, and training in advanced rickettsial disease diagnostics through an Oak Ridge Institute of Science and Engineering Research Fellowship at CDC, Atlanta, Georgia, USA. He is a Fellow of the Royal College of Physicians, Glasgow and a visiting lecturer and examiner for the MSc in Clinical Management of Tropical Diseases offered by Charite University, Berlin, Germany. Prof Premaratna has received President’s Awards for Scientific Publication on six occasions. He has received several prizes from the Sri Lanka Medical Association, including the K. Rajasooriya award and Sir Frank Gunasekara award in 2000 and the E.M. Wijerama award in 2001. He delivered the P.B. Fernando Memorial Oration in 2010, the Cyril Fernando Memorial Oration in 2012, and the E.V Pieris Memorial Oration in 2017. He has 56 peer-reviewed scientific publications indexed in Pub Med, and a Google Scholar H-index of 17. Prof Premaratna is a world renowned expert on rickettsial infections. He has been invited to speak on this and other infectious diseases at many international conferences and national meetings. He established the Rickettsial Disease Diagnosis and Research Laboratory in the Faculty of Medicine at Ragama in 2008 and to date, nearly 6000 samples have been tested in this laboratory. Prof Premaratna has research collaborations with the Centers for Disease Control in Atlanta, Georgia, Texas and Chicago Universities in USA; Mahidol University Bangkok; and Seoul National University, Korea. He is the recipient of a NRC research grant, and has received three other research grants from the University of Kelaniya.


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5. Udaya Kumara Ranawaka (Prof. Udaya Ranawaka) Proposer: Prof. Colvin Gooneratne Seconder: Prof. H J de Silva Date of Birth: 21st September 1962 Profession: Professor in Neurology, Consultant Neurologist Qualifications: MBBS, MD, MRCP (UK), FRCP (Lond), FCCP, FAHA, FAAN Scientific Discipline: Medical

Scientific Achievements Professor Udaya Ranawaka is Professor in Neurology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Kelaniya. He obtained his postgraduate MD (Medicine) in 1996. He was board certified as a Specialist in Neurology and obtained MRCP (UK) from the Royal College of Physicians of London in 1999. He is a Fellow of the Ceylon College of Physicians, Royal College of Physicians of London, American Stroke Association and the American Academy of Neurology. He has been awarded eight orations by national and international professional organisations. He has won over 25 national and international research awards, including the Bruce S. Schoenberg International Award in Neuroepidemiology (American Academy of Neurology), President’s Award for Scientific Publications and the Award for the Best Publication by a Sri Lankan Physician. He conducted the first prospective studies on adult central nervous system (CNS) infections in Sri Lanka. His findings included the discovery of pathogens not usually associated with CNS infections (some with unique Sri Lankan genomes). He was the National Coordinator in the first international, multi-centre clinical trial on stroke in Sri Lanka, and is a Principal Investigator in several international stroke trials. He conducted the first community epidemiological survey on stroke, and established the first hospital-based stroke registry in Sri Lanka. His articles on the ten-year experience of, and the awareness of, clinical trial registration are the first such reports world-wide. His review on neurotoxicity in snakebite is among the most cited in the field. He is a past President of the Ceylon College of Physicians, Association of Sri Lankan Neurologists and the National Stroke Association of Sri Lanka. He played a key role in establishing the Sri Lanka Clinical Trials Registry, and his efforts were pivotal in it being recognized as a Primary Registry of the WHO International Clinical Trials Registry Platform.


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6. Danansuriya Bogodage Mahinda Wickramaratne (Prof. Mahinda Wickramaratne)

Proposer: Prof. S H P P Karunaratne Seconder: Prof. U L B Jayasinghe Date of Birth: 26th May 1958 Profession: Professor – Pharmaceutical Chemistry

Qualifications: BSc (Sp. in Chemistry, Univ Peradeniya), M.I. Chem. C. in Chemistry, PhD (Univ Peradeniya)

Scientific Discipline: Medical/Health/Chemical Sciences

Scientific Achievements D.B. Mahinda Wickramaratne obtained B.Sc. (Chemistry Sp.) in 1981 from the University of Peradeniya. Soon after completing his B.Sc., he joined Prof. Vijaya Kumar’s research group at Peradeniya to work on natural products of Rutaceous species and was also selected to work under the international Programme in Chemical Sciences, Royal institute of Technology, Stockholm, Sweden. He obtained his doctoral degree from the University of Peradeniya in 1987. During 1987-1997 period, Dr. Wickramaratne held several postdoctoral positions in Sweden and USA. His postdoctoral experience at the College of pharmacies at UlC, Chicago and Kansas University immensely helped him developing the Allied Health Science degree programmes, specially the Pharm. programme, later at Peradeniya. After setting down in sri Lanka permanently, he initially served for the Sabaragamuwa University of Sri Lanka and later for the University of Peradeniya. During the last 27-year period, he has activity contributed to the university administration, to his research discipline and also to knowledge dissemination. Prof. Wickramaratne served as the Dean/Faculty of Applied Sciences, Sabaragamuwa University of Sri Lanka for five years and also as the Dean/Faculty of Allied Health Sciences, University of Peradeniya for nine years. He is well recognized for his efforts to establish four-year (120 credits) degree programmes in Allied Health Sciences for the first time in Sri Lanka. Although he was heavily involved in academic administration, he has managed to maintain a google scholar h-index of 14. He has two US patents to his credit and one has gone up to the phase II clinical trials in US. He was the founding Editor-in-Chief of the 'Bulleting of Nursing and Allied Health Sciences' research journal published by the University of Peradeniya and has supervised several M.Sc., M.Phil. and Ph.D. students.


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7. Vithanage Pujitha Wickramasinghe (Prof. Pujitha Wickramasinghe) Proposer: Prof. Vajira Dissanayake Seconder: Prof. Senaka Rajapakse Date of Birth: 17th February 1968 Profession: Senior Professor in Paediatrics Qualifications: MBBS (Col), DCH (Col), PhD (Col) Scientific Discipline: Medical

Scientific Achievements

ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENTS Prof Wickramasinghe graduated from University of Colombo in 1996 with second class honours. He obtained his MD in paediatrics (2002) and PhD (2010) from University of Colombo, and perused special training in clinical nutrition at University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia.

