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Department of
CHEMISTRY

Dr. (Mrs.) D. D. D. H. Alwis

B.Sc (Sri Jayewardenepura); Graduate Chemist; (Institute of Chemistry, Ceylon) M.I.Chem.C; Ph.D ((Sri Jayewardenepura

Senior Lecturer (G II)

Department of Chemistry
  • Central Campus, First floor, Science and Technology building, Room No : 308
  • +94112881490, Ext: 490
  • ddalw@ou.ac.lk

My academic career at the Open University of Sri Lanka (OUSL) started when I was appointed as a Lecturer (Probationary) in 2008. Initially I joined OUSL as a Temporary Demonstrator in the Department of Chemistry in February 2006 and served the Department for over 2 years in that capacity. With my academic qualifications obtained from the University of Sri Jayewardenepura, in B. Sc. (Special) Degree in Chemistry (first-class honors) in 2005, also my professional qualifications, from the College of Chemical Sciences, Institute of Chemistry, Ceylon in 2003, as a Graduate Chemist and my performance at the OUSL as the temporary demonstrator, I was able to secure the appointment to the Lecturer (Probationary) post in the department in year 2008. 

While serving in the Department, I was granted study leave to read for my Ph.D. degree at the University of Sri Jayewardenepura in April 2012. I obtained my Ph.D. in the field of Physical Chemistry and Photochemistry in the year 2016. The research project for the doctoral degree was based on “Spectroscopic and photochemical properties of lycopene, β-carotene, bixin, norbixin and their radical intermediates” and my work was presented at several local and international research forums. After completing my Ph.D. Degree successfully and completed the course on Certificate in Teaching in Higher Education (CTHE -13) as an accredited teacher in higher education (SEDA*, UK, September 2010) successfully, I was promoted to the Senior Lecturer (Grade II) post in January, the same year.

Physical Chemistry
Food Chemistry
Spectroscopy of Carotenoids

Photochemistry, Chemistry of Carotenoids, spectroscopy of carotenoids and their radical cations, Food Chemistry Dye sensitised solar cells (DSSC)

Lecturer (Probationary)  – The Open University of Sri Lanka, 2008 

Senior Lecturer (Grade II)  – The Open University of Sri Lanka, 2016.



Programme Coordination:

B.Sc Degree Programme
B.Sc (Special) degree programme
Diploma in Food Science

Course Coordination:

B.Sc and B.Sc (Special)
CYU4301 – Concepts in Chemistry
CYU5307 – Chemical Aspects of Food Industry
CYU6606 – Advanced Experimental Chemistry
CYU5304 – Chemistry of Biomolecules

Diploma in Food Science
CYD3516 – Laboratory sessions in Food Science
CYD3310 – Fundamentals of Chemistry and Biology for Food Science

Ongoing Research

Undergraduate Research projects on carotenoids

Absorption of selected pesticide residues By plants



Peer-reviewed journal articles

 

  1. Alwis D.D.D.H., Chandrika, U. G., & Jayaweera, P. M. (2021). Photostability of apocarotenoids on surface of TiO2 semiconductor nanoparticles. Journal of Photochemistry and Photobiology A: Chemistry, 407, 113061. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S1010603020308583

 

  1. D.T. Abeysinghe, K.A.H. Kumara, K.A.D. Kaushalya, U.G. Chandrika, D.D.D.H. Alwis. 2021. Phytochemical screening, total polyphenol, flavonoid content, in vitro antioxidant and antibacterial activities of Sri Lankan varieties of Murraya koenigii and Micromelumminutum, Heliyon 7 (7), e07449 

https://www.cell.com/heliyon/pdf/S2405-8440(21)01552-8.pdf

 

  1. D.T. Abeysinghe, D.D.D.H. Alwis, K.A.H. Kumara, U.G. Chandrika. 2021. Nutritive Importance and Therapeutics Uses of Three Different Varieties (Murraya koenigii, Micromelum minutum, and Clausena indica) of Curry Leaves: An Updated Review. Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine. 2021. https://doi.org/10.1155/2021/5523252

 

  1. Alwis, D. D. D. H.; Chandrika, U. G.; Jayaweera, P. M., Spectroscopic studies of neutral and chemically oxidized species of β-carotene, lycopene and norbixin in CH2Cl2: Fluorescence from intermediate compounds. Journal of Luminescence2015, 158 (0), 60-64. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0022231314004724

 

Research Conference presentations Published as full papers

  1. Nayanakanthi Nilakarawasam, Radhika De Silva, Dusantha Alwis, Thejani Bulathwatta, Ransirini De Silva and Nimmi Dilsha, Bandunee Athapattu, Developing a proactive motivational individual student support system at OUSL: A preliminary study for identification of influential factors, 34th Annual Conference of Asian Association of Open Universities (AAOU2021) Colombo, Sri Lanka Volume II -Full papers (2021) (503-511).

 

1)     Perera R.M.T.N, Alwis D.D.D.H, Photodegradation study of apo-carotenoid, crocetin extracted from saffron flower (Crocus sativus L.) stigma, 78th Annual sessions of Sri Lanka Association for the Advancement of Science 2022, Pending.

