Senior Lecturer Gr. II
Department of Bioprocess Technology,
Faculty of Technology,
Rajarata University of Sri Lanka,
Mihintale, Sri Lanka.
atharish@tec.rjt.ac.lk
+94 717722208
Education
- Ph.D. in Marine Biology, University of Maine, Maine, United States – 2023
- B.Sc. in Fisheries and Marine Sciences, University of Ruhuna, Matara, Sri Lanka – 2011
Biography
Dr. Akila Harishchandra is an environmental big data analyst, marine conservationist, climate activist, and a PADI Rescue qualified SCUBA diver, who works as a senior lecturer (grade II) at the Department of Bio Process Technology. After the completion of his bachelor’s degree from the University of Ruhuna, in 2011, he joined as a Scientist at the Oceanography Division of the National Aquatic Resources Research and Development Agency (NARA) for seven years. In 2019, he quit NARA to start his doctoral studies in Marine Biology at the School of Marine Sciences, University of Maine, United States. He extensively developed environmental big data analytical skills, including climate data analysis, IPCC model downscaling, and multi-omics techniques during his post graduate period. He completed his Ph.D. in 2023 and started a post-doctoral tenure at the Nicolas School of the Environment, Duke University, North Carolina, where he got a wide exposure to develop climate-omics integrated pipelines for assessing human and environmental health degradation in the Anthropocene.