RECOGNITION He has secured many research grants from both local and foreign organizations such as NSF, NRC, IAEA, Gates Foundation, University of Colombo, and UGC.

He has been an invited speaker at many forums and has delivered 8 national orations. He has secured many research awards including CVCD award (Senior category) in Health Sciences (2018).

CONTRIBUTION Prof Wickramasinghe' s research has highlighted some of the disease burdens prevalent in the country and draw the attention of the authorities of both ministries of Health and Education, to take action. Some of the noteworthy contributions have been highlighing the ethnic differences in body composition and developing new body composition assessment methods for Sri Lankan children. His involvement in clinical trials had been on use of vitamin E in the management of Dengue Fever, used of metformin in obesity, benefits of iron supplementation during infancy and clinical trial of dengue vaccine.

He has contributed with his expertise to WHO, UNICEF, Ministries of Education and Health in developing technical manuals/guides.

LEADERSHIP He has been able to guide many juniors to engage in research. He has supervised ten post graduated research of different MD programmes of the PGIM and co-supervised ten research degree students (MPhil/PhD) with some are still ongoing. Collaborations with local international universities are noteworthy.

Most of his grants have not only produced research results, but has given the opportunity to obtain higher education qualifications to juniors. He has taken leadership in setting up of MSc Human Nutrition and MD clinical nutrition courses in the PGIM. Currently he had taken leadership to establish a centre of excellence in nutrition at the Faculty of Medicine, University of Colombo, which would help to bring the scattered expertise on nutrition in the university thus enable to provide an advocacy role as well as attract more grants and students.


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8. Oscar Amarasinghe (Prof. Oscar Amarasinghe) Proposer: Prof. Upali Amarasinghe Seconder: Prof. P R T Cumaranatunge Date of Birth: 07th July 1950 Profession: Chancellor, Ocean University of Sri Lanka Qualifications: B.Sc. (Agric, Peradeniya), M.Sc. (Agric, Belgium), Ph.D. (Economics & Social

Sciences, Belgium) Scientific Discipline: Agriculture/Social Sciences

Scientific Achievements Oscar Amarasinghe started his career as a teacher in agricultural economics. He possesses a B.Sc. degree in agriculture and a M.Sc. degree in agricultural development, and a Ph.D. in economic social sciences, the latter focusing on small scale fisheries. He is a pioneer fisheries economist in the country and introduced this subject to the agriculture curricula of the University of Ruhuna.

He was a pioneering academic staff member of the University of Ruhuna, Dean of the Faculty of Agriculture in 1989, and served in the University Council for nearly 7 years. He made the Department of Agricultural Economics a research hub for small scale fisheries, which emerged as the major South Asian group of small-scale fisheries. Establishing links with the UNDP, he trained undergraduates as UN Interns in local economic development. He had been involved in more than 12 international research projects with a large number of universities all around the world, producing an array of Ph.D.s and Masters.

Professor Amarasinghe led the first National Fisheries Policy development process in 2004. He also led the process of developing the ILO "Work in the Fishing Sector Convention" during the 2004 - 2007. He initiated the establishment of the Sri Lanka Forum for Small Scale fisheries, which conducted the process of implementing the FAO Voluntary Guidelines for securing small scale fisheries and formulated a small scale fisheries policy in 2019. With the emergence of the CoViD pandemic in March 2020, he worked for the World Bank as a National Consultant in guiding the bank on assistance for the fisheries sector.

Taking consideration his experience in the fisheries sector, he was appointed a member of the Scientific and Technical Committee of NARA and a council member of the National Research Council. He was recently appointed the Chancellor to the Ocean University of Sri Lanka.


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9. Mohamad Cassim Mohamed Iqbal (Prof. Mohamed Iqbal)

Proposer: Prof. D S A Wijesundera Seconder: Prof. G Seneviratne Date of Birth: 01st December 1956 Profession: Associate Research Professor Qualifications: B.Sc. (Agriculture) Hons., Depl-Ing Agr. (ETH, Zurich), PhD (Goettingen) Scientific Discipline: Agriculture, Forestry

Scientific Achievements Prof. Iqbal has a B.Sc. Agric. (Hons) degree from the University of Peradeniya, Dipl. lng. -Agr. from the ETH, Zurich and PhD from the University of Gottingen, Germany. He has authored over 60 peer reviewed publications and numerous proceedings in scientific conferences with an H-index of 15 and over 640 citations. He has mentored and supervised many undergraduate, M.Sc., M.Phil. and PhD thesis. He received a Rotary Foundation Freedom from Hunger Scholarship to read for his PhD. He is a recipient of Fellowships from the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD) on four occasions and a fellowship from the Erasmus-Mundus programme of the European Union. The Presidential Awards for Research were given to him on nine occasions. He has received eight research grants from the NSF and NRC, as principal and co-grantee and research and travel grants from the British Ecological Society. Currently he is a co-investigator of the NRC Target oriented mega grant to control dengue. He is the Project Leader for Plant and Environmental Sciences at the National Institute of Fundamental Studies. At the national level he prepared for the NASTEC, a review format for Science and Technology institutions, which was later adapted to review S&T institutions in Sri Lanka. He prepared the Vulnerability and Adaptation Assessment for the Second National Communication on Climate Change submitted to the UNFCCC by the Climate Change Secretariat, Sri Lanka. He served on SLAAS Committee for the Popularization for Science, Ethics Committee, Science and Technology Advisory Committee, Chairman of the General Research Committee, and on the editorial board of the Ceylon Journal of Science. He was a member of the Environment and Biodiversity Working Group of the NSF and a member of the Councils of the Institute of Biology and the Royal Asiatic Society. Currently he is a member of the Board of Study for Crop Science of the PGIA and Board of Governors of the NIFS.


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10. Anoma Janaki Mohotti (Dr. Janaki Mohotti)

Proposer: Dr. Ranjith Mahindapala Seconder: Prof. H P M Gunasena Date of Birth: 07th February 1965 Profession: Senior Lecturer, Dept. of Crop Science, Univ. of Peradeniya Qualifications: B.Sc. (Agriculture, Univ. of Peradeniya), Ph.D. (Plant Physiology, Univ. of

Reading, UK) Scientific Discipline: Agriculture, Plant Physiology Scientific Achievements Dr. Janaki Mohotti holds B.Sc. (Hons.) in Agriculture and Ph.D. in Plant Physiology (1998). She has about 75 research papers, 18 book chapters, and an h-index of 4, RG Score of 9.33. She is a recipient of Presidential Awards for research, and has been recognised for scientific research in international scientific journals cited in SCI. She is a Fellow, a Chartered Member and the current President of the Institute of Biology of Sri Lanka.

