Department of Agricultural Technology, Faculty of Technology

Email: jayani@at.cmb.ac.lk

Phone : +94-0769131844

My PhD work was focused on Associative nitrogen fixing bacteria and their potential to support the growth of bioenergy grasses on marginal lands. I obtained my PhD in Soil Microbiology in 2014 under the supervision of Professor Janet R. Donaldson (https://www.biology.msstate.edu/events/graduate/archive/index.php?year=2014) at Mississippi State University and Professor Mark Williams (https://spes.vt.edu/faculty-staff/faculty/williams-mark/microeco/about.htmlat) at Virginia Tech, USA. While reading for my PhD, I served as a graduate teaching assistant as well as a graduate research assistant. Thereafter, I worked as a Postdoctoral Research Scientist at Mississippi state University until 2015. I joined Faculty of Technology, University of Colombo  after completing my graduate studies at the Mississippi State University in 2017 as a Senior Lecturer.

While soil microbiology is my main teaching areas, I enjoyed teaching Biology, Biosystems Technology, Crop Nutrient Management, Agricultural Waste Management and Bioenergy Technology for first and final year undergraduates. Further, I served as a visiting lecturer at SLTC and Institute of Chemistry Ceylon. I am a certified teacher of higher education at Staff and Educational Development Association (SEDA), United Kingdom.

My research is focused on understanding how microbial communities assemble and function in ecosystems, soil, the root-zone, and other numerous habitats found in nature. My studies reflect on the mutualistic nature of plant-microbial feedbacks that are a major driver of ecosystems and the global biosphere.

In addition to my teaching and research, I involved in several administrative roles, both inside and outside of the Faculty. I serve as a Young Ambassador to Sri Lanka for American Society for Microbiology and Charted member in Institute of Chemistry and Institute of Biology.

My Soil Microbial ecology program at Faculty of Technology includes establishment of interdisciplinary research projects that link basic and applied research while involving collaborators within and outside of  FoT.  Specific focus areas of my research program are:

1. Isolation and Identification of Associative Microbes for enhance the growth of rice.
2. Synthesis of microbial nanoparticle for bioremediation.
3. Evaluation of capability of biochar mediated nan zero valent iron for bioremediation of pathogenic bacteria.
4. Assessing the effect of prolong drought followed by rewetting on soil nutrient availability, microbial biomass and activity.
5. Research Collaboration with Small Scale farmers related microbial applications for Agricultural production.

Level I Semester I

AG 1301 / FT 1202  – Biology

Level I Semester II

AG 1202 – Introduction to Biosystems Technology

AG 1302 – Crop Nutrient Management

Level II Semester I

AG 2201 – Applications of Biosystems Technology

Level III Semester I

AG 3201 – Agricultural Waste Management

AG 3202 – Biostatistics

AG 3203 – Microbes and Agriculture

Level III Semester II

AG 3601 – Industrial Training / Internship

Level IV Semester I

AG 4301 – Novel Agricultural Technologies

Level IV semester II

AG 4207 – Bio Energy Technology

AG 4801 – Research Project

• American Society for Microbiology (ASM), Member, 2011–present
• Sri Lankan Young Ambassador for ASM, 2021 – present
• American society of Agronomy/ Crop Science Society of America/ Soil Science Society of America, Student member, 2013-2014
• Institute of Chemistry Ceylon, Sri Lanka, Charted Member, 2021- present
• Institute of Biology, Sri Lanka, Charted Member, 2021- present
• Sri Lanka Association for Advancement of Science, Member, 2020 – present

• Committee member of Faculty Research symposium 2017
• Committee member of University Research Symposium 2018,2019
• Coordinator for Faculty Research symposium 2019
• Permanent Student counselor, Faculty of Technology, University of Colombo 2018 – present
• Sports coordinator, Faculty of Technology, University of Colombo 2021- present
• Coordinator for student mentoring programme Faculty of Technology 2018v- present
• Faculty Representative for staff mentoring programme conducted by Faculty of Medicine, University of Colombo 2018 – present
• Serve as organizing cometee member for AUA youth conference 2019 (Asian University Alliance) representing University of Colombo
• Faculty Representative for steering committee in Center for Gender Equality and Blended Learning program 2020 – present
• Secretary of the Teachers Union, Faculty of Technology, TECTA, 2020 – present
• Senior Treasurer for the Welfare society and Sports Club, Faculty of Technology, 2019- present
• Principal Supervisor of Science Research Projects 2020, 2023 organized by the NSF
• Judge at Region V Mississippi Science and Engineering Fair on April 2013 and 2014