Completed Projects

Completed Projects

Total Cost of the completed projects is over $237,000.

  • Donation of Two Particle Size Analyzers and GC-TCD/FID to Science Faculty (Total Cost $ 0.00) [April 2024 – December 2024] Dr. Anagi Balachandra, a CUFSAA member initiated this project and secured several key pieces of analytical instruments from her colleagues at DOW Chemical including Dr. Ronda Grosse, who serves on the Board of Directors of “Chemists Without Borders”. Shipment included two particle size analyzers and a GC system with TCD and FID detectors. The value of the shipment, if purchased new estimated at US $20,000 (Rs. 6 million). These items were installed in the chemistry lab and shared across numerous departments and facilitate the access to all students.

 

  • Glassware Shipment Project (Total Cost $923.00) [December 2023 – March 2024] The glassware shipment to the Department of Chemistry arranged by Dr. Lakmal Boteju has now been completed and it is on the way to Colombo. The shipment weighs over 1000Kg and has two pallets with over 9000 items. These equipment, if purchased new, would have cost over Rs. 9 million (USD 30,000). In addition to various glassware items, it also contains analytical columns, Chromatographic columns, syringe systems, UV lamps, Solvent and vacuum pumps, heating units, filter papers, culture/centrifuge tubes, balances, spectrofluorometers and many other items. (Please see the project page for additional details)

 

  • Equipment Donation to Science Faculty – (Total Cost $6,422.30) [December 2022 – August 2023] CUFSAA-NA undertook the Packaging & Shipping of Equipment to the Faculty of Science that were donated by Metna Co. Lansing, Michigan, USA. CUFSAA-NA sincerely thank Anagi Balachandra for initiating and coordinating the donation. These equipment, if purchased directly, would have cost over Rs. 20 million (USD 75,000). CUFSAA-NA had completed the process of packaging, shipping, and paying the expenses to ship the equipment to the Faculty of Science, University of Colombo. The equipment container was delivered to the Science Faculty on August 08, 2023. (Please see the project page for additional details)

 

  • Equipment Donation to Technology Faculty – (Total Cost $4,140.83 ) [April 2023] We purchased and donated a LCD Digital 7’’ Square Hotplate Magnetic Stirrer, CY-C SERIES PROFESSIONAL ANALYTICAL Balances, pH 50 VioLab DHS complete kit, and a Water Distiller to the Technology Faculty, University of Colombo. The total cost of this equipment purchase was donated in full by an anonymous CUFSAA member. We sincerely thank the donor for the generosity and support!

 

  • Two oscilloscopes donated to the Department of Nuclear Science (Total Cost $1,011.44) [September 2022 – November 2022] At the request of Head, Nuclear Science Department CUFSAA purchased a Rigol DS1104Z-S Plus 100 MHz Digital Oscilloscope with 4 Channels and 16 Digital Channels + 25 MHz Bandwidth with 2 Signal Source Channels and donated to the Nuclear Science Department. We thank the three CUFSAA members who generously contributed the total cost of this donation plus the shipping cost to send the equipment to Sri Lanka. Along with this oscilloscope, we sent a used oscilloscope donated by Dr. Ranjith Weerasiri to the Nuclear Science Department and a logic analyzer donated by Dr. Upali Jayamaha to the Physics Department. The above expense includes the shipping cost to Sri Lanka for all these equipment.

 

  • Medical supplies Project (Total Dispersed $20,004.25 as of July 31, 2023.) [April 2022 – July 2023] Due to the Sri Lankans’ dire state in obtaining critically needed medication and medical equipment, CUFSAA-NA embarked on this project to support Medical Supplies donations to Sri Lanka. Many medical professionals and CUFSAA members have asked us to intervene in this humanitarian crisis and save lives. (Please visit our Medical Supplies Project page for additional information)

 

  • Remote Learning Project (New and Refurbished Laptops for student use) – (Total Disbursed $11,721.66) [May 2020 – October 2022] CUFSAA-NA have decided to go all out to support our alma mater to help in her noble cause to change the lives of these students as the whole world suffers through a catastrophe of historic proportions. Towards this end, CUFSAA purchased and delivered 15 new Laptops and 06 refurbished laptops for the student use at the Faculty of Science, University of Colombo.

 

  • Ebook Subscription Service to Science Library (Total Cost $4,376.00) [September 2022 – October 2022] The Science Faculty library of UofC has developed a plan to implement an e-book subscription service through ELSEVIER to bring the library and information services to the current standards and expand the student access to textbooks through their computer. After receiving a request from the Dean, Science faculty, CUFSAA worked with the ELSEVIER on behalf of the Science Library and was able to work out a more favorable cost structure for the e-book subscription service. With unanimous support from the executive committee, CUFSAA has agreed to pay for the invoice (US $ 4,376) directly to ELSEVIER so that the UofC students and staff can access this critical e-book collection as soon as possible. The list of e-books and their prices are provided for our members to sponsor one or more e-books of their choice. The list includes a total of 29 e-books [consisted of 11 Chemistry books, 5 Mathematics books, 4 Plant science books, 3 Biochemistry books, 2 Physics books, 2 Environmental science books, and 2 Zoology books].

 

  • COVID Relief Fund – (Total Cost $160,153.88) [May 2021 – December 2021] CUFSAA-NA, in consultation with several Faculty members of the Faculty of Science at the University of Colombo, have initiated and implemented an urgent COVID support for Sri Lanka. Please visit the COVID Relief Fund page for complete information on this project.

 

  • Microscopes for Zoology and Environmental Sciences Department – (Total Cost $11,791.81) [November 2020 – March 2021] We are pleased to announce that CUFSAA was able to complete the microscopes project for the department of Zoology and Environmental Sciences of the Faculty of Science, University of Colombo very successfully. This was possible due to the generosity of a number of alumni, who helped to raise the required amount to purchase the microscopes within a couple of weeks. Accordingly, ten (10) bright field light microscopes (Olympus CX23) and one (1) dissection microscope (Olympus SZX7) were handed over to the department of Zoology and Environmental Science on April 20th, 2021.
    Your donation will help the education and training of undergraduate and postgraduate students in the of the Department of Zoology & Environmental Sciences, faculty of science for years to come.

 

  • High Performance Computers for Plant Sciences Department – (Total Cost $4,529.07) [January 2021] After reviewing the proposal submitted to the executive committee of CUFSAA by the plant science department, CUFSAA was able to raise funds to purchase the requested two high performance computers to the plant science department at University of Colombo.

 

  • Telescope Project – (Total Cost $8,362.80) [December 2017 – November 2019] 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.

 

  • FOS Media Camera Project  – (Total Cost $749.00) [September 2019] 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.

 

  • MultispeQ instrument Donation – (Total Cost $914.94) [December 2018] 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.

 

  • A drinking water system for students –  (Total Cost $2,336.60) [Feb 2017] At the request of the Faculty of Science, CUFSAA has provided a new drinking water system for use by students and staff of the faculty. Four water coolers delivered and installed at to the departments of Chemistry, Physics, Mathematics and Plant sciences. CUFSAA is thankful to Dr. Duminda Wijesekera who solely donated the entire cost of the project amounting to US $2,336.60.

 

  • Student Flood assistance – (Total Cost $2,000.00) [June 2017] We have given scholarships and financial assistance to students effected by the wide-spread floods that affected many science faculty students.

Completed Fundraiser Events