Dr. Mohotti has made significant contribution to Tea Research Institute (TRI) in the areas of plant physiology, chlorophyll fluorescence, ecophysiology, and plantation crop management. Her time is largely spent on teaching: she is a member of Teaching Panels of M.Sc. in Plantation Crops, Board of Study in Crop Science and Agricultural Biology of the Postgraduate Institute of Agriculture where she supervises about five students annually. She is a visiting lecturer in Plant Physiology at Sabaragamuwa and Uva Wellassa Universities. She functions as the Chief, Editorial Board of Tropical Agricultural Research, and as a reviewer of number of journals, including Annals of Botany, Scientia Horticulturae, Journal of Agriculture and Biodiversity Research, and International Forestry and Environmental Science. She is the coordinator of Study Abroad programs offered to the students to Michigan State, Tasmania and California Davis Universities. Dr. Mohotti is the Coordinator, Annual Congress of PGIA and a Member of Quality Assurance Cell and Curriculum Development Committee. She is a Senior Student Counsellor, Chairperson, Student Advisory and Welfare Committee, and Chairperson, Publications and Public Relations Committee of the University. She has supervised over 150 undergraduate and post-graduate students and has guided research monitoring at the University and at the Tea Research Institute. She is a reviewer of Research Grants (National Science Foundation), and a technical reviewer of the Plant Physiology Programme of the Coconut Research Institute.


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11. Keerthi Meepe Mohotti (Dr. Keerthi Mohotti) Proposer: Dr. Ranjith Mahindapala Seconder: Prof. H P M Gunasena Date of Birth: 10th June 1964 Profession: Deputy Director Research (Production), Tea Research Institute of Sri Lanka Qualifications: B.Sc. (Agriculture, Univ. of Peradeniya), Ph.D. (Phyto Nematology, Univ. of

Reading, UK) Scientific Discipline: Agriculture

Scientific Achievements Dr Keerthi Mohotti holds B.Sc. (Hons.) in Agriculture and Ph.D. in Phyto-nematology (1998). He has over 100 research papers, 10 book chapters, and an h-index of 6, RG Score of 11.8 and i1O index of 5. He is a recipient of Presidential Awards for research. Merit Award for Scientific Publications, and best scientist and life time awards for tea research. He is a Fellow, a Chartered Member and a Past President of the Institute of Biology of Sri Lanka. Dr. Mohotti has a life-time contribution to Tea Research Institute (TRI), initially as a phyto-nematologist but later in a number of areas including organic tea production, climate smart farming, sustainable plant protection, agricultural pollutants, and product quality assurance. His research has helped the industry significantly benefitting small-holders, plantations processors and exporters. His research is well recognised by international organisations: he is a Working Group member of Inter-Governmental Group on Tea of FAO on Pesticide Residue Management and Organic Tea; Member of PeTAC on addressing nationally and internationally sensitive crisis situations in the tea industry which have arisen from time to time (e.g. Khapra beetle menace). He is a member of the Asian Research Network of Organic Agriculture and Lanka Organic Agricultural Movement. Dr. Mohotti is a visiting lecturer in a number of academic institutions. At the TRI, Dr. Mohotti provides guidance in execution and monitoring of research as Thrust and Project Lead on Nematology and Sustainable Agriculture and overall R&D on tea cultivation and production. He is the Chairmen, National Plant Protection Committee (Council for Agricultural Research Policy), Committee on Organic Standards (Sri Lanka Standards Institute), and the National Steering Committee (GEF Small Grants Programme, UNDP). He led the establishment of the Central Biological Control laboratory, Nature Farming Research and Demonstration Area, TRI Organic-Conventional comparison and Biodynamic, Organic-Conventional comparison trials at TRI.


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12. Nissanka Arachchi Appuhamilage Sarath Premalal Nissanka (Prof. SP Nissanka) Proposer: Prof. H M D Namal Priyantha Seconder: Prof. R B Mapa Date of Birth: 24th June 1959 Profession: Professor in Crop Science Qualifications: B.Sc. Agric Hon. (Univ. of Peradeniya), M.Sc. (1992) & Ph.D. (1996), University of

Guelph, Canada Scientific Discipline: Agriculture, Agroforestry/Forestry Scientific Achievements

Academic Achievements: S.P. Nissanka (Nominee) obtained his B.Sc. (special) in Agriculture (2nd Upper) in 1986 from University of Peradeniya, M.Sc. (1992) and Ph.D. (1996) from University of Guelph, Canada. He is a Professor in Crop Science at University of Peradeniya.

Recognition and Honours Received: Nominee has been serving 30 years as a specialist in Agronomy, Crop Physiology and Agroforestry. His outstanding contributions led him to receive prestigious awards of Canadian Commonwealth Scholarship, Dr. John Bandeen Memorial Scholarship and University of Guelph Graduate Awards for highest academic achievements. He received four Presidential and two National Research Council Merits Awards for publications of SCI journals. He is a collaborator of many national/international research institutes, and led to receive UNDP-GEF-6 cycle grant to the country, and is instrumental in REDD+(CBR+) project as the national consultant.

Contribution to the Field and Its Practical Applications: Nominee is an expert in agronomy and crop physiology, climate change impacts, and finding adaptation and mitigation strategies. He has co-authored 74 publications in peer-reviewed journals/proceedings, over 80 research communications and 19 Books/Book Chapters/Technical Reports/Editorial works, and earned h- index: 16, i10-index:25 with 1098 citations (Google Scholar). He is an excellent teacher, contributing to improve the curriculum to match future needs and to uplift postgraduate education by developing several M.Sc. programs. He has been working on identifying resilient varieties to abiotic stresses and management systems to increase resource use efficiency.

Exercise of Scientific Leadership: Nominee is currently serving as the Director of the Centre for Environmental Studies. He has received 12 local and 13 foreign research grants as principal/co• investigator which brought over Rs. 300 million foreign currencies to the country and worked in collaboration with many Institutes/Universities/Departments. He has supervised 05 Ph.D., 08 M.Phil., and 32 M.Sc. students.


