| About me: |
Erasmus Mundus Master’s scholar with a strong academic background in oceanography and paleontology, specializing in paleoceanography. Experienced in interdisciplinary research and international collaboration, with proven skills in organization, problem-solving, and adaptability. Motivated and proactive, quick to learn, and committed to advancing knowledge of past marine environments while adding value to academic and professional teams.
|
| Work experience: |
- 01/10/2025– current Doctoral student, Institute of Oceanology Polish Acadamy of Sciences, Sopot, Poland
-
02/02/2025–30/06/2025 Research Intern
- Gained hands-on experience in sediment sample preparation, including washing
- Experienced in picking foraminifera for radiocarbon dating and stable isotope
analysis
- Conducted X-Ray Fluorescence (XRF) analysis with good knowledge of geochemical techniques
- Performed magnetic susceptibility analysis to assess variations in sediment
properties
- Demonstrated keen understanding in operating the Mastersizer 2000 for particle size distribution analysis
- University of Ruhuna
University of Ruhuna, Wellamadama, 81000, Matara, Sri Lanka
Oceanography and marine geology
-
01/11/2022– 1/07/2023 University Demonstrator
Demonstrating and assisting students to do course modules practical.
Preparing tutorials and evaluating practical of the relevant course codes.
-
Petroleum Development Authority of Sri Lanka, Colombo, Sri Lanka.
-
16/08/2022–17/10/2022 Internship
|
| Education and training: |
- 27/08/2023–15/07/2025 Masters in Applied Paleontology
University of Lille (France), National Kapodistrian University of Athens
(Greece)
Lille, France. Field(s) of study: Paleontology
First semester at Lille university, France
Second semester and third semester at National Kapodistrian University of Athens,
Greece (Currently)
-
Bachelor of Freshwater sciences and Marine sciences (specialized in
Oceanography and marine Geology)
University of Ruhuna Wellamadama, 81000, Matara, Sri Lanka
Field(s) of study: Oceanography and Marine Geology
Final grade: First class (3.71/4.0) NQF Level: GPA Number
of credits: 120 Thesis: Evaluating the porosity of some reservoir rocks using a combination of the three porosity log in the Cauvery Basin, Sri Lanka.(Full paper submitted to Journal of Geological Society of SrI Lanka)
Oceanography-Biology, Physics, Chemistry, Geology
Limnology-Ecology and Biology
Chemistry-Analytical, Organic and Inorganic
- 17/02/2002–17/08/2016 Primary and Secondary education
Visakha Vidyalaya Vajira road, Colombo 5, Sri Lanka
|
| Language skills: |
Mother tongue: Sinhala
Other languages: English
listening C1, reading C2, writing C1, spoken production C1, spoken interaction C1,
French
listening A1, reading A1, writing A1, spoken production A1, spoken interaction A1
Levels: A1 and A2: Basic user; B1 and B2: Independent user; C1 and C2: Proficient user
|
| Skills: |
Arc GIS, Microsoft Office, Google Docs, MATLAB, Mini Tab, R Programming
language, Q Gis, Grapher.
|
| Publications: |
- 2025 Expanding the footprint of the Storegga tsunami: New evidence from Arctic marine sediments.
Published in scientific report
Authors: Dhanushka Devendra, Magdalena Łącka, Natalia Szymańska, Hasitha
Nethupul, Joanna Pawłowska, Małgorzata Szymczak-Żyła, Magdalena Krajewska, Prasadi
De Silva, Stein Bondevik, Steven J. Gibbons, Marek Zajączkowski.
Journal Name: Scientific reports
Publisher: Nature Portfolio
- 2025 Sedimentary evidence for the Storegga tsunami expansion: multi-proxy records from the northwestern Barents Sea.
Presented a poster titled "Expanding the footprint of the Storegga tsunami: New evidence from Arctic marine sediments".
Abstract published in the conference proceedings.
Authors: Prasadi De Silva, Dhanushka Devendra, Magdalena Łącka, Natalia Szymańska, Hasitha Nethupul, Joanna Pawłowska, Małgorzata Szymczak-Żyła, Magdalena Krajewska, Marek Zajączkowski .
Journal Name: 6th International PalaeoArc conference.
- 2025 Paleoenvironmental changes driven by Vistula River dynamics: A 5000-year sedimentary record from Gdansk Bay, southeastern Baltic Sea.
Submitted to the Holocene.
Authors: Dhanushka Devendra, Natalia Szymańska, Magdalena Łącka, Małgorzata
Szymczak-Żyła, Prasadi De Silva, Marek Zajączkowski.
Journal Name: The Holocene.
Publisher: SAGE Publications.
- 2025 Paleoenvironmental evolution of the northwestern Barents Sea: Multi-proxy approaches with emphasis on Storegga tsunami signatures.
Reference: Master's thesis.
Authors: Prasadi De Silva.
