Completed Projects

Completed Projects

  1. Telescope Project – (Total Cost $8362.80)
    This project consisted of the donation of the 11-inch Celestron Telescope, Hydrogen-Alpha Solar Telescope, and the associated accessories including multiple CMOS cameras for imaging celestial objects.
    Prof. Chandana Jayaratne of the Department of Physics made the request for the telescopes. The total funds raised by CUFSAA-NA amounted to $10,147.28. We are happy to announce that the donations were completed and, now Science Faculty has tools to conduct successful astronomical outreach events and to carry out undergraduate research projects. The 11-inch Celestron Telescope and accessories were officially handed over to the Faculty in August 2018 while the Hydrogen-Alpha Solar Telescope and accessories were handed over in November 2019 in time for observing the annular solar eclipse of December 26, 2019, which was visible from the northern Sri Lanka.
    CUFSAA-NA wishes to thank the membership for their generous contributions to this Project.
  2. MultispeQ instrument Donation – CUFSAA-NA Joined with PhotosynQ to complete the donation of MultispeQ instruments to the Department of Plant Sciences of the University of Colombo for the benefit of the faculty and the students. Thanks to CUFSAA-NA members, Drs. Priyankara & Kumari Hennayake and Chandrasiri Jayakody, we were able to purchase one MultispeQ instrument. The CEO and Co-founder of the PhotosynQ, the company that manufactures MultispeQ instrument, Mr. Prabode Weebadde and Professor Cholani Weebadde of the Department of Plant, Soil and Microbial Sciences of the Michigan State University also donated another unit at the handover ceremony held at the Deans Office of the University of Colombo on Friday, December 21st, 2018.
  3. FOS Media Camera Project – We received a request from University of Colombo, Faculty of Science, Media unit (FOS Media) for a media camera for the use of science faculty. FOS media request was for a still camera to cover the events and train new students who don’t have personal cameras. CUFSAA donated a Canon t6i camera with a 18-135mm lens (at a cost of $800) to FOS media.
  4. A drinking water system for students – (at ~ $ 3,000 cost)
  5. Gold Medal for Special Degree Program in Computational Chemistry – The Department of Chemistry (U of C) is of the view that the award of a gold medal for Special Degree in Computational Chemistry would not only motivate these students but would also assist them in securing positions for postgraduate studies. The Colombo University Faculty of Science Alumni Association of North America (CUFSAA-NA), in consultation with the Faculty of Science, has decided to fill this void by sponsoring a gold medal in computational chemistry. The award shall be named the ‘CUFSAA Gold Medal for Computational Chemistry’ and shall be awarded annually from the academic year 2019/2020 for the best performance with either a First or Second Class (Upper Division) in the Honours degree examination in Computational Chemistry.
  6. Professor Valentine Joseph Memorial Scholarship and Gold medals project – In 2018, CUFSAA-NA launched a fundraiser to immortalize late Professor Valentine Joseph’s name through a project consisting of scholarships and gold medal presentations to outstanding students. In the last two years, CUFSAA raised an amount of US$ 12,432.67 for this project.
  7. Student Flood assistance – We have given scholarships and financial assistance to students effected by the wide-spread floods that affected many science faculty students.

Completed Fundraiser Events

  1. TAMASHA 2016 – Inaugural get-together was held on September 03, 2016 (Labor Day Weekend) AT New Jersey
    Our Inaugural get-together (Tamasha 2016) was held on September 03, 2016 (Labor Day Weekend) at Akbar Banquet Hall, 21 Cortlandt Street, Edison NJ 08837. (http://www.akbarrestaurant.com/) We also held a brunch/inaugural meeting of CUFSAA on September 04, 2016. The events were a HUGE success! There were over 250 University of Colombo, Science Faculty Graduates, Alumni, Staff, and well-wishers in attendance and they traveled from all over the US and Canada to attend this historic EVENT!
    Please look below for event photos, program, souvenir, and other event related information.

    1. Tamasha 2016 – Official Program
    2. Tamasha 2016 – Event Flyer
    3. Download Tamasha 2016 – Souvenir Issue Warning! This is a LARGE File and is more than 35 MB. Download with caution.
    4. Inaugural Tamasha 2016 – Photos from the Event
    5. Inaugural CUFSAA Brunch/Meeting- Photos from the Event
  2. TAMASHA 2018 – Second get-together was held on May 26-27, 2018 (Memorial Day Weekend) at Cleveland, Ohio
    Our Second get-together (Tamasha 2018) was held on May 26, 2018 (Memorial Day Weekend) at LaCentre Conference and Banquet Facility (http://www.lacentre.com/) We also held a brunch/AGM meeting of CUFSAA on May 27, 2018. The Cultural Show featured Shalika De Silva as guest singer and the Dinner-Dance featured Sri Lankan Live Band (Araliya) with Guest Artist Desmond Rodrigo. On May 27, 2018 a Premier Movie, “The Letter” produced by Sumedha Jayasena was screened The Letter is a movie produced by Sumedha Jayasena and directed by Isuru Weerasinghe Mudali staring Mano Abesiriwardana and Madara Jayasena. It has Sinhala and Tamil dialogue with subtitles in English as well as Sinhala and Tamil. This film was nominated in the Colombo International Film festival in 2014 and was screened once in the festival at the Regal Theater. It also got pre-selected in the Toronto International Film Festival 2018. “The Letter” will be screened in Sri Lanka in late February 2018 in the theater circuit belonging to the National Film Corporation. Logline: An unexplained connection between a soldier and a village girl break barriers of cultural conflict in the midst of a brutal civil war, resulting in unforeseen consequences for everyone involved. Both events were HUGE successes! There were over 200 University of Colombo, Science Faculty Graduates, Alumni, Staff, and well-wishers in attendance and they traveled from all over the US and Canada to attend this reunion EVENT!
    Please look below for event photos, program, souvenir, and other event related information.

    1. Tamasha 2018 – Official Program
    2. Tamasha 2018 – Event Flyer
    3. Download Tamasha 2018 – Souvenir Issue Warning! This is a LARGE File and is more than 68 MB. Download with caution.
    4. Tamasha 2018 – Photos from the Event