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13. Athula Lokhamaniya Thilak Perera (Prof. Athula Perera)

Proposer: Dr. Ranjith Mahindapala Seconder: Prof. Vijaya Kumar Date of Birth: 21ST October 1946 Profession: Emeritus Professor Qualifications: B.Sc. Agric. (Sri Lanka), M.Sc. (Japan), Ph.D. (UK), D.Sc. (Honoris Causa) (Sabaragamuwa Univ) Scientific Discipline: Agriculture; Genetics/Biotechnology

Scientific Achievements Professor Perera holds M.Sc. (Plant Breeding, Japan) and Ph.D. (Applied Genetics, UK). He conducted post-doctoral research in rice biotechnology in the UK and USA. Professor Perera is the only Sri Lankan recipient of a Post-Doctoral Fellowship by the Rockefeller Foundation. He was conferred D.Sc. (Honoris Causa) by the Sabaragamuwa University. He was a recipient of International Awards for successful completion of the Biosafety Framework Development Project, Sri Lanka (2003), and for molecular breeding tomatoes (Australasian Conference on Plant Breeding, 2009). Professor Perera has contributed his expertise significantly to national and international efforts. He spearheaded the establishment of the Agricultural Biotechnology Centre at the University of Peradeniya in 2000. As a contribution to Sri Lanka's commitment to biodiversity conservation, he provided invaluable technical and managerial leadership as the National Coordinator of the Biosafety Project of the United Nations Environmental Programme (2003 - 2006). He led awareness programmes on biosafety. He continues as a member of the National Experts Committee and Biosafety Coordinating Committee of the Ministry of Environment. Because of his expertise and experience, UNDP requested him to develop the Biosafety Framework in the Maldives, and functioned as a Consultant in Biosafety for FAO of the UN. He was the Chairman of the committee that prepared the National Biosafety Policy, and a member of the National Biotechnology Policy development (NSF) and the Policy for establishing Genomic Centres (NASTEC), and a Member of Science Advisory Board of the International Barcode of Life programme. Professor Perera provides scientific leadership to a number of national agencies. e.g. NSF. Sugarcane Research Institute, and the Council for Agricultural Research Policy. He was the first Director, Agricultural Biotechnology Centre, and Director of the Postgraduate Institute of Agriculture (2006-2011), both of the University of Peradeniya, and is currently the Chairman of Sri Lanka Accreditation Board.


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14. Dharmapala Kankanamalage Nihal Gamini Pushpakumara (Prof. DKNG Pushpakumara) Proposer: Prof. Nimal Gunatilleke Seconder: Prof. Ranjith Mapa Date of Birth: 17th October 1963 Profession: Senior Professor in Crop Science Qualifications: B.Sc. Agric Hon. (Univ. of Peradeniya), M.Sc. (1994) & Ph.D. (1997), University of

Oxford, UK Scientific Discipline: Agriculture, Forestry Scientific Achievements

Academic Achievements: D.K.N.G. Pushpakumara obtained B.Sc. degree in Agriculture (first class honours) in 1990, from University of Peradeniya, and completed his M.Sc. (Forestry and its relation to land use) and Ph.D. (Forest genetics and germplasm conservation) degrees in 1993 and 1997, respectively both at University of Oxford. Since 1991 he is serving as in the faculty. Currently he is serving as a Senior Professor in Crop Science.

Recognition and Honours Received: He is an internationally renowned agroforest/crop scientist. Due to his outstanding research contributions, he was appointed as the Country-Liaison-Scientist to the World Agroforestry Centre from 2004 to 2015. He is a Visiting Professor in Transelvania University of Brasov, Romania since 2018. He has received annual-research-excellence-award-2019 from FoA.

Contribution to the Field and its Practical Applications: He has expertise in areas of agroforestry, forest genetics, agrobiodiversity, tree-domestication, pteridology and plant• invasion. His research programs have brought underutilized fruit trees, cinnamon, agroforestry-homegarden and pteridology research to new era. He has co-authored 79 publications in peer-reviewed-journals, produced over 22 research-communications and 44 book chapters/books. He is an excellent teacher with nearly about two decades of teaching experience, and has taught at undergraduate and postgraduate levels. He has served as a member of reviewing panels in a number of national and international journals.

Exercise of Scientific Leadership: Currently he is the Dean of the Faculty. He was the Head of the Department of CS. He has served member in many national committees and task forces, and national and international professional associations. He has prepared the second national report for CBD, National Biosafety Framework, National Action Plan for Agrobiodiversity Conservation, Tea-Sector-Strategic-Plan for 2020-2025 and country report of Forest Genetic Resources. He was able to obtain many research-grants, has supervised many Ph.D., M.Phil. and M.Sc. students, and network scientists with regional and international centres of excellence.

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15. Kuruppu Mudiyanselage Swarnalatha Wimalasiri (Prof. Swarna Wimalasiri) Proposer: Prof. N S Kumar Seconder: Prof. Ranjith Mapa Date of Birth: 21st March 1960 Profession: Associate Professor Qualifications: B.Sc. Hons (Chemistry, Univ. of Peradeniya, Ph.D. (Carbohydrate Chemistry), Postgraduate Diploma Chemistry & Chemical Engineering (Tokyo Institute of Technology), Japan Scientific Discipline: Agriculture

Scientific Achievements Prof. K.M.S. Wimalasiri graduated from University of Peradeniya (1984) with a special degree in Chemistry (Second Class-Lower division), received Ph.D. in Carbohydrate Chemistry (1992) under the supervision of Prof. N. Savitri Kumar from the same University, and received a Diploma in Chemistry & Chemical Engineering (Bioactive carbohydrates) from Tokyo Institute of Technology, Japan (1996). Prof. Wimalasiri has been serving as a Senior Lecturer/Associate Professor for about 20 years in the Department of Food Science & Technology. She served as the Head of Department of Food Science & Technology (2011-2014) and Acting Head of Department of Nursing (2010- 2017). She received IPICS research Fellowship (1988/89; Stockholm University, Sweden), Tokyo Tech-UNESCO fellowship (1995/96; Tokyo Institute of Technology, Japan), UNESCO training fellowship (2001; Central Food Research Institute, Mysoore, India), Fulbright fellowship (2006/07; University of California-Davis, USA). She has received TWAS/NARESA prize for the best young scientist (1993); Yamagata Tatsuya award for the best young scientist by GLYCO TIT, Japan (1995); Presidential award (2008) and National Research Council (NRC)merit awards (2014, 2015) for scientific publication. She is serving as a technical expert to Sri Lanka Accreditation Board (SLAB) on chemical and food testing laboratories (2010 to date). Prof. Wimalasiri is actively engaged in carbohydrate research, analysis of food constituent and allied disciplines. Her work on inulin type prebiotic carbohydrates has resulted in a prebiotic milk beverage. She is a collaborating scientist to an NSF health science research project on understanding food consumption pattern of CKDu patients in Girandurukotte area. Prof. Wimalasiri is a food analyst working mainly on food constituents with special attention to agro-biodiversity of edible plants and inter-relationships between food and health. She has supervised two Ph.D. students and three M.Phil. students and many M.Sc. students from both PGIA and PGIS, University of Peradeniya.


