Professor Thamara Kalyani Weerasinghe

Associate professor in Botany


Botany
Faculty of Natural Sciences
Head , Centre for Environmental Studies and Sustainable Development
Contact:

Central Campus, 1st floor, Science and Technology building, Room No :152

Office: 112881456, Ext: 456 Mobile: 774430597

E-mail: tkwee@ou.ac.lk

Senior Lecturer I in Botany in the Open University of Sri Lanka

Areas of Specialization:

Soil Microbiology/Biology

Research interests:

Soil Stresses/disturbances, Environmental Pollution

Contributions:

Significant contributions to other bodies:

  • Member – Technical Evaluation Committee (TEC) – Skill Development Project, Ministry of Vocational Training to introduce Environmental Component to the curriculum of Technical Colleges under ADB 2001-2002
  • Member – Botany and Microbiology committee – National Science Foundation(NSF)   2003 & 2004
  • Member – Environmental Committee – Sri Lanka Association for the Advancement of Science(SLAAS) – 2003&2004
  • Chief Examiner/ G.C.E.(A.L.) Examination  – 2003 and 2004
  • Contributed as a University nominee to the National Climate Change Policy
  • Contributed as a University nominee to the National Environmental Policy
  • Member/Academic Research Forum/UN REDD++, Ministry of Environment
  • Committee member/ Policy for tranferring specimens to and from Sri Lanka
  • Member – Expert Committee, Policy formulation for Soil biodiversity, Ministry of Environment

Contributions to other Universities:

  • Visiting Lecturer(1998) – Conducted lectures on Soil Microbiology for M.Sc. in Microbiology  and special degree students at the University of Kelaniya.
  • Visiting Lecturer (1999 to 2002) – Soil Ecology. M.Sc. in Soil Science – PGIA, University of Peradeniya.
  • Visiting Lecturer(2003 to 2005) – Special degree in Zoology – University of Colombo
  • Visiting Lecturer(2003 to 2005) – M.Sc. in Environmental Science – University of Colombo
  • Examiner/Dissertations – M.Sc. in Microbiology, University of Kelaniya
  • Examiner-Viva voce(Level 4-Special Degree) B.Sc. in Plant Science, University of Colombo 2013/14
Programme Coordination:

M.Sc. in Environmental Sciences

Course Coordination:

BYU5304, BYU5318, BYP9503, BYD3607, BYD3309

Awards:

Special Academic / Professional Awards

  • UNESCO/UNDP Fellowship tenable in the OUSL in 1984
  • Technical Cooperation Training Award in Britain 1997
  • Academic Commonwealth Fellowship tenable in UK in 2006
  • Canadian International Development Agency(CIDA) grant for Postgraduate research in 1990
  • Certificate of Excellence in reviewing Award 2017, International Journal of Plant and Soil Science
  • Long Service Awards- 25 & 30 years
Researches:

Published as full papers in Peer reviewed Journals:

Lekamge,G.D., Tamara Weerasinghe, Rohana Rathnayake(2006) –A tracer study of cohort of undergraduate students in OUSL; Perceived benefits from participation in degree programmes, Building Knowledge based society through Open and Distance Education. AAOU Journal, Vol 6 pp 12 – 21

Williams, E. S. R., and Weerasinghe,T.K. (2008) – A Preliminary Study on the Effects of Soil Amendments on Rubber Plantation soil in the low country wet zone in Sri Lanka,  RESEARCH JOURNAL OF BIOTECHNOLOGY (2008): 123-125

Wijesinghe,L.P. and Weerasinghe, T.K.(2010) – A study on the bactericidal efficiency of selected chemical disinfectants and antiseptics, OUSL Journal, Vol 6, pp 42 – 56

Weerasinghe T.K.(2012) – Impact of land use changes to a natural forest on some soil    microbiological properties, International Journal of Research in Bio Sciences (IJRBS), Vol 1, Issue 2, pp. 20 – 26 October 2012, ISSN 2319-2844

Wickramathilake,B.A.K., Weerasinghe, T.K. and Ranwala, S.M.(2013) – Impacts of woody invader Dillenia Suffruticosa (Griff.) Martelli on physico-chemical properties of soil and, below and above ground flora, Journal of Tropical Forestry and Environment, Vol 3, No. 02, pp 66-75

