Damalka Balasuriya

Enthusiastic Ph.D. Candidate in analytical chemistry with extensive hands-on experience in instrumental analysis and method development. Skilled in managing multiple priorities with a problem-solving mindset and a positive attitude. Over 3.5 years of experience performing complex assays, troubleshooting analytical issues, and optimizing methods for environmental and pharmaceutical applications. Dedicated to delivering accurate, high-quality results in fast-paced laboratory settings.

• Presented research on "Assessment of Antimicrobial Resistance Drivers in Agricultural Environments: Case Study of Black Hawk Lake Watershed in Central Iowa" at Graduate Student Symposium (GSS) at the University at Buffalo, 2024.
• Presented research on "Synthesis of Magnetic-Mesoporous Silica Adsorbents for Magnetic Dispersive Solid Phase Extraction" at Graduate Student Symposium (GSS) at the University at Buffalo, 2023.
• Presented research on "Impregnation of Coconut Coir Based Activated Carbon with Magnetite to Enhance Efficiency of Water Softening" at RESCON – Faculty Research Congress, Faculty of Science, University of Peradeniya, Sri Lanka, 2020.
• Delivered poster presentation on Determination of Chemical Pollutants in the Environment as Potential Drivers of Antimicrobial Resistance at Spotlight symposium, University at Buffalo in 2024.
• Delivered poster presentation on Occurrence of Veterinary Antimicrobial and Other Micro-Pollutants in Surface Waters of a Watershed Dominated by Agriculture at American Chemical Society (ACS) in 2023.
• Publication - Balasuriya, B.M.D.S., Bandara, S.R.W.M.I.S., Kottegoda, N. and Perera, A.D.L.C., 2021. Magnetite Nanoparticles Impregnated Pyrolysed Coconut Coir for Water Softening Applications. Ceylon Journal of Science, 50(5).

2023, Served in the planning committee of Graduate Student Symposium (GSS) at the University at Buffalo

• Assessing potential antimicrobial resistance drivers (antibiotics, pharmaceuticals, pesticides, and organo-halogens) in two agriculturally dominant watersheds (Black Hawk Lake and Shell Creek Lake) through liquid chromatography tandem mass spectroscopy (LC-MS/MS) and combustion ion chromatography (CIC) as a part of a large project called CAMRADES (Connecting Anti-Microbial Resistance, Agricultural Decisions, and Environmental Systems).
• Development of hybrid magnetic-silica particles as a tunable platform for magnetic solid-phase extraction of environmental pollutants (antibiotics and PFAS).
• Experimental pKa determination of 17 per-and polyfluorinated alkyl substances (PFAS) by 19F- and 1H-NMR based chemical shift perturbation and comparison with computational methods.
• Developing a method to finding partition coefficient of PFAS between aqueous and lipid media for assessing the risk of bioaccumulation of these pollutants using 19F-NMR.

• Best Communication of Research, Art of Research competition at University at Buffalo, 2024
• ACS AGRO division travel award at the ACS Fall meeting, in San Francisco, 2023
• Conference Funding Travel Award, Department of Chemistry, University at Buffalo, 2023
• University Award for the Academic Excellence, for the meritorious performance in B.Sc. program, University of Peradeniya, Sri Lanka, 2020

• Date of Birth: 10/26/93
• Gender: Female
• Nationality: Sri Lankan

Luis A. Colόn, Ph.D

SUNY Distinguished Professor

A. Conger Goodyear Professor

578 Natural Sciences Complex, University at Buffalo

Buffalo NY, 14260

Phone: (716) 645-4213

Fax: (716) 645-6963

E-mail: lacolon@buffalo.edu

Diana S. Aga, Ph.D.

SUNY Distinguished Professor

Henry M. Woodburn Professor of Chemistry

Fellow of the American Chemical Society

Director of UB RENEW Institute

611 Natural Sciences Complex, University at Buffalo NY, 14260

Phone: 716-645 4220

E-mail: dianaaga@buffalo.edu

Alexander Hoepker, Ph.D

Senior Research Scientist

RENEW Institute

University at Buffalo NY, 14260

E-mail: ahoepker@buffalo.edu