Project: Terraced Paddies and Water Cycling: Tracking the Emergence of a Silent Water Crisis in Southeast Asia’s UplandsI work as a field and lab assistant for the National Geographic Society-USA funded project investigating water cycling in terraced rice paddies of upland watersheds in Sri Lanka. My responsibilities include regular surface and groundwater sampling for 18O and 2H isotopes, assessing water quality parameters (pH, DO, EC, Eh, major anions, cations, and trace elements), maintaining a network of automated environmental sensors (groundwater levels, soil moisture, air temperature, humidity, etc.), and geophysical surveys for soil moisture mapping.

Project: Carbon Transformations in the Tropical Silicate Dominated Deduru Oya Catchment Sri LankaI volunteer as a field and lab assistant for the project investigating carbon transformations in the Deduru Oya catchment of Sri Lanka. This involves continuous water sampling, seasonal sampling of groundwater and surface water, and analysis for hydrogeochemical parameters, inorganic and organic carbon, as well as 13C, 18O, and 2H isotopes. Stable water isotopes are measured in both water and dissolved oxygen.

Project: The Adsorption Behaviour of Iron-Rich Red Earth for Removal of Aqueous Dye Solutions: Kinetic and Thermodynamic StudiesI have conducted laboratory analysis using UV spectrophotometer to study the adsorption behavior of Sri Lankan red earth to remove Rhodamine 6G dye and data analysis.

During the internship, I have,• Conducted Vertical Electrical Soundings (VES) and 2D resistivity surveys for subsurface hydrological investigations and groundwater exploration• Carried out artificial groundwater recharge studies• Conducted geochemical data analysis• Contributed to Climate Resilient Integrated Water Management Project (CRIWMP), which carried out research for groundwater management strategies tailored to rural communities in Sri Lanka• Involved in tube well construction and pumping tests