Nazar,F.N, Weerasinghe,T.K. and Perera,S (2013) – A preliminary study on the resistance of  paints against the growth of Algae and Fungi , Advanced Materials Research Vol. 746 (2013) pp 186-191© (2013) Trans Tech Publications, Switzerland   doi:10.4028/www.scientific.net/AMR.746.186 (ISSN: 1022-6680),

Malwana, C, Weerasinghe,T.K.and Pilapitiya, S(2013) –  Determination of Optimal Pile Dimensions during Thermophillic Windrow Composting of       Municipal Solid Waste (Msw) in Sri Lanka,  International Journal of Bioscience, Biochemistry and Bioinformatics, Vol. 3, No. 6, November 2013 pp 552 – 556

Perera, K.T.G.K. and Weerasinghe, T.K.(2014) – A Study on the Impacts of Corn cultivation (Zea mays (L.) Family- Poaceae) on the properties of Soil, International Journal of Scientific and Research Publications, Volume 4, Issue 7, July 2014 pp 1 – 5

ISSN 2250-3153

Weerasinghe,T.K. & Perera, K.T.G.K. (2015) – Soil Quality Dynamics during Different Growth Stages of Corn(Zea mays.L) Cultivation in Sri Lanka, Annual Research & Review in Biology, 7(5): 343 – 351 (Article No. ARRB.2015.135) ISSN:2347-565X  DOI : 10.9734/ARRB/2015/18892

Zoysa, D.S.S.& Weerasinghe, T.K.(2016) – Study on the chemical and biological status of Malwatu Oya basin, Anuradhapura in Sri Lanka, British Journal of Environmental Sciences,Vol.4, No.1, pp.1-10 Published by European Centre for Research Training and Development UK (www.eajournals.org) ISSN 2055-0219(Print), ISSN 205-0227(online)

Sooriarachchi Nadeesha and Weerasinghe T.K, 2016. Effects of oil palm cultivation on the properties of soil in some selected areas of Nagoda Divisional Secretariat in the Galle district, Sri Lanka, International Journal of Agriculture, Forestry and Planataion(IJAFP), Vol. 3, June 2016  pp 114-118

De Silva, I.H.W.K. and Weerasinghe,T.K.(2016)  Assessing the quality of composts available in the open market in Sri Lanka through plant growth studies, International Journal of Agriculture and Environmental Research, Volume 02 Issue 05, pp 1256 – 1268:  ISSN:2455-6939

Prasad Senadheera, Malinda Kumarasinghe, Pradeepa Perera, Jayantha Wattevidanage, T.K.Weerasinghe (2016) User- friendly bioinformatics tools for courses in Open and Distance Learning, The International Journal on Open and Distance e-

Learning (IJODeL), Vol 2, No. 2  pp 31 – 38

Weerakkody, A.P., Weerasinghe, T.K., Gamage, N.S., Dilrukshi, R.P.P.M., Weerasinghe, K.G.N.H(2016) Effectiveness of Environmental Pollution control measures implemented in metal crushing sites at Kaduwela Municipality, Sri Lanka. International Journal of Environment and Pollution Research Vol.3, No.5, pp.24 – 30,, Published by European Centre for Research Training and Development UK (www.eajournals.org).

Weerasinghe, T.K. and De Silva I.H.W.K. (2017) Effect of applying different ratios of compost made of municipal solid waste on the growth of Zea mays L.(Corn), Journal of Soil science and Environmental Management, Vol 8(3), pp 52 – 62. DOI:10.5897/JSSEM2016.0609 ISSN 2141-2391

Perera,P.L.A.P., Weerasinghe, T.K. and Narangoda, S.U. (2017) Potential drivers, Limitations and Benefits in Implementing ISO14001 Environmental Management Systems for Organizations in Sri Lanka, International Journal of Development Research, Vol. 07, Issue, 03, pp.11903-11911, March, 2017

Kumara, K.M.S.C. and  Weerasinghe, T.K.(2017) The Effectiveness of implementing Environmental Management System-ISO 14001 in Food Manufacturing Companies: A Case Study of a Sri Lankan Food   Manufacturing   Company, Environmental Management and Sustainable Development. Vol 6, No. 2 ISSN 2164-7682

