volunteer opportunities
Research Volunteer Programs
Thank you for your interest in becoming a Research Volunteer in our lab. We accept applications from undergraduates, graduates and high school students. Students have the opportunity to do their own research or assist the professional research staff in our lab. Training and supervision is provided. These are year-round opportunities for students interested in exploring a career in science or medicine or veterinary Medicine. Type of research may be either field or laboratory based or both.
How to apply
For more information and to fill out an application, please contact the Lab via email at rupika.rajakaruna@yahoo.ca. Please provide a statement about why you are interested in volunteering at our lab and what activities you are interested in participating in. Please include a CV or resume in your email.
The lab is now open to volunteer inquiries!
VOLUNTEERS
Palali, Jaffna Kosgoda Negambo
Aneirin Rockwell
Hello! My name is Aneirin Rockwell, and I am an upcoming Junior in High School, at Prattville High School, Alabama USA. I had the honor of working at the Peradeniya University’s Molecular Lab this past summer. Although it was not as long as we had planned, I had learned a lot in my few visits. The lab taught me how to use different devices and proper sanitation of instruments during experiments. For the experiment, we were searching for diseases in the DNA of ticks. Through a long process, we would break down the tick and gradually dissolve different parts of it until it was just the DNA left. It was very interesting, educational, and a ton of fun. I wish I had a bit more time to stay there so I could have continued my research some more, but due to fuel shortages, and my flight back home coming up, I was not able to. The other volunteer, Aazad, I worked with taught me so much and helped me understand concepts that confused me. I would like to give special thanks to Professor Rupika Rajakaruna and Aazad for making this opportunity possible for me! I really hope I can call in and participate in the meeting that the lab has in the future. It was a wonderful experience and I hope to return next summer."
Divuyanjalee Christopher
I am Ramola Divyanjalee Christopher an undergraduate final year student in BSc(Hons) Bio medical science and currently working as a volunteer research assistant in Faculty of Science, Department of Zoology.
At the moment I am continuing my research in the area of reproductive biotechnologies a preliminary study on use of bee honey as the energy source for synthesis of goat semen extenders.
CELINE BRACGUAAT
Celine is veterinary student at the École Nationale Vétérinaire, Toulouse Cedex, France. She analysed elephant faeces to study the gastrointestinal parasites of captive elephants at the Pinnawala Elephant Orphanage and also from the elephants in the Dehiwala Zoological Gardens,
Pawani Liyanage
I am Pawani Nithya Liyanage, a is second year undergraduate at the University of Peradeniya. Currently, studying Zoology and Molecular Biology and Biotechnology. I am really interested in biodiversity and the chemical nature of animals. Volunteering is my passion as I wan to gain lot of experiences and develop soft skills for my future career. Currently, I am testing presence of microplastics in table salt. In a previous study from the same lab it has been shown that table salt in Sri Lankan market contains considerable amount of microplastics. I focus on whether storing salt water in coconut shells, which had been a centuries old practice in Sri Lankan households, filter out any microplastics present in commercially prepared table salt. I collect the salt water that seeps out of the shell and then look at it through the microscope. Further analysis will be carried out using Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) to analyse the microplastics quantitatively and qualitatively. I am happy to be a volunteer research assistant and really thankful to Prof Rupika Rajakaruna for this great opportunity.
Hello, my name is Shamila Nawarathna. I am an undergraduate of Department of Fisheries and Marine Sciences of Ocean University of Sri Lanka. Currently, I am carrying out my research on microplastics in edible oysters in Sri Lankan estuaries. I am analyzing the microplastics in edible oysters samples and studying the effect of depuration process on removing microplastics from edible oysters for human consumption. It is my honor to work with Prof. Rupika Rajakaruna during my research studies and in this period under her guidance and supervision. I was able to gain my research knowledge and laboratory skills on investigating microplastics in tissue samples of oysters. It is a wonderful experience with professional research staff and friendly environment. It is my pleasure to be a volunteer research assistant in the Faculty of Science, Department of Zoology and I hope to continue my research studies later with them some more work on microplastics. I am thankful to Professor Rupika Rajakaruna for this valuable opportunity.
Shamila Nawarathna
Caroline Fillieux
Caroline is veterinary student at the École Nationale Vétérinaire, Toulouse Cedex, France. She carried out a survey on the gastrointestinal parasites of the four cat species in the wild and captivity was carried out. Faecal samples were collected from Horton Plains National Park, Knuckles Forest Reserve and Gannoruwa Forest Reserve and captive animals at the National Zoological Gardens in Dehiwela and Saliyapura Army camp. Directs smears were prepared for each faecal sample and then was stained with Iodine. A modified salt flotation was carried out to all of the samples. Parasitic eggs and cysts were identified using the identification guides and literature. A McMaster technique was performed for the quantitative analysis of eggs/oocysts per gram (EPG/OPG) of faeces. We published her work as an abstract at a iPURSE and a full paper in Journal of Threatened Taxa.
Annika de Silva
Anika was an undergraduate from the University of Queensland, Australia
Vinodini Madugalle
