POGO Alumnus:
NF-POGO Shipboard Training – 27th AMT
“The NF-POGO experience and the shipboard training on the 27th Atlantic Meridional Transect (AMT) research cruise was a great opportunity for me to acquire an immense knowledge and skills on pre-cruise preparation, conducting scientific experiments on board…
“Moreover, this programme provided an opportunity to interact with other experienced scientists who are experts in the area of oceanography and marine biogeochemistry. Learning from these scientists and their guidance is an inspiration for me to enhance the quality of my future research activities. In addition, I was able to share the knowledge I gained from this training among the students and colleagues at my institution, and inspired them on marine research.”
Kokuhennadige Hashan Niroshana
Affiliation:
University of Ruhuna, Sri Lanka
Shipboard training:
2017 POGO Visiting Fellowship for Ship-board Training on an Atlantic Meridional Transect (AMT) Cruise, onboard RRS Discovery from Southampton, United Kingdom to Falkland Islands
21 Sep 2017 to 5 Nov 2017
Kokuhennadige Hashan Niroshana:
I am a PhD student at School of Ocean and Earth Science, National Oceanography Centre Southampton at the University of Southampton, United Kingdom. My research focuses to understand the oceanic carbon fluxes and processes along GEOTRACES sections in the major oceans by using an isotopic approach.
I obtained a Master’s degree in Marine and Lacustrine Science and Management from the Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Ghent University and University of Antwerp in Belgium in year 2015. For my master thesis, I studied dissolved barium in the Northeast Atlantic Ocean and its potential as a tracer to track the Mediterranean Outflow Water. I obtained my Bachelor’s degree specializing Oceanography and Marine Geology from the University of Ruhuna, Sri Lanka in 2011.
Since 2016, I have been working as a lecturer in the Department of Oceanography and Marine Geology of University of Ruhuna, Sri Lanka. I teach biological, chemical and physical oceanography for undergraduate students. From 2011 to 2013, I worked at the same department as an assistant lecturer. I am very interested in studying carbon, nutrient cycling and trace metal biogeochemistry in oceans, ocean acidification and marine pollution.
The NF-POGO experience and the shipboard training on the 27th Atlantic Meridional Transect (AMT) research cruise was a great opportunity for me to acquire an immense knowledge and skills on pre-cruise preparation, conducting scientific experiments on board (for instance, performing incubation experiments to determine carbon and nitrogen fixation rates through the measurements of 13C and 15N signatures with Stable Isotope Ratio Mass Spectrometer, collection and preservation of zooplankton samples, collection and preservation of samples for later DNA analysis, and deployment of radiosonde-weather balloons to acquire information of the lower atmosphere composition), post-cruise data analysis and interpretation, which gave me an overall coverage in oceanographic research. Moreover, this programme provided an opportunity to interact with other experienced scientists who are experts in the area of oceanography and marine biogeochemistry. Learning from these scientists and their guidance is an inspiration for me to enhance the quality of my future research activities. In addition, I was able to share the knowledge I gained from this training among the students and colleagues at my institution, and inspired them on marine research.