Rajapaksha, C.T. and Weerasinghe, T.K.(2018) – Validating the Collecting Efficiency Factors of Wet Chemical Method for determination of Sulphur Dioxide and Nitrogen Dioxide in ambient air under Sri Lankan situation, International Journal of Environmental Science, Vol 3 , 56 – 62,  ISSN: 2367-8941, http://www.iaras.org/iaras/journals/ijes

 

Research Supervisions:
  1. Research Supervision

 

Undergraduate

  • Metal Analysis of some plants and soils at Ussangoda-2001(co-supervisor)
  • Acid Monitoring initiatives in Sri Lanka – 2002 (co-supervisor)
  • A preliminary study on the chemical and physical characteristics of a disturbed ecosystem – 2003(Supervisor)
  • A preliminary study on the effects of soil amendments on rubber plantation soil in the low country wet zone of Sri Lanka(Supervisor)
  • A study on the bactericidal efficiency of selected chemical disinfectants and antiseptics(Supervisor)
  • Effects of refrigeration on the detection of Salmonella(Co supervisor)
  • Viability of lactic acid bacteria used as starter cultures in commercially prepared and homemade buffalo curd during refrigeration storage(Supervisor)
  • A preliminary study on the resistance of paints against the growth of Bacteria and Fungi(Co supervisor)
  • Preliminary study on the impacts of Corn cultivation (Zea mays(L) Family -Poaceae) on properties of soil(Supervisor)

 

Postgraduate Diploma

(Supervision of the following postgraduate research projects of Postgraduate Diploma in Environmental Science).and all the students have been awarded the degree.

  • A Preliminary study on the quality of water in Kalu ganga(Supervisor)
  • Study of the waste-water treatment at a crape rubber factory(Supervisor)
  • Effectiveness of the waste-water treatment  at a textile factory(Supervisor)
  • A study on the effectiveness of the solid waste management  methods in the Kotte Municipal area(Supervisor)
  • A Preliminary study on the Hazardous waste generating industries and current disposal methods in Sri Lanka(Supervisor)
  • Observations on the pollution and pollution abatement measures of some industries in the Dehiwala – Mount Lavinia Municipality(Supervisor)
  • Study on capabilities and constraints to develop systematic solid waste management systems in Maharagama Pradeshiya Sabha Area. (Supervisor)
  • Estimation of liquid emission loads from industries within Kelani river basin(co supervisor)
  • Preliminary study of well water quality in a selected residential area and an industrial area(Supervisor)
  • Use of organic manure in saline soil management of paddy lands in Chekkatipulavu Village of Vavuniya district (Co-supervisor)
  • Preliminary study on the impacts of saw dust on the environment(Supervisor)
  • Environmental and social impacts of Thelkumuduwala landslides(Supervisor)
  • Pollution management of rice mills in Vavuniya town(Supervisor)
  • Preliminary study on the water quality of Mabodala lake in the Western Province with special reference to farm industry(Supervisor)
  • Study of potential threats to the water quality of Nilwala river due to service stations. (Supervisor)
  • Comparison of particulate matter, Sulfur dioxide & Nitrogen oxides in ambient air at selected locations in and around the Biyagama Sapugaskanda Industrial area(Co supervisor)

 

M.Sc. Supervision (All of these students have completed their Masters Programmes)