2)     C.D. Jayasinghe, D.D.D.H. Alwis, L.A. Wijenayaka, D.T. Abeysinghe, D.D.G.L. Dahanayaka, U. A. Jayawardena, A Virtual career intervention to promote career readiness of BSc undergraduates of the OUSL, The International Open University Research sessions 2022 (i-OURS2022), The Open University of Sri Lanka, 2022, Accepted.

3)     Perera R.M.T.N, Gunawardena J.A.S.U, Chandrika U.G, Alwis D.D.D.H, High Performance Liquid Chromatography – DAD analysis of apo-carotenoids presents in Saffron flower (Crocus sativus L.) stigma, The Open University Research sessions 2021 (OURS2021), The Open University of Sri Lanka, 2021, p 120.

4)     Nayanakanthi Nilakarawasam, Radhika De Silva, Dusantha Alwis, Thejani Bulathwatta, Ransirini De Silva and Nimmi Dilsha. Developing a proactive motivational individual student support system at OUSL: A preliminary study for identification of influential factors, Proceedings of the 34th Annual Conference of Asian Association of Open Universities (AAOU2021) Colombo, Sri Lanka.

5)     Alwis D.D.D.H., Abeysinghe D.T., Kumara K. A. H., Chandrika U.G. Analysis of major carotenoids and chlorophyll pigments present in the leaves of Clausena indica, 76th Annual sessions of Sri Lanka Association for the Advancement of Science 2020, p-161.

6)     Abeysinghe T., Alwis D.D.D.H., Kumara, K.A.H., Chandrika U.G. In vitro assessment of antioxidant, antimicrobial and phytochemical screening of methanol leaf extract of micromelum minutum growing in Sri Lanka, PGIS Research Congress, University of Peradeniya, 2020, p-145.

7)     Alwis D.D.D.H., Abeysinghe D.T., Kumara K. A. H., Chandrika U.G. Analysis of major carotenoids and chlorophyll pigments present in the leaves of micromelum minutum growing in Sri Lanka, The Open University Research sessions, The Open University of Sri Lanka, 2020, p-120.

8)     Abeysinghe T., Kumara K.A.H., Alwis D.D.D.H., Chandrika U.G. In Vitro Assessment of Antioxidant, Antimicrobial and Phytochemical Screening of Crude Methanolic Extract of Leaves of Murraya koenigii Growing in Sri Lanka, 7th Ruhuna International Science and Technology Conference 2020, p-109.

9)     Abeysinghe D.T., Kaushalya K.A.D., Kumara K.A.H., Alwis D.D.D.H. Comparison of proximate analysis and selected mineral element analysis of two major species of family Rutaceae, Muraya koenigii and Micromelum minutum, 75th Annual sessions of Sri Lanka Association for the Advancement of Science 2019, p-170.

10) Alwis D.D.D.H., Fernando D.D.T.H., Jayaweera P.M., Chandrika U.G., Abeysinghe D.T. UV-Vis absorption study of some carotenoids and their aggregrates extracted from natural plant materials, 75th Annual sessions of Sri Lanka Association for the Advancement of Science 2019, (p-183).

11) Abeysinghe D.T., Kumara K.A.H., Alwis D.D.D.H., Chandrika U.G. Assessment of proximate and mineral content of Clausena indica leaves in Sri Lanka 20th International Postgraduate Research Conference proceedings, University of Kelaniya, 2019, p-86.

12) Alwis D. D. D. H.; Bandarage, G.; Zoysa, M.N.K.De. Assessing the prior knowledge and thinking skills of students related to glassware in an undergraduate practical chemistry course, A preliminary study, 24th IUPAC International Conference on Chemistry Education (ICCE 2016), Malaysia 2016, TCE 04, Pg. 61.

 13) Alwis D. D. D. H.; Chandrika, U. G.; Jayaweera, P. M., The Optical absorption spectra of Self-assembled aggregates of β-carotene. Proceedings of the Annual Academic sessions of the Open University of Sri Lanka, 2015, p 65-68.

 14) Dusantha Alwis.; Dilru Ratnaweera.; Thusith Etampawala.; Mark Dadmun.; Udumalagala Chandrika.; Pradeep Jayaweera.; Self-Assembly of Carotenoids During Solution Casting of Solar Devices, American Physical Society MAR15 Meeting.2015, 60 (2).

 15) Alwis D.D.D.H.; Chandrika, U.G.; Jayaweera, P. M., UV light induced photo-degradation study of carotenoids in MeOH: The influence of inorganic anions, ICMA proceedings of the international conference of multidisciplinary approaches, University of Sri Jayewardenepura Sri Lanka, 2014, p. 146.

 16) Alwis D.D.D.H.; Chandrika, U.G.; Jayaweera, P.M. “Absorption and Emission Properties of Lycopene, β-Carotene, Norbixin and Their Chemically Oxidized Species, Annual sessions of the Institute of Chemistry Ceylon, Chemistry in Sri Lanka. 2013, 30 (2), p 13-14.

