Ruwani Madhuhansi Ullala Pathiranage

Ph.D. Student (joined the Gunasooriya Lab, Fall 2024)
B.Sc. Chemical Engineering, University of Moratuwa, Sri Lanka, 2023

Ruwani was born in Hambantota, Sri Lanka, where her relentless curiosity and passion for discovery guided her journey. After completing her secondary education, she pursued a BSc. in Chemical and Process Engineering, specializing in Energy and Environmental Engineering at the University of Moratuwa. In parallel with her engineering pursuits, Ruwani also earned her qualifications as an Attorneys-at-Law of the Supreme Court of Sri Lanka. Her keen interest in research was sparked during her undergraduate studies, where she led a project on the "Synergistic Effects of Ultrasonication for Dyeing Process Efficiency Improvement," which earned the award for the best research project in her department. This achievement, along with her six-month internship at Ceylon Petroleum Corporation Refinery, where she worked on optimizing energy efficiency, solidified her ambition to pursue a Ph.D. After graduating in 2023, she joined the Department of Chemical and Process Engineering at the University of Moratuwa as a graduate teaching assistant. She started her Ph.D. in Chemical Engineering at the University of Oklahoma in Fall 2024. In the Gunasooriya Lab, her research focuses on computational approaches for developing materials for sustainable energy applications. In her free time, Ruwani enjoys walking, cooking, and relaxing with music.

Awards
- Dr. Mahesh Amalean Award for the Best Research Project (2023), University of Moratuwa, Sri Lanka.
- Dean's list (6 out of 8 semesters), University of Moratuwa, Sri Lanka