  • Preliminary study on the impacts of sand mining on the water quality of Kalu Ganga in Sri Lanka(2009) (Supervisor)
  • Comparative study of the effectiveness of chemical coagulants used in the effluent treatment of garment washing industry in Sri Lanka(2009) (Co Supervisor)
  • Study on Solar inactivation of faecal coliforms in contaminated water as a low cost method of microbial disinfection(2009) (Supervisor)
  • The impacts of a monoculture plantation(Tea Plantation) on the soil in the low country wet zone of Sri Lanka (2009) (Co supervisor)
  • Preliminary Study on the possibility of preserving vegetable blends by fermentation in brine solution –Co supervisor (M.Sc. In Food Science and Technology, USJP)- 2008(Co Supervisor)
  • Investigation of the effect of the solid waste dumping site at Karadiyana on close by water body(Supervisor)
  • Determination of optimal pile dimensions to ensure accelerated decomposition during thermophillic windrow composting of MSW in Sri Lanka(2012) (Supervisor)
  • Study on the effectiveness of environmental pollution control measures used in Metal crushers located at Welehandiya area within Kaduwela municipility(2012) (Co-Supervisor)
  • Application of floating wetlands for reclamation of water quality in Urban Lakes(2012) (Co-Supervisor)
  • Investigation of the importance of maintaining a proper waste water treatment plants at the automobile service stations in Dehiwala- Mt.Lavinia  and Kesbewa area(2013) (Supervisor)
  • Impacts of woody invader Dillenia suffruticosa(Griffith ex Hook f. &Thomson)Martelli on selected physical, chemical and biological properties of soil(2013) (Supervisor)
  • A study of gasoline(petrol) vehicle emission levels in Sri Lanka(2014) (Supervisor)
  • Water quality of lentic and lotic environments of Malwathu Oya basin in Sri Lanka(2014) (Supervisor)
  • Effect of oil palm cultivation on the properties of soil in some selected areas of Nagoda  divisional secretariat in Galle district  (Supervisor)
  • Assessing the quality of compost available in the market through plant (Zea maize) growth studies  (Supervisor)
  • A study on distinct impacts of selected anthropogenic activities on Badagamuwa forest reserve – Kurunegala  (Supervisor)
  • Potential drivers, limitations and benefits of implementation ISO 14001 certified environmental management systems for organizations in Sri Lanka  (Supervisor)
  • Study on environmental impacts of ceramic industry in Sri Lanka and possible mitigatory measures  (Co Supervisor)
  • Study on the present status of solid waste generation, disposal and management method by Vavuniya UC (Supervisor)
  • Beneficial effects of  an environmental management system  ISO14001: A case study of a Sri Lankan food manufacturing company(Supervisor)
  • Study on the current municipal solid waste management in Moratuwa municipal  council area and on reduction of improper solid waste disposal methods in Moratuwa   (Supervisor)

 

  • Validation of the collecting efficiency factors of wet chemical methods for determination of sulphur dioxide and nitrogen dioxide in ambient air under Sri Lankan situation (Supervisor)

.Ph.D.Supervision

  • Carbon sequestration as influenced by climatic, plant and soil parameters, their dynamics and control of selected Sri Lankan Forests (Co Supervisor 2011)
Publications:

Published as Abstracts:

Madurapperuma T.K., Widanapathirana G.S.(1982) – Some aspects of Bacterial Ecology in the Negombo Estuary – Proceedings of the 38th annual sessions  of the Sri Lanka Association of the advancement of Science(SLAAS)

Lekamge, Dayalatha, Weearsinghe Thamara and Rathnayake, Rohana(2004) – Perceived benefits by students from participation in degree programmes of the OUSL, Second Annual Academic Sessions, Open University of Sri Lanka(2004)

Weerasinghe, T. and De Silva, S.D.(2004) – A tracer study of a cohort of undergraduate students in the Faculty of Sciences, OUSL; Perceived benefits from participation in degree programmes- Annual Academic Sessions, OUSL 2004.

Weerasinghe ,A and Weerasinghe, T.K.(2005) – A preliminary study on some soil characteristics in a disturbed ecosystem in the low country wet zone in Sri Lanka, Abstract is published in the proceedings of the 61st Annual sessions of the Sri Lanka Association for the Advancement of Science.

Gamage,N.S.,  Muthukuda Arachchi, K.H.& Weerasinghe, T.K. (2005) – Estimation of Liquid Emission Loads From Industries within the Kelani River Basin –Abstract was published in the Proceedings of the Tenth Annual Forestry & Environmental Symposium, Department of Forestry & Environmental Science, University of Sri Jayewardenepura, Sri Lanka.

Weerasinghe,T.K. and Weerasinghe,H.A.S.(2007) – The impact of a monoculture plantation(Rubber Plantation) on soil quality degradation, Full paper was published in the IUFRO conference on Forest Landscape Restoration, 14-19 May 2007, Grand ball room, COEX, Seoul, Korea

Wickramathilake,B.A.K., Weerasinghe, T.K. and Ranwala, S.M.(2012) – Impacts of woody invader Dillenia Suffruticosa (Griff.) Martelli on physical, chemical and biological properties of soil. Abstract was published in the proceedings (Part 1) of 17th International Forestry and Environment Symposium held in November 2012, Pegasus Reef Hotel, SRI LANKA. Pp 28

P.M.Manoja Priyadharshani and Weerasinghe,T.K. (2013) – Evaluating the efficiency of a waste   treatment process in a textile manufacturing company in Sri Lanka, Abstract was published in the proceedings of International Symposium on Water Quality and Human Health: Challenges ahead, Held on the 15 -16 March 2013,  University of Peradeniya, SRI LANKA.