 17) Alwis D.D.D.H.; Rathnayake, W.M.K.M.; Chandrika, U.G.; Jayaweera, P.M. A kinetics study of photodegradation of lycopene in water/acetone solutions, Proceedings of the 68th Annual Sessions of Sri Lanka association for advancement of science. 2012, p. 69.

Supervision of undergraduate research projects at the Department of Chemistry, The Open University of Sri Lanka

Student           : Mr. Diluxan Peiris (Reg. No – 513298956)  

           Degree            : Final year research project CYU5611 in B.Sc. degree

           Year                 : 2017

           Thesis Title     : Absorption and Emission study of Aggregates of Bixin and  Norbixin in Ethanol

                   

 Student          : Ms. D.D.T.H. Fernando (Reg. No – 414880339)

Degree            : Final year research project CYU5611 in B.Sc. degree

Year                 : 2018

Thesis Title   : UV-Vis absorption and fluorescence emission study of selected Carotenoids and their aggregates

 

Student           : Ms. R.M.T.N. Perera (Reg. No – 116976643)

Degree            : Final year research project CYU5611 in B.Sc. degree

Year                 : 2021

Thesis Title    : Surface Adsorption Behavior of Apo-carotenoids from Saffron to TiO2 Nanoparticles: The rates of dye photodegradation

 

Student         : Mr. J.A.S.U Gunawardena (Reg. No – 115903642)

Degree          : Final year research project CYU6608 in B.Sc. (special) degree  in Chemistry

Year               : 2021

Thesis Title  : Apo-carotenoid degradation & fluorescence quenching with TiO2 nanoparticles

 

Student         : Ms. A.M.Y.W. Wijebandara (Reg. No – 317141774)

Degree           : Final year research project CYU5611 in B.Sc. degree

Year                : 2022 (Ongoing research project)

Thesis Title   : Carotenoids and Beta-cyclodextrin encapsulation complexes                        

 

Supervision of Postgraduate research projects at the Department of Chemistry, The Open University of Sri Lanka

           Student                     : Mr. K.A.H. Kumara (Reg. No – M. phil/NAT.SC/2018/01)

           Degree                       : M.Phil.

Year                             : completed in 2021 

Institution                  : The Open University of Sri Lanka

Thesis Title                : Absorption of selected pesticide residues during cooking by curry leaves available in Sri               Lanka and its impact on the carotenoid compositional variation in curry leaves

Contribution              : Co-Investigator

 

Supervision of Postgraduate research projects at the Department of Chemistry, University of Sri Jayewardenepura (USJP)

Student                       : Ms. Ruvindi Wijetunge (Registration is under processing)

Degree                         : M.Phil.

Year                              : Started research in April 2022

          Institution                   : University of Sri Jayewardenepura

Thesis Title                 : Development of pH- and esterase-responsive beta-cyclodextrin-adamantane inclusion-based  biodegradable novel supramolecular network towards the fabrication of hydrogel for the controlled drug delivery

 Contribution              : Co-Investigator



2022       OUSL Research Awards 2021

2021       Asian Association of Open Universities (AAOU-COL) Fellowship 2021

2015       NRC Merit Award for Scientific Publication

The National Research Council Merit Award for a scientific research publication “Spectroscopic studies of neutral and chemically oxidized species of β-carotene, lycopene and norbixin in CH2Cl2: Fluorescence from intermediate compounds” in the year 2015 in Journal of Luminescence 2015, Vol 158, pp 60-64.

2017       Support Scheme for Supervision of Research Degrees (SUSRED) Awards received by the supervisors for my Ph.D. research for supervising and completing Ph.D. within a stipulated time period in 2017. 

  •     Life Member, Section E-2 (Chemical Sciences), Sri Lanka Association for the  Advancement of Science (SLAAS), Sri       Lanka (2010 – present)
  •     Life Member, Institute of Chemistry Ceylon, College of chemical sciences since 2008.
  •     Associate Member, Institute of Chemistry Ceylon, College of chemical sciences since 2002
  •     Life Member, The Buckyball Society, Department of Chemistry, The Open University of Sri Lanka. 2008
  •     Member, American Physics Society (APS) 2015
  •     Executive Committee member, The Open University Teacher’s Association (OUTA), The Open University of Sri Lanka. 2017
  •     Committee member, GRC, Sri Lanka Association for the Advancement of Science (SLAAS), Sri Lanka (2021 to date)
  •     Secretary, Science Educational committee (SEC), Sri Lanka Association for the Advancement of Science (SLAAS), Sri Lanka (2019)
  •     Executive Committee member, Section E-2 (Chemical Sciences), Sri Lanka Association for the Advancement of Science (SLAAS), Sri Lanka (2018) & (2019)
  •     President, Buckyball Society, Department of Chemistry, The Open University of Sri Lanka. (2020 to 2022 August)
  •     Executive Committee member, Buckyball Society, Department of Chemistry, The Open University of Sri Lanka. (2022 to date)
  •     Secretary, Buckyball Society, Department of Chemistry, The Open University of Sri Lanka. (2016, 2018 and 2019)
  •     Assistant Secretary, Buckyball society, Department of Chemistry, The Open University of Sri Lanka. (2012)



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