- 2025 Abrupt meltwater pulses and environmental responses in the northwestern Barents Sea during the postglacial period.
To be submitted.
Authors: Dhanushka Devendra, Natalia Szymańska, Magdalena Łącka, Małgorzata
Szymczak-Żyła, Magdalena Krajewska, Maciej M. Telesiński, Prasadi De Silva, Marek
Zajączkowski
Journal Name: Climate of the Past.
Publisher:Copernicus Publications
- 2024 Hydrocarbon Reservoir Potential of Some Stratigraphic Intervals in the Cauvery Basin, Sri Lanka
Reference: Bachelor's thesis and its corresponding publication.
Published.
Authors: Prasadi De Silva, Upul Premaratne
Journal Name: Geological Society of Sri
Lanka
Publisher: Geological Society of Sri Lanka
|
| Conferences and seminars: |
- 02/06/2025–05/06/2025 6th International PalaeoArc conference Tromso, Norway.
Presented a research poster at PalaeoArc 6th International conference based on work
conducted during my internship. The presentation highlighted the expansion and impact
of the Storegga tsunami in the Arctic region, using sedimentological and geochemical
data, biomarker analysis, and sedaDNA (sedimentary ancient DNA) evidence. The study
provided a multidisciplinary approach to understanding past extreme events in Arctic
environments. The abstract was published in the official conference proceedings.
Authors: Prasadi De Silva, Dhanushka Devendra, Magdalena Łącka, Natalia Szymańska, Hasitha Nethupul, Joanna Pawłowska, Małgorzata Szymczak Żyła , Magdalena Krajewska, Marek Zajączkowski.
- 2025 Abstract submitted to GSA 2025 Conference Texas,USA.
Three Meltwater Pulses and a Tsunami: The Postglacial History of the Western Barents
Sea.
Authors: Natalia Szymańska, Dhanuska Devendra, Magdalena Łącka,
Małgorzata Szymczak-Żyła, Małgorzata Krajewska, Maciej Mateusz Telesiński, Prasadi De Silva, Marek Zajączkowski.
- 02/06/2024–10/06/2024 Nisyros Summer Camp 2024 (Greese) Nisyros Island, Greece.
Participated for 3rd Summer school which took place in Nisyros Island and was organized
with the framework of the inter institutional program of Graduate Studies (IPGS) of
Department of Geology and Geoenvironment of the National Kapodistrian university of
Athens and the Department of forestry and Natural Environment of the International
University of Greece, "entitled Water,Biosphere and Climate".
- 16/09/2024–01/11/2024 BIP CIVICS Program at NAXOS Island (Greece) 2024 Naxos Island (Greece)
Collaborated on an international research project with the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens (NKUA), University of Salzburg (Austria), Aix-Marseille University (France), and University of Bucharest (Romania). Conducted fieldwork and acquired expertise in coring and sediment analysis, shoreline profiling, island geomorphology, beachrock formation, and paleoecology.
-
05/09/2022–09/09/2022 Bell Geospace FTG training.
Virtual technical training session on Air borne Gravity, Gravity Gradiometry and Magnetic data.
|
| Certification: |
- 2019 University of Peradeniya.
Environmental Management system ISO 14001: 2015.
- 2020 International Training Centre for operational Oceanography (ITCOocean), Indian
National center for Ocean Information service.
Fisheries oceanography for future professional (Basic level).
- 2020 Institute of Aquaculture, Singapore.
Sustainable aquaculture on towards ocean conservation.
- 2021 Spectrum Institute of science and & Technology
Online certificate course on Molecular biology and technique.
|
| Sports achievement: |
- 2018 Inter Faculty Athletic meet.
100 m Hurdles – Second place.
- 2018 Inter Faculty Fresher's meet.
Long Jump – Third place.
- 2020 Inter Faculty Relay Carnival.
Medley relay - Second place.
- 2019 Intra Faculty meet.
Volley ball – First place.
Cricket – First place.
Table Tennis – Second place.
|
| Extra curricular: |
- 02/01/2020 Open water Diving PADI license
|
| Recommendations: |
- Name: Professor (Assistant) Magdalena Łącka Head of the laboratory of Sedimentology, Stratigraphy and Micropaleontology
Laboratory of Sedimentology, Stratigraphy and Micropaleontology, head of the laboratory
Department of Paleoceanography
Institute of Oceanology PAS
Phone number: (+48) 605194143, email: mlacka@iopan.pl
- Name: Professor Hara Drinia Professor of Palaeoecology, Sedimentology
Head of the Research Center of Museum Studies - Faculty of Science/Department of Geology and Geoenvironment, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Greece
Head of the Postgraduate Studies "Earth Sciences and Environment" - Faculty of Science/Department of Geology and Geoenvironment, National and Kapodistrian
University of Athens, Greece
Phone number: (+30) 2107274394, email: cntrinia@geol.uoa.gr
|