Nissanka N.M.J, Weerasinghe T.K. and Premasiri, H.D.S. (2013) – A preliminary study     on the air pollution in Kandy city through acid rain studies. Abstract  was published in the Proceedings of the Institute of Biology held on 27th September 2013 at SLIDA, SRI LANKA.

Wickramasinghe,W.V., Weerasinghe, T.K. and Jayarathe,R.N.R.(2016) Comparison of Particulate Matter, Sulfur Dioxide and Nitrogen Dioxide in ambient air at selected locations in and around Sapugaskanda industrial area, Abstract was published in sixth national symposium on Air resource Management in Sri Lanka “Air that we breathe-2016” held in Waters Edge, SRI LANKA from 5th to 6th May 2016

Weerakkody, A.P., Weerasinghe, T.K., Gamage, N.S., Dilrukshi, R.P.P.M., Weerasinghe, K.G.N.H(2016) Effectiveness of Environmental Pollution control measures implemented in metal crushing sites at Kaduwela Municipality, Abstract was submitted to the proceedings of International Research Symposium on Blue Green Era and Environment held in BMICH, Colombo, SRI LANKA from 17th to 19th October 2016 pp 36

Published as Extended Abstracts:

Wijerathna,W.A.D., Perera J.S. and Weerasinghe, T.K.(2008) – Effects of refrigeration on the detection methods of Salmonella in some selected food, Full paper was published in the proceedings of the Fifth Annual Academic Sessions of the OUSL, 18-19th December 2008

Ranasinghe, S.S and Weerasinghe, T.K.(2009) Preliminary study on the impacts of sand mining on the water quality of kalu Ganga, Sri Lanka. Extended abstract was published in the proceedings of the Fifth Annual Academic Sessions of the OUSL, 15 the October  2009

Fernando, W.A.S.R.,  Weerasinghe, T.K.  and  Pathirana, R.U.(2011) – Viability of lactic acid bacteria in commercially prepared and homemade buffalo curd during refrigeration storage, Extendedn Abstract was published in the proceedings of Eighth Annual Academic Sessions of the OUSL, 24 – 25th August 2011

Chinthaka, E.H.M., and Weerasinghe, T. K(2013) – Investigation on the       Importance of Maintaining a Proper Waste Water Treatment Plant at the Auto mobile Service Stations, Extended abstract was published in the proceedings of Annual Academic Sessions of the OUSL 2013

Lakruwan K.A.S. and Weerasinghe T.K. (2013) – A study of petrol vehicle     emission levels in Sri Lanka  Extended abstract was published in the proceedings of         Annual Academic Sessions of the OUSL 2013

 

As A  Poster Presentation:

Pathirana Ruvani Udyangani, Bamunuarachchi, Authur and Weerasinghe,Tamara (2009) – A Study on the possibility of preserving vegetable blends by fermentation – Poster/Abstract  Presentation at the Value Creation through Innovation in Food Technology, Food innovation Asia Conference(11th Agro-Industrial Conference) held from 18-19 June 2009, BITEC, Bangkok, Thailand.

 

 

 

 

Published as full papers in Conferences/Symposia/Seminars:

Weerasinghe,T.K. , P.M.Manoja Priyadharshani and Kulasena,R.M.(2010) – Comparative study of the effectiveness of chemical coagulants used in the effluent treatment of garment washing industry in Sri Lanka, Full paper was published in the Proceedings of the International Conference on Environmental Engineering and Applications(ICEEA 2010) held in Singapore from 10 -12 September 2010

Weerasinghe,T.K. and Tantrigoda,R.U.(2012) – Employer views on the current skills of   OUSL(Open University of Sri Lanka) graduates and their expectations , Extended abstract was published in the proceedings of  26th International Conference of  Asian Association of Open Universities(AAOU2012) held in Chiba, Japan, 16th to 18th August 2012 pp 115 – 116 (Full paper is in the electronic version of the same conference).

Weerasinghe,T.K., Edirisinghe, E.A.D.N. & Nazar,F.N(2013)         Preliminary study on the impacts of land use changes through some     properties of soil, Full paper was presented in the proceedings of the National Soil Symposium 2013, Biodiversity Secretariat, Ministry of Environment, Sri Lanka

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