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16. Janaka Bandara Ekanayake (Prof. Janaka Bandara Ekanayake) Proposer: Prof. Priyan Dias Seconder: Prof. Lakshman Dissanayake Date of Birth: 09th October 1964 Profession: Chair Professor of Electrical and Electronic Engineering Qualifications: BSc Eng (Hons), PhD (UMIST) Scientific Discipline: Engineering


Janaka Bandara Ekanayake obtained BScEng (First Class Honours) from Peradeniya University in 1990 and PhD from the University of Manchester Institute of Science and Technology, UK in 1995. He has published over 80 refereed journal papers and 100 conferences papers and co-authored 7 books. He has a Google Scholar h-index of 45 with 11839 number of citations, the highest for engineering in Sri Lanka. He has held research grants in Sri Lanka and UK that total 2 million GBP.

An article published by researchers from Stanford University and Elsevier BV in 2020 ranked him among the top 2% of researchers in the world (2nd in Sri Lanka). He obtained the CVCD Excellence Awards in 2018, NSF Research Award for Scientific Excellence in 2018, and 7 Presidential Awards for Research. Prof. Ekanayake is a Fellow of IEEE (USA), IET (UK), and IESL. He is also recognized as an IEEE PES distinguished lecturer. He has given keynote and invited speeches at many conferences in the UK, China, and India.

Prof. Ekanayake has contributed to renewable energy generation and integration in the UK, Bangladesh, Vietnam and Sri Lanka. He a member of the editorial board of IEEE Transaction on Energy Conversion (2007 to 2019), IET Journal of Renewable Energy (2015 to date), Journal of Wind Energy (2013 to date), and Ceylon Journal of Science (2016 to 2018). He was the Organising Vice Chairperson of the First IEEE PES conference of Innovative Smart Grid Technologies (2012) held in Tianjin, China.

Prof. Ekanayake is the Chair Professor of Electrical and Electronic Engineering of the University of Peradeniya. He is also a visiting professor at Cardiff University, UK and Universiti Tenaga National, Malaysia. Further, he is the Chairman of the Expert Committee on Renewable Energy since May 2020 and was Chairman of the NIFS (2019).


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17. Joseph Rohan Lucas (Prof. J. Rohan Lucas)

Proposer: Prof. Priyan Dias Seconder: Prof. K K Y W Perera Date of Birth: 17th October 1947 Profession: Emeritus Professor in Electrical Engineering Qualifications: B.Sc. Eng (Cey), M.Sc. (Manch), Ph.D. (Manch) Scientific Discipline: Earth Sciences

Scientific Achievements Professor J.R. Lucas, BScEng (Hons) (Ceylon, 1969) obtained an MSc and PhD from University of Manchester Institute of Science and Technology (UMIST), finishing his doctorate (1974) within just 2 years. He was appointed Professor of Electrical Engineering at Moratuwa University (1994), Senior Professor (1999), and Emeritus Professor on retirement (2014). He held Visiting Professorships at the Universities of Manitoba (Canada), Canterbury (NZ) and Auckland (NZ); and a Commonwealth Research Fellowship at UMIST (1981/82). He has 97 publications on high voltage, power systems, solar energy and transformer modelling; his IEEE Transactions on Power Delivery paper being cited 150 times. The Institution of Engineers Sri Lanka (IESL) honoured Prof. Lucas in 2013 with an Engineering Excellence Award; and Moratuwa University in 2017 by the· naming of the Rohan Lucas High Voltage Laboratory, after it was equipped, again in his honour, by Lanka Transformers Ltd, one of Sri Lanka's most successful engineering companies. Prof. Lucas held the University of Canterbury's prestigious Erskine Fellowship in 1997. He has many other university and national awards to his credit too. Professor Lucas's name is synonymous with High Voltage Engineering in Sri Lanka and beyond. He has published a textbook on it (cited 85 times), in addition to 9 others in electrical engineering. His Lucas CT Model is included in the internationally used PSCAD electromagnetic transient software program's Master Library. He has been consulted by the Ministry of Power and Energy, Ceylon Electricity Board, Public Utilities Commission of Sri Lanka and Telecommunications Regulatory Commission. At Moratuwa University, Professor Lucas has been Head of the Electrical Engineering Department for a total period of 7 years; and Head of Computer Science & Engineering for a year. He is a Fellow of the IESL and the Institution of Electrical Engineers, U.K (where he has been Chairman of the Sri Lanka Branch).


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18. Harindra Joseph S Fernando (Prof. Harindra Fernando) Proposer: Prof. Tissa Illangasekera Seconder: Prof. Lal Chandrasena Date of Birth: 19th October 1955 Profession: Wayne and Diana Murdy Professor of Engineering and Geosciences Qualifications: B.Sc. (Mechanical Engineering, Univ of Moratuwa), M.A and Ph.D. (Earth &

Planetary Sciences, USA), Post-Doctoral Fellow (Environmental Engineering Sciences, USA)

