Lasantha A Wickramasinghe, PhD

Research and development manager with 5 years of experience leading projects and strive for success as one team. As a chemist always like to commit for change, open for new knowledge and challenge to be self-driven. Looking to work at strategic business environments with long-term opportunities for growth.

In 2019, I accepted the challenge not just going into a new area of science also bringing a new tesa acquisition to a corporate level. tesa being a global company had very limited knowledge in building industry and related tape manufacturing. Corporate management in Germany (HQ) and North America (R&D-Michigan) relied on my leadership and supported me to achieve corporate goals in a completely new market segment.

• Kaufman Teaching Certificate Program (MIT)
• Helping Individuals Lead Successfully (Staub International)
• tesa Stage Gate Project Portfolio Management

• Postdoctoral Research Associate (Massachusetts Institute of Technology): I worked under Professor Richard R. Schrock (Nobel laureate-2005) nearly for 3.5 years focusing on extensive investigations on catalytic dinitrogen reduction to ammonia under ambient conditions. Synthesis of target macromolecular ligand framework was done via series of reactions (~10 steps) followed by metalation and study of mechanistic/catalytic information for nitrogen fixation. I had the privilege to plan and execute the project more independently and deliver objectives.

• Graduate studies, Ph.D in Chemistry (University of Missouri-Columbia): During my graduate studies Professor Paul R Sharp guided research on harnessing solar energy and water splitting. Focused on synthesis of platinum(IV)-hydroxo-hydroperoxo complexes and investigation of photochemistry. Involved in designing new experiments and apparatus leading to novel chemistry. Trained on Schlenk line techniques for moisture and air sensitive synthesis, computational modeling, analysis of experimental data and characterization techniques.

• Wickramasinghe, L, A.; Ogawa. T; Schrock, R, R.; Muller, P; “ Reduction of dinitrogen to ammonia catalyzed by molybdenum diamido complexes”, J. Am. Chem. Soc, 2017, 139 (27), 9132.
• Wickramasinghe, L, A.; Sharp, P, R.; “Hydroxyl Radical Control through Hydrogen Bonding: Photolysis of Platinum(IV)hydroxido Complexes with Intramolecular H-Bonding” Organometallics, 2015, 34 (14), 3451
• Wickramasinghe, L, A.; Sharp, P, R.; “Photoreduction of Pt(IV)Halo-Hydroxo Complexes: Possible Hypohalous Acid Elimination.” Inorg. Chem., 2014, 53 (3), 1430.
• Wickramasinghe, L, A.; Sharp, P, R.; “Dihydrogen Trioxide (HOOOH) Photoelimination from a Platinum(IV)Hydroperoxo-Hydroxo Complex” J. Am. Chem. Soc., 2014,136(40),13979.
• Wickramasinghe, L, A.; Sharp, P, R.; “Hydroxo Radicals, C-H Activation, and Pt-C Bond Formation from 77 K Photolysis of a Platinum(IV) Hydroxo Complex.” Inorg. Chem., 2014, 53 (22), 11812.
• Wickramasinghe, L, A.; Schrock, R, R.; Tsay, C; Muller, P; “Molybdenum Complexes that Contain Calix[6]azacryptand Ligand as catalysts for reduction of N2 to Ammonia” Inorg. Chem., 2018, 53 (24), 15566.
• Wickramasinghe, L, A; United States “Provisional patent “submitted in January 2023”; U.S Patent and Trademark Office, U.S. Department of Commerce.

• Global Sustainability
• Innovations
• Environmental & Safety
• Market Approach
• Vendor & Customer Relations
• Process Optimization
• Project Management
• Product specification
• Raw material qualification
• Intellectual Property
• People value & Corporate Strategy

• Breckenridge/Lyons Award for outstanding graduate research-2015. (University of Missouri-Columbia awarded this to two candidates annually).
• Professional Presentation Travel Fellowship (2014)
• Graduate Professional Council Travel Scholarship (2014)