How long have you been working in PHENIX and at what institution?
I have been working with PHENIX since 2012 as a graduate student at the University of Massachusetts Amherst.
What is the focus of your work on the PHENIX experiment?
My focus has been on measuring the single spin asymmetry of W->e in p+p collisions at 510 GeV, probing sea quark polarization. I have also been working on the Venier Scan Analysis of run 13.
Where were you born and what is your education background before your current position?
I was born in Kurunegala, Sri Lanka but I have lived in Kandy, the hill capital of Sri Lanka, most of my life. I received my B.S (we call it B.Sc there) in Physics from the University of Peradeniya, Sri Lanka and I came to UMass right after the graduation.
What was the title of your Ph.D. (or tentative title)?
The title of my dissertation is “Measurement of single spin asymmetry in W->e in longitudinally polarized p+p collisions at 510 GeV”.
How did you decide to go into heavy ion or spin research?
I did my undergraduate research on solid state ionics and I did not find it really interesting. So I always wanted to do my graduate research in medium/high energy physics. When it was time to start my research work at UMass, I met a professor in the nuclear group there and he referred me to Prof. David Kawall who was leading the PHENIX group at UMass. And that is how I went into spin research. After all these years, I still find the concept of spin of the proton or the elementary particles too much abstract to grasp.
What do you like to do in your spare time?
Music. I can play several instruments in both western and oriental music and I can sing really well. Also I Iove watching classic movies. I like to play video games as well, specially when my wife is not around :).