Scientific Discipline: Earth Sciences

Scientific Achievements Fernando's seminal contributions span an impressive array of topics in earth sciences and engineering. He excels in creation of fundamental knowledge and its insightful applications to practical problems. His approaches include elegant theoretical analysis, laboratory experiments, numerical simulations, field experimentation augmented by multidisciplinary collaborations. His record includes more than 300 papers in archival journals; an ISI H-index of 41 and Google H-index 56; $43 million in research funding that supported a remarkable academic enterprise of training 24 PhDs, 34 MS and 25 post-docs. Fernando's early groundbreaking work (published with Lord Julian Hunt of University of Cambridge) demonstrated how internal waves and turbulence affect atmosphere and ocean via nonlinear wave-turbulence resonance mechanisms, which formed the basis for parametrizations for predictive atmosphere-ocean models. In the early 1990's, Fernando introduced scales for rotating (deep) convection, setting the gold standard for an expansive research topic. He pioneered a new research area, Urban Fluid Mechanics, advocating multi-scale (nested holistic modeling of urban systems that garnered international accolades (e.g., PBS News Hour). In 2008, the Arizona Republic newspaper honored him as one of the top five contributors to improvement of life in the city for his work on Urban Heat Island. Fernando's research on the role of coral poaching in 2005 Sumatra Tsunami devastation in Sri Lanka was featured in top scientific literature (Science and Nature) and in international media (e.g., New York Times, Herald Tribune, US National Public Radio, including and Sri Lanka Daily News/Mirror). He demonstrated destructive flow 'jetting' through missing corals, which led to new coastal conservation policies in tsunami-ravaged countries. Fernando has spearheaded many multidisciplinary international projects, including a (2012-2022) project on air-sea interactions during Indian Ocean monsoons. In addition to its many scientific contributions/papers, this project provides substantial (U.S.) research funding and capacity building to international partners, including NARA (Sri Lanka).


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19. Liyanaarachchige Ranjith Jayasekara (Prof. Ranjith Jayasekara) Proposer: Prof. Asoka Pathiratne Seconder: Prof. Lal Chandrasena Date of Birth: 22nd December 1953 Profession: Former Senior Professor and Chair of Botany, Univ. of Kelaniya Qualifications: B.Sc. (Special), M.Sc. and Ph.D. (Osnabruck), Fellow of Institute of Biology Scientific Discipline: Life and Earth Sciences


Nominee earned B.Sc. (Special) degree in Botany (Second Upper, 1979) with the best results, M.Sc. (1984) and Ph.D. (Osnabruck, 1987) with first class in Plant Ecophysiology. His research performance is categorized in UGC's h-index Tier 4. He was Senior Professor and Chair of Botany, University of Kelaniya.

Nominee with 41 years of research experience received prestigious awards: German DAAD postgraduate scholarship (1981), E.U.'s Marie Curie fellowship, U.N.'s IAEA fellowship, Presidential research awards (1999, 2004, 2005, 2007, 2008, 2015), visiting fellowships in Europe and U.S.A./Canada. He is Fellow of Institute of Biology and was committee member/Sect. D of SLAAS, member of Society for Experimental Biology, and Federation of European Societies for Plant Physiology/U.K. He is a reviewer for national/international journals and funding agencies. Nominee is currently Emeritus Professor/Department of Plant and Molecular Biology, University of Kelaniya.

Nominee is a committed and assertive teaching/learning facilitator in plant physiology/biochemistry, biodiversity and cell biology with 40 years of experience. He has expertise in elemental and 13C analysis of plant matrices. Contribution to scholarship in plant ecophysiological chemistry and in other disciplines includes publications in peer-reviewed journals/books, conference proceedings and one text book. 13C research significantly contributed to global CO2 modelling. Chemical characterization of diverse plant matrices contributed to global environmental monitoring programs, and development of a plant growth potting medium.

Nominee obtained research grants from local/international agencies and has supervised M.Sc./M.Phil./Ph.D. students. IRQUE-QEF grant to Biology study program was a significant achievement under his leadership. He was Director/lRQUE-LTS (2005-2009). As Chair Professor, he provided leadership to manage quality function within Botany. He was Head/Botany (1997-2002), Board Member of PGIE, GWAI, NIFS research council, Council member/University of SJP and is currently Council member/Open University.


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20. Marakkal Manage Pathmalal (Prof. Pathmalal Manage)

Proposer: Prof. Upali Amarasinghe Seconder: Prof. Asoka Pathiratne Date of Birth: 06th February 1965 Profession: Senior Professor in Zoology Qualifications: B.Sc. (Special, Univ. of Sri Jayewardenepura), M.Sc. and Ph.D. (Japan) Scientific Discipline: Life and Earth Sciences


Pathmalal Manage (PhD) is a Senior Professor of Zoology, Dean of the Faculty of Graduate Studies, co-chair of the Research Council and Director of the Centre for Water Quality and Algae Research, at the University of Sri Jayewardenepura. Professor Manage is a distinguished, highly cited researcher in eco-toxicology, water quality, bioremediation and environmental sciences and has blazed a track record that speaks volumes of his dedication and achievement in the above-mentioned fields.

Internationally, Professor Manage is an incumbent honorary fellow scientist of Robert Gordon University, UK from 2018, and has held many post-doctoral fellowships, namely, at the Institute of Advance Science and Technology (AIST) and Institute of Health and Safety Research (IHSR), Tsukuba, Japan, Leverhulm Trust Post-Doctoral Visiting Research Fellowship UK, Commonwealth Fellowship in Robert Gordon University.

Professor Manage has produced a plethora of publications, in high impact web of Science journals and the recipient of many awards including Best Professor of Zoology (Sri Lanka Leadership Award for Education: 2018), Vice-Chancellor's Award for best Researcher (2016), Research Supervision Awards (SUSRED), National Environmental award, and multiple Presidential and Merit Awards for research publications at the national level. In addition, Professor Manage has number of new world first records of bacteria for cyanotoxin degradation for water purification and developed water filters and textile dye removing bio filter.

Prof Manage served as water and pollution expert for number of national development consultancy projects. He has been a lighthouse to undergraduates under his tutelage, a beacon to the research students, and a dedicated teacher who always made time to teach. Professor Manage as of now, mentors many post-graduate candidates while leading both the Faculty of Graduate Studies and the Research Council with astute governance, pragmatic means and a keen eye for development of both institute and student body.


