Dr. (Mrs.) WAS Lakmali

Senior Lecturer

Department of Plantation Management
Faculty of Agriculture & Plantation Management
Wayamba University of Sri Lanka,
Makandura, Gonawila (NWP

Office: +94 3122 99246
Mobile: +94 7163 19251

Email: shyanikalakmali@gmail.com,  waslakmali@mkd.wyb.ac.lk 

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W.A.S. Lakmali is passionate in Forestry Science who is started her academic career as a Lecturer in the Department of Plantation Management in year 2011. She persuaded her doctoral degree in the University of Melbourne, investigating ecological, structural and functional responses of forests to climate change, disturbance regimes and vegetation change. She applied wide scale field-based research techniques in forestry in conjunction with stand scale dynamic modelling approaches to predict forest responses to future climate-fire-vegetation dynamics. During her PhD studies, she was awarded the Melbourne Research scholarship, Yvonne Aitken Bursary 2020, SF pond scholarship, SATS scholarship and writing-up award.

She obtained B.Sc. special degree from the University of Sri Jayewardenepura in the field of Forestry and Environmental Science, securing first-class honour division. She completed M. Phil Degree in the field of Integrated Water Resource Management from University of Peradeniya, Sri Lanka. She was granted SAWA scholarship funded by the Crossing Boundaries Project of the Government of Netherland to persuade M. Phil degree in the University of Peradeniya.

• Regular member of American Geophysical Union (AGU) – Advancing space and Earth Sciences – Membership ID: 990626.
• Member of Young Scientist Forum, National Institute of Technology Commission (YSF Nastec), Sri Lanka – Membership ID: YSFM-18-00083.
  • Forestry Science
  • Climate Change
  • Ecosystem Function
  • Ecohydrology
  • Environmental Management
  • Forest and Carbon dynamics
  • Simulation and Modelling
  • Melbourne International Research Scholarship, The University of Melbourne, Australia.
  • A Top-up Scholarship, Integrated Forest Ecosystem Research Project, Victorian Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning, and Melbourne Water, Victoria.
  • Yvonne Aitken Bursary 2020, The University of Melbourne.
  • SF Pond Scholarship, 2019, The School of Ecosystem and Forest Sciences, The University of Melbourne, Australia.
  • Science Abroad Travel Scholarship, 2019, Faculty of Science, The University of Melbourne, Australia.
  • A Postgraduate Writing-up Award granted by the Albert Shimmins Fund (University of Melbourne).
  • MIND Scholarships program, 2008, Munasinghe Institute for Development, For the best student of 2005 Special batch of Forestry and Environmental Science
  • Full Published Papers / Conference Proceedings
  1. Lane, P.N.G., Benyon, R.G., Lakmali, S., Inbar, A. and and Sheridan, G. “High frequency fire drives species change: Impacts on ecohydrology and ecosystems functioning”, EGU general assembly 2020, (4th May – 8th May 2020).
  2. Lakmali, W.A.S., Benyon, R.G., Lane, P.N.G. and Sheridan, G. “Divergence of evapotranspiration after replacement of Eucalyptus regnans with Acacia dealbata in response to climate change and fire” International Union of Forest Research Organizations (IUFRO) XXV World Congress (29th September – 5th October 2019), Curitiba, Brazil.
  3. Lane, P.N.G., Lakmali, S., Benyon, R.G., Inbar, A., Hawthorne, S.N., and Sheridan, G.J. “Fire induced compound disturbance – Species replacement and eco-hydrologic response in South East Australian forests”, AGU 2018 Fall meeting (10th – 14th December 2018), Washington, D.C.
  4. Lakmali W.A.S., Gunawardena E.R.N., and Dayawansa N.D.K. “Comparative Performance Assessment of Major Irrigation Systems in Upper Deduru Oya Basin”, Proceeding of 26th Annual Congress, University of Peradeniya, Sri Lanka (21st – 22nd November 2014).
  5. Lakmali W.A.S., Udugama J. M. M., Jayasinghe-Mudalige U.K., Gunawardena U.A.D.P., Fernando A.P.S. and Ikram S. M. M., “Forest dependence and sustenance of rural livelihoods: Evidence from the dry zone communities in Sri Lanka” 3rd Symposium of Rajarata University of Sri Lanka (7th February, 2013).
  6. Lakmali, W.A.S., and Subasinghe, S.M.C.U.P., “Projecting pruning schedule for Swietenia macrophylla (mahogany) even-aged monocultures”. Young Scientist Foundation Symposium (18th January, 2013), Colombo, Sri Lanka.
  7. Wijesuriya, W.M.T.S., and Lakmali, W.A.S. “Evaluating total sustainability levels of coconut plantations in Sri Lanka”. 18th International Annual Forestry and Environment Symposium (26-27 November, 2013), The University of Sri Jayewardenepura.
  8. Lakmali W.A.S., Udugama J. M. M., Jayasinghe-Mudalige U.K., Gunawardena U.A.D.P., Fernando A.P.S. and Ikram S. M. M.,“ Integration of forestry sector contribution to the system of national accounts in Sri Lanka” 17th International Annual Forestry and Environment Symposium (16th -17th November, 2012), The University of Sri Jayewardenepura.
  9. Lakmali, W.A.S., and Subasinghe, S.M.C.U.P., “Change of breast height diameter with age of Swietenia macrophylla (mahogany) even–aged monocultures”. 15th International Annual Forestry and Environment Symposium (26th-27th November, 2010), The University of Sri Jayewardenepura.
  10. Lakmali, W.A.S., and Subasinghe, S.M.C.U.P., “Change of crown diameter with dbh of Swietenia macrophylla (mahogany) even–aged monocultures”. 14th International Annual Forestry and Environment Symposium (18th -19th December, 2009), The University of Sri Jayewardenepura.