This record is a partial extract of the original cable. The full text of the original cable is not available.
UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 COLOMBO 002137
SIPDIS
DEPT. FOR ECA/A/E/NEA - SA - TMASTRANGELO
DEPT. ASLO PLEASE PASS CIES - TMORRISON, DGIPSON
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: CE OXEC OEXC
SUBJECT: 2004-05 S.L. FULBRIGHT SENIOR SCHOLAR PROGRAM
1. OUT OF A TOTAL OF 28 APPLICANTS FOR THE SUBJECT
AWARDS, THE US-SLFC'S BOARD OF DIRECTORS INTERVIEWED 13
CANDIDATES SHORT LISTED FROM THE ORIGINAL POOL AND
SELECTED THREE PRINCIPAL AND TWO ALTERNATE NOMINEES.
OF THE THREE PRINCIPAL CANDIDATES, THE FIRST TWO, IN
ORDER OF MERIT, WERE OFFERED 9 MONTH GRANTS WHILE THE
THIRD WAS OFFERED A 3-MONTH GRANT.
2. GIVEN BELOW IS A RANK-ORDER LISTING OF THE NOMINEES
RECOMMENDED BY THE BOARD OF DIRCTORS FOR FURTHER
CONSIDERATION BY THE J.WILLIAM FULBRIGHT SCHOLARSHIP
BOARD.
A. DR. NEIL D. "FERNANDOPULLE", THE TOP-RANKED
PRINCIPAL CANDIDATE ON THE PANEL OF FIVE, IS A SENIOR
SCIENTIST AT GENETECH MOLECULAR DIAGNOSTICS AND SCHOOL
OF GENE TECHNOLOGY - SRI LANKA'S FIRST PRIVATE
BIOTECHNOLOGY INSTITUTE. FERNANDOPULLE'S PROPOSED
RESEARCH PROJECT IS TITLED "A MOLECULAR ANTHROPOLOGY
SURVEY OF THE SRI LANKAN POPULATION". FERNANDOPULLE'S
PROJECT WILL FOCUS ON RECOGNIZING MITROCHONDIAL DNA AND
Y-CHROMOSOME DNA IN HUMANS AS A RICH SOURCE OF GENETIC
INFORMATION IN 2 IMPORTANT REGIONS OF STUDY, NAMELY,
ANTHROPOLOGY AND FORENSIC MEDICINE.
B. DR. GAMEELA "SAMARASINGHE", SENIOR LECTURER IN
PSYCHOLOGY AT THE UNIVERSITY OF COLOMBO, IS THE SECOND-
RANKED CANDIDATE ON THE PANEL OF FIVE. SAMARASINGHE'S
RESEARCH PROJECT IS TITLED "DESIGNING PSYCHOSOCIAL
INTERVENTIONS IN SRI LANKA: THE USE OF CONVENTIONAL
MODELS OF COUNSELLING". DR. SAMARASINGHE'S PROPOSED
RESEARCH IS A REACTION TO THE LACK OF DISCUSSION AND
ANALYTICAL COMMENTARY ON WHETHER THE EURO-AMERICAN
DISCOURSE ON "COUNSELLING" CAN BE EXPORTED TO SRI
LANKA. COUNSELLING IS ONLY ONE PART OF A RANGE OF
PSYCHOSOCIAL INTERVENTIONS WHICH EFFECTIVELY ENSURE THE
PSYCHOLOGICAL AND SOCIAL WELL-BEING OF DISTRESSED
PERSONS AFFECTED BY CONFLICTS.