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21. Herath Mudiyanselage Thalapitiya Gedera Amarasooriya Pitawala (Prof. Amarasooriya Pitawala) Proposer: Prof. H M D Namal Priyantha Seconder: Prof. Rohan Weerasooriya Date of Birth: 10th February 1966 Profession: Professor, Department of Geology, University of Peradeniya Qualifications: B.Sc. (Geology), M.Phil. (Geology), Ph.D. (Geology) Scientific Discipline: Earth Sciences

Scientific Achievements Amarasooriya Pitawala obtained his B.Sc. (special) degree in Geology (first class) and M.Phil. degree in Geology, both from the University of Peradeniya in 1992 and 1995, respectively. He obtained Ph.D. in Geology (with distinction) from Johannes Gutenberg University of Mainz in Germany in 1999. He is now a Professor in Geology at University of Peradeniya. Amarasooriya Pitawala is a geochemist and a petrologist by practice having about 25 years of research experience. His outstanding research activities led for him to receive prestigious awards, including P.G. Cooray Medal (2001), Endeavour fellowship from Australia (2008), Ananda Coomaraswamy Medal (2018) and presidential awards for scientific publications (2010, 2011, 2012, 2015). He contributes to many national/ international research institutes in his discipline as a research collaborator. Amarasooriya Pitawala has expertise in elemental and stable isotope analyses of rocks and minerals, as well as in aquatic systems and other environmental matrices. He has co-authored more than 90 publications in peer-reviewed journals, produced over 170 research communications and two text books. He is an excellent teacher with nearly two decades of teaching experience, and has taught geochemistry, isotope geology, petrology, environmental geology, industrial minerals and oceanography: He has significantly contributed to uplift postgraduate education in many M.Sc. programmes in earth sciences. His current research projects are; synthesis and commercialization of value-added products from Sri Lankan carbonate rocks, vein graphite, phosphate and quartz, and investigation of water pollution. Amarasooriya Pitawala is currently serving as the Director of the Postgraduate Institute of Science. He was able obtain 16 research grants, as the Principal) Investigator for the majority of the grants. He has supervised 09 Ph.D. students, 09 M.Phil. students and 17 M.Sc. students.


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22. Dissanayake Mudiyanselage Deepthi Yakandawala (Prof. Deepthi Yakandawala)

Proposer: Prof. Lalith Jayasinghe Seconder: Prof. N K B Adikaram Date of Birth: 20th July 1965 Profession: Senior Professor Qualifications: B.Sc. (Botany), Ph.D. (Molecular Plant Systematics and Phylogenetics) Scientific Discipline: Life and Earth Sciences


Professor Deepthi Yakandawala earned her B.Sc. with First Class Honors from Peradeniya University, and Ph.D. in Molecular Plant Systematics from University of Reading, UK. She joined the University of Peradeniya as a Probationary Lecturer (1993), was promoted, on merit, to Professor (2008), and currently serves as a Senior Professor. She undertook further research overseas, under Endeavor and Fulbright Fellowships (2009-10). She has published widely in her area, 59 journal articles and 112 research communications. Her first book titled "Wetland Flora" is being completed.

Prof. Yakandawala received Presidential awards for Scientific Research in successive years, NRC-Merit award, SUSRED-Award, and the Faculty "Excellence in Research". In recognition of her expertise, she was invited to function as a Member of the IUCN SSC Freshwater Plant Specialist Group, Floral Expert Group-National Red Listing Committee, and Research Council, National Institute of Fundamental Studies. She was serving as Head, Department of Botany (2016-19), and Chairperson, Board of Study in Plant Sciences, PGIS (2016-22).

Prof. Yakandawala has been active in research, pioneered Molecular Systematics research in Sri Lanka and secured many competitive research grants from donor agencies. She described several new species, added numerous new records to the country's flora and solved taxonomic ambiguities in endemic plant groups. She built an active research group, setup a Molecular Systematics laboratory making Peradeniya a key Centre for Plant Systematics research; introduced "Plant Systematics" to undergraduate and postgraduate curriculum at Peradeniya and several other Universities; supervised three postgraduates towards Ph.D. and five more towards M.Phil. She extended her expertise for research in Mycology and Chemistry.

With her leadership, and skills in research methodology, management of knowledge, research, and student supervision, she created a research culture in which the students to flourish. Her timely intervention, research and leadership enabled correct identification of the country's National Flower, 25 years after its declaration.


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23. Priyani Ashoka Paranagama (Prof. Priyani Paranagama) Proposer: Prof. H M D. Namal Priyantha Seconder: Prof. A D L Chandani Perera Date of Birth: 18th January 1963 Profession: Chair of Chemistry, Senior Professor, University of Kelaniya and Director/Institute Indigenous Medicine, University of Colombo Qualifications: B.Sc. (Hon.in Chemistry), M.Phil. in Chemistry and Ph.D. (Organic Chemistry) Scientific Discipline: Chemical Sciences

Scientific Achievements Priyani Ashoka Paranagama obtained B.Sc. (Chemistry) in 1986 and M.Phil. (Chemistry) in 1991 both from University of Kelaniya, and Ph.D. (Chemistry) from University of Glasgow, UK (1994). Subsequently, she was promoted to Professor in 2003 and Senior Professor in 2011. She was promoted to Chair of Chemistry in 2012. She is a Fellow of Institute of Chemistry Ceylon and a Chartered Chemist (CChem), Royal Society of Chemistry. She is a member of several professional bodies in Sri Lanka. She was awarded the Dr. C.L. de Silva Gold medal for outstanding research in Chemical Sciences (2015) and Prof. M.U.S. Sultanbawa Gold Medal for achievements in her research career (2008). She is a recipient of several national and international research grants/awards. She participated in the conference organized by The World Academy of Science on shaping careers in Science (2016). She has published over 50 research papers in indexed journals, written/edited 7 books and published over 80 communications. She has successfully supervised over 14 postgraduate students and is currently supervising eight postgraduate students in many different areas of organic chemistry. Her research interests are isolation and characterization of bioactive natural products from plants and endolichenic fungi, development of biopesticides, value addition of natural products. She is involved in teaching spectroscopic methods in Organic Chemistry, Natural Product Chemistry Heterocyclic molecules, Applied Organic Chemistry and basic principles in Organic and Biochemistry. Currently she is serving as the Director, Institute of Indigenous Medicine, University of Colombo. She has served as the Dean, College of Chemical Sciences, Institute of Chemistry Ceylon from June 2016 to October 2017. From 2009 to 2012, she served as the Head of the Department of Chemistry, University of Kelaniya.


