Current Position: PhD candidate in Plant Biology, University of California-Davis. Lecturer, Department of Crop Science, Faculty of Agriculture, University of Peradeniya, Sri Lanka (on Study Leave).
Education: MSc.: Horticulture and Agronomy (2007), University of California-Davis. M.Phil.: Crop Science (2006), University of Peradeniya, Sri Lanka (UOP), MSc.: Biotechnology, (2004), UOP, BSc: Agriculture (2002), UOP.
Non-scientific Interests: Swimming, floral decorations, cooking.
Ever since I can remember, I have been fascinated by many aspects of Biology. I followed this passion up by obtaining a BSc degree in Agriculture and an MSc degree in Biotechnology at the University of Peradeniya (UOP) in Sri Lanka. Part of my Bachelor’s program was a field work component where we worked closely with farmers to cultivate a plot of land with all the annual crops of Sri Lanka. There I experienced and came to care deeply about the problems faced by the farmers in Sri Lanka. Upon finishing my BSc I joined the Faculty of Agriculture at UOP as a faculty member. As parasitic weeds are an emerging problem in Sri Lankan Agriculture, I decided to pursue my postgraduate research in that area. Based on my proposal to control this existing weed problem and my other achievements, I was awarded a “Fulbright Scholarship” to pursue higher studies in the USA. As a Fulbright recipient, I joined the Horticulture and Agronomy MS Program at UC Davis in 2005. While I was in the MS program, I completed the requirements for the Plant Biology PhD program and became a PhD candidate in 2007. Over the last 4.5 years, I have been working with Prof J.I. Yoder on plant-plant communication, using the facultative parasitic weed Triphysaria versicolor as a model system. The main focus of my dissertation work is to use comparative transcriptomics and RNAi silencing to dissect and control parasitic weeds. Upon graduation, I plan to return to Sri Lanka to continue my university teaching and research career as a professor, conducting more research to explore the biology of plants and to employ the latest knowledge and techniques in agriculture to uplift the livelihoods of poor farmers in the third world countries.