Diversity and Inclusion

I hail from Gampola, situated in the Kandy District, Central Province, Sri Lanka. Formerly known as Ceylon, Sri Lanka is a tropical island. Gampola was once the capital of the island during the mid-fourteenth century. The Central Province is one of the most attractive provinces to foreigners due to its diverse wildlife, historical and religious sites (Temple of the Tooth), numerous waterfalls, and stunning mountains. In terms of demographics, Gampola is home to a mix of communities.

I was born and raised in Fresno, California. Fresno is part of a collection of small towns that make up the central valley, where over 40% of the nation's food is grown earning itself the nickname "Food-basket of America". Fresno is known for warm sunny weathers, close proximity to numerous national parks such as Yosemite and Sequoia, as well our proximity to the Central Coast. Living in a location with a diverse array of environments ignited my interest in understanding the world around me.

I started my academic journey in Italy. I obtained my PhD at the University of Calabria in the South of Italy. While doing my Ph.D. I did an 18-month research stay at the University of Waterloo, Canada. This experience came with a significant cultural shock that made me embrace the beauty of cultural diversity.

Since childhood, I always wanted to be a scientist, but did not have much of an idea what discipline of science to follow. However, my interests were always leaned towards natural sciences. After high school, I was lucky enough to get selected to one of the best universities on the island, University of Peradeniya (UoP), which is also known as the garden university of Sri Lanka.