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24. Pitumpe Appuhamilage Nimal Punyasiri (Prof. P.A. Nimal Punyasiri) Proposer: Prof. E H Karunanayake Seconder: Prof. K H Tennekoon Date of Birth: 22nd September 1960 Profession: Professor and Chair of Biochemistry Qualifications: Grad. Chem., Postgraduate Certificate in Advanced Biochemistry, Ph.D. (Biochemistry) Scientific Discipline: Chemical Sciences

Scientific Achievements Professor P.A. Nimal Punyasiri, currently Professor of Biochemistry at the Institute of Biochemistry, Molecular Biology and Biotechnology (IBMBB), University of Colombo, holds a PhD in Biochemistry. He is a Fellow of the Royal Society of Chemistry, UK, and a Fellow of the Institute of Chemistry, Sri Lanka. Furthermore he has gained extensive research experience in advanced University laboratories in Germany, Sweden and Thailand. His contribution to the economic development and scientific research of Sri Lanka is reflected by the number of National Level awards received including 2 prestigious medals from the Institute of Chemistry and several Presidential Research Awards. He has excelled in Natural Products Chemistry, Pesticide Residue Analytical Chemistry and Biochemistry and has published in peer-reviewed journals of high standard. One of his NRC funded research projects "Metabololmics of the Sri Lankan Tea Germplasm" where he identified chemical parameters to grade the quality tea accessions, has contributed immensely to the Plant Breeding Programme of Tea in Sri Lanka. He also elucidated the complete biosynthetic pathway of the tea plant for the first time during his studies at the Technical University of Munich, Germany. A biochemical parameter to identify resistance of tea leaves to Blister Blight was also significant scientific contribution of Prof. Punyasiri. Prof. Punyasiri is an active member of the Institute of Chemistry, served as a member of the Council and as a member of several other committees including the Academic Board. He has been a visiting lecturer for both postgraduate and undergraduate degree programmes at the Universities of Uwa Wellasa, Sri Jayewardenepura and Peradeniya and at the Institute of Chemistry since 2008. He is the President of the Cosmetic Manufactures Association of Sri Lanka for the periods 2017/2018, 2018/2019 and 2019/2020. He functions as ChairpersonI Member of several committees at the IBMBB.


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25. Meththika Suharshini Vithanage (Prof. Meththika Vithanage)

Proposer: Prof. C B Dissanayake Seconder: Prof. Siril Wijesundara Date of Birth: 20th October 1976 Profession: Professor Qualifications: B.Sc. (Sabaragamuwa Univ.), M.Sc. (Univ. of Peradeniya), Ph.D. (Univ. of

Copenhagen, Denmark), Fellow of IChemC Scientific Discipline: Chemical Sciences


Meththika is a Professor at the Office of the Dean, Faculty of Applied Sciences, University of Sri Jayewardenepura. Before joining USJ, she worked at the National Institute of Fundamental Studies, Kandy from 2009, and Adjunct Research Professor at the University of Southern Queensland, Australia.

She ranked in top 2% of the most cited scientists globally - 2017 and 2019. She received the prestigious Fayzah M. Al-Kharafi award from The World Academy of Science (TWAS) in 2021 and General Research Committee Award by Sri Lanka Association for the Advancement of Science in 2019 for her research contribution in Environmental Science. She was the Best Young Scientist, 2018 by the Young Scientist Forum, Sri Lanka and in 2016 she became the Young Scientist in Chemistry by the National Science Foundation of Sri Lanka. She won the Early Career Women Scientist Fellowship from the Organization for Women Scientists in Developing Countries in 2019.

She has contributed to over 150 Science Citation Indexed articles, over 30 book chapters and 4 co-edited international books. Her citation count is over 8500 with an H index of 41. She published over 100 newspaper articles. She has two Korean and 1 Sri Lankan patent for environmental remediation. Her biochar research is now in practice as a soil conditioner/organic fertilizer in agriculture and for waste reduction and leachate treatment by pyrolysis of organic residue of municipal solid waste.

She is the Founding Director of the Ecosphere Resilience Research Centre of the USJ. During her career, she obtained more than 200 million rupees worth of grants from International and National granting agencies. She held the Chairperson of Young Scientists Forum in 2017 and the Chairperson of the Section C in SLAAS in 2018 and organized island wide workshops for teacher training on research and STEM education. She has served in the organizing committee of many International Conferences. In 2016, 2 school students won Intel Grand Award for Environmental Research under her guidance.


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26. Imiya Mudiyanselage Kamala Liyanage (Prof. Kamala Liyanage)

Proposer: Prof. A D L Chandani Perera Seconder: Prof. Ayanthi Navaratne Date of Birth: 29th March 1951 Profession: Professor Emerita Qualifications: B.A. (Hons), M.A., Ph.D. in political Science Scientific Discipline: Political Science, Gender/Women Studies


Kamala Liyanage obtained B.A. (Hons.) and M.A. in Political Science from the University of Peradeniya (UoP) in Political Science. She received her Ph.D. from Keio University, Tokyo (1991) in Political Science, specializing in the area of Comparative Politics and Public Policy. She has received post-doctoral training in Human Rights (University of Strasbourg), Advanced Feminist Studies (University of London), and Conflict Resolution (University of Uppsala).

She was awarded the most prestigious Japanese Award - The Order of the Rising Sun, Gold Rays with Neck Ribbon (2019), Commendation Award of the Japanese Foreign Minister (2017), and nine prestigious post-doctoral fellowships in Japan, USA, U.K., Norway, and India.

Liyanage's most recognized contribution is that she has pioneered research on gender politics and women in higher education in Sri Lanka starting from the early 1970s. She has published 21 books and more than 75 (I 0 articles in referred journals, 20 chapters in edited books, 2 text books, 7 training modules, more than 30 conference papers & abstracts) other publications. Her work on Gender and Politics has been instrumental in introducing and establishing the following: the Parliamentary Women's Caucus (2005), Gender Quota Policy for Local Government (2017), National Committee on Gender Equality and Equity at the University Grants Commission (2016), and Gender Units to Monitor Sexual and Gender-based Harassment and Violence in the university system in Sri Lanka. These are testimonies of her work as a Political Scientist being transformed into practice and policy; she is a nationally recognized resource person in women and politics.

Liyanage has enriched and empowered young students as she supervised seven Ph.D.s and more than 20 Master's students during her career. Liyanage initiated and led the Center for the Study of Human Rights and Sri Lanka and Japan Study Center at the UoP. She has served as a member of the National Committee on Women, Expert Professional Panel of the Human Rights Commission, and the Governing Council of the UoP.

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NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES OF SRI LANKA 120/10, …