Professional Recognition:

• Fellow of the Royal Society of Chemistry, UK (FRSC).

Research Grants:

• Water purification using advanced materials (Rs. 48.5 Million grant (Target Oriented) from the NRC) (2017)
• Applications of nanotechnology in smart textiles including health care textiles (Grant from The Royal Society, London, £12,000) (2016)
• Nanobiotechnology: Use of nanotechnology for anti-cancer drug delivery (Grant from the NRC, Rs. 3.9 Million) (2018)
• Smart Materials for water purification (Grant from EPSRC and University College London, UK, £ 50,000) (2017)
• Transdermal Drug Delivery (Grant from the National Science Foundation, Rs.3.8 Million) (2018)
• Hydroxyapatite (HAp) coated iron oxide nanoparticles for controlled and targeted delivery of drugs for cancer and other diseases (Grant from the NRC, Rs. 3.1 Million) (2014)
• Development of advanced water purification technologies using nanocomposites of activated carbon and carbon nanotubes (CNTs) synthesized from coconut shells (HETC Research Grant through University of Jaffna, Rs. 3.9 Million) (2014)

HONOURS AND AWARDS (ACADEMIC):

• President’s Award for Scientific Publications, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2014, 2015, 2016, and 2017 (Awarded by the H.E. The President of Sri Lanka) (2018 and 2019 to be awarded).
• NRC Merit Award for Research Excellence , 2017 (Awarded in 2019)
• Vice Chancellor’s award for research excellence 2017.
• National Science Foundation Research Awards 2008 (Awarded in 2010) (National Award)
• Professor P.P.G.L. Siriwardena Gold Medal Oration Award – 2009 (Awarded by Institute of Chemistry, Ceylon)
• Devanathan Memorial Award – 2008 (Awarded by Institute of Chemistry, Ceylon)
• Young Scientist of the Year – 2004 (Sri Lanka) (Awarded by National Science Foundation of Sri Lanka and The World Academy of Sciences (TWAS, Italy).
• Academic Staff Postgraduate Commonwealth Scholarship – 1994 – 1997, University of Cambridge, UK. (The Commonwealth Commission in the UK, Association of Commonwealth Universities and The British Council).
• Academic Visitor – Prof. Jeremy K. M. Sanders Research Group, Department of Chemistry, University of Cambridge, UK in 1998.
• Academic Visitor – Dr. Nick Bampos, Department of Chemistry, University of Cambridge
• Unilever Centre for Molecular Informatics, Department of Chemistry, University of Cambridge, UK (April – June 2003).
• Postdoctoral Award – Prof. Evguinei Nesterov, Department of Chemistry, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, LA, USA (1 March 2005 – 27 February 2006).
• Postdoctoral Award – Prof. Andrew Maverick, Department of Chemistry, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, LA, USA (1 March 2006 – to date).
• Fellow of the Cambridge Commonwealth Society (Patron: HRH The Prince of Wales).
• Bhikaji Framji Khan Gold medal for Chemistry – 1992. This Gold medal is presented to the candidate who earns the highest overall average in B.Sc. special degree in Chemistry, University of Colombo, Sri Lanka.
• Justin Samarasekara award (Most outstanding science student of the year) – 1992 This award is presented, taking into consideration the academic performance and the contribution made to the sports and the student community of the University of Colombo, Sri Lanka.
• Charlotte Peiris scholarship for Chemistry – 1991. This award is presented to the candidate who earns the highest average in the second year examination in Natural Science, University of Colombo, Sri Lanka.
• C. L. De Silva memorial prize for Chemistry – 1991. This is awarded for the highest aggregate in first and second year examinations in Chemistry, University of Colombo, Sri Lanka.