I am a Sr-Lankan Native. I recevied my B.S. in 1981 from Peradeniya University, Sri-Lanka with honors in Physics. In 1985 I joined Bowling Green State University, Bowling Green, OH and received M.S in experimenatl condensed matter physics working on "Flux Quantization in disordered bismuth films". Then I transferred to Indiana University, Bloomington, IN in 1987 and worked on several projects related to quantum transport in disordered systems and heterostructures. After receiving Ph.D in 1995 I joined the research group of Prof. Peter Eklund at University of Kentucky where I worked on physical properties of nanoparticles, carbon nanotubes, high Tc superconductors, etc. Especially, electrical conductivity, thermolectric power, Raman scattering, electrochemical behavior of these materials were studied. In 1999 I joined Penn State University as a senior research associate along with teh Eklund Group. Currently I am involved in several projects in photonic materials using synthetic opals, chemical sensors using single wall carbon nanotubes, phonon confinement effects in silicon nanowires and much more.