C. DR. DHARINI "SIVAKUMAR", A SENIOR RESEARCH OFFICER
AT THE AGRO AND FOOD TECHNOLOGY DIVISION OF THE
INDUSTRIAL TECHNOLOGY INSTITUTE OF SRI LANKA AND THE
THIRD-RANKED CANDIDATE ON THE PANEL OF FIVE, HAS BEEN
SELECTED BY THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS FOR A SHORT-TERM
FULBRIGHT AWARD. DR. SIVAKUMAR'S PROPOSED RESEARCH IS
TITLED "DEVELOPMENT OF A CHITOSAN-BASED BIODEGRADABLE
PACKAGING FILM/COATING FOR MINIMALLY PROCESSED FRUITS
AND VEGETABLES". THE OBJECTIVE OF DR. SIVAKUMAR'S
PROJECT IS TO USE THE NOVEL CHARACTERS OF CHITOSAN TO
SYNTHESIZE AN EDIBLE COATING WHICH HAS THE ABILITY TO
ACT AS A PARTIAL BARRIER TO AIR/OXYGEN AND HUMIDITY,
THEREBY RETARDING ETHYLENE PRODUCTION AND
DISCOLORATION. DR. SIVAKUMAR PROPOSES TO CONDUCT THE
FIRST PART OF HER RESEARCH IN SRI LANKA, AND CONTINUE
WORK IN A U.S. LABORATORY. SIVAKUMAR HAS A LETTER OF
INVITATION FROM DR. MARITAN CANTWELL, SPECIALIST ON
MINIMAL PROCESSING FROM THE UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA,
DAVIS, CALIFORNIA.
D. DR. KUSHAN UDAYANGE "TENNAKOON", SENIOR LECTURER AT
THE DEPARTMENT OF BOTANY, UNIVERSITY OF PERADENIYA, IS
THE FIRST ALTERNATE CANDIDATE ON THE PANEL OF FIVE.
TENNAKOON'S RESEARCH PROJECT IS TITLED "ADAPTABILITY OF
PIONEER PLANT SPECIES THAT COULD BE USED FOR THE
RESTORATION AND REHABILITATION OF DEGRADED LANDS TO
IMPROVE THE LIVELIHOOD OF LOCAL COMMUNITIES IN SRI
LANKA". DR. TENNAKOON'S RESEARCH STUDY WILL PROVIDE
INSIGHTS FOR THE USE OF PIONER PLANT SPECIES IN
MULTIPLE USE FOREST MANAGEMENT IN SRI LANKA. TENNAKOON
PLANS TO DISSEMINATE HIS RESEARCH THROUGH THE
UNIVERSITY CURRICULUM TO THE FORESTRY AND WILD LIFE
DEPARTMENTS IN SRI LANKA AND THE NON-GOVERNMENT
ORGANIZATIONS (NGO) WORKING WITH THE LOCAL COMMUNITIES
ON LAND REHABILITATION, FOREST RESTORATION AND FUEL
WOOD PROGRAMS.
E. DR. MRS PRIYANI ASHOKA "PARANAGAMA" A SENIOR
LECTURER AT THE DEPARTMENT OF CHEMISTRY OF THE
UNIVERSITY OF KELANIYA, IS THE FIFTH CANDIDATE AND
SECOND ALTERNATE ON THE PANEL OF FIVE. PARANAGAMA'S
RESEARCH PROJECT IS TITLED "EVALUATION OF MULTI-RESIDUE
METHODS FOR PRIORITY PESTICIDES IN FRUITS, VEGETABLES
AND GRAINS USING SYSTEMATIC DETECTION METHODS". THERE
ARE NO REGISTERED POST-HARVEST TREATMENTS AND
ESTABLISHED NATIONAL MAXIMUM RESIDUAL LEVELS (MRLS) FOR
FRESH FRUIT, VEGETABLES AND STORED GRAINS IN SRI LANKA.
DR. PARANAGAMA'S PROJECT AIMS AT SUPPORTING THE
IMPLEMENTATION OF RESIDUAL LEVELS IN FRESH FRUIT,
VEGETABLES AND GRAIN WITH A LIMITED SET OF RELIABLE AND
COMPARABLE VALIDATED MULTI-RESIDUAL METHODS WHICH ALLOW
THE MONITORING OF PRIORITY PESTICIDES IN FRESH FRUIT,
VEGETABLES AND GRAINS.
3. COMPLETED DOSSIERS OF THE FIVE 2004-05 FULBRIGHT
SENIOR SCHOLAR NOMINEES WILL BE SENT TO REACH CIES BY
JANUARY 15, 2004. REGARDS.
LUNSTEAD