Lakshmi R. Attigala. B. Sc. (Hons) Plant Science, Second Class (Upper Division) University of Colombo, Sri Lanka GPA: 3.29/4.

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1 Lakshmi R. Attigala Department of Ecology, Evolution and Organismal Biology Iowa State University Tel: (515) Bessey Hall Ames, IA EDUCATION Ph.D. candidate in Ecology and Evolutionary Biology 2009 To Date Iowa State University Current GPA: 3.72/4.0 (anticipated graduation: Fall 2015) B. Sc. (Hons) Plant Science, Second Class (Upper Division) University of Colombo, Sri Lanka GPA: 3.29/4.0 RESEARCH AND TEACHING EXPERIENCE Guest Lecturer, Plant Molecular Systematics, Biol 366, Dept. of EEOB, ISU Research Assistant, Dept. of EEOB, ISU Conducted DNA extractions, sequencing, cloning, AFLP & Microsatellite related research Responsible for NextGen sequencing DNA library submissions to ISU DNA facility for a grass plastome collaborative project. Performed leaf anatomical work, tissue fixation, embedding, sectioning, staining and imaging of grass leaves Teaching Assistant, Dept. of EEOB, ISU Teaching two sections of Biol 366 (Plant systematics) labs every Spring Greenhouse assistant, Dept. of EEOB, ISU Responsible for routine greenhouse work Teaching Assistant, Dept. of EEOB, ISU Taught two sections of Bio 211L (Introductory Biology course) Research Assistant, Dept. of Plant Sciences, University of Colombo Performed a study on nutrient dynamics of Lantana camara L. on paddy soil 2015 Apr 2009 Fall 2014 Fall 2011 Jan To Date 2014 Summer 2010 Fall 2007 Dec 2008 Aug Assistant Lecturer, Dept. of Plant Sciences, University of Colombo 2007 Dec 2008 Aug Taught labs on General Microbiology, Plant Taxonomy, Soil Microbiology, Measuring Biological Diversity: Ecological indices, Introduction to Bioinformatics, Introduction to GIS for first and third year Plant Sciences undergraduate students, M.Sc. students in Agricultural Microbiology degree, M.Sc. Students in Plant Cell and Tissue Culture degree and students in Diploma in Biodiversity Management course Instructor, Dept. of Plant Sciences, University of Colombo Taught lab courses: Variety of Plant Life, Plant Structure, Cell Biology, Plant Propagation, Genetics, Plant Resources, Microbial Life 2007 Aug 2007 Nov 1

2 Coordinated first year Plant Sciences undergraduate students (a group of eighty) labs RESEARCH AND FIELD BASED ACTIVITIES Conducted bamboo related phylogenetic studies, microsatellite studies, some nuclear marker studies and complete plastome phylogenomics including DNA extractions, sequencing and analysis every summer and Fall as part of dissertation work. Field work in the montane forests and high altitude grasslands of Sri Lanka to collect native bamboos and other grasses for phylogenetic and population genetics studies. Conducted vegetation studies at Horton Plains National Park, Knuckles Mountain Range & Kanneliya Forest Reserve, Sri Lanka Worked in Protected Area Management & Wildlife Conservation Project Biodiversity Baseline Survey Bundala National Park, Sri Lanka as a volunteer. Carried out a vegetation excursion and a Taxonomic Field Survey in Arid Zone of Sri Lanka. Performed ecological studies vegetation samplings at Ritigala forest (a wet, evergreen forest), Phopham Arboretum, Sinharaja World Heritage Site & Udawalawa National Park. Designed and developed a computerized herbarium catalogue and a taxonomic database for the Department of Plant Sciences, University of Colombo. Produced a digital key using DELTA INTKEY for different plant species in the angiosperm plant family Apocynaceae Performed a Taxonomic Field Survey (2 days) in Walawwaththa, Wathurana inland fresh water swamp forest, Bulathsinhala, Sri Lanka. Conducted a medium scale research project on the growth of Ficus species on street trees in Colombo and suburbs Fall 2014 Fall 2010 May Jun 2008 Apr Oct 2008 Jan 2007 Oct 2006 Jul Oct 2006 Aug 2007 Jun 2006 Jul 2005 Sep 2005 Jul Dec ACADEMIC AWARDS AND GRANTS Graduate Professional Student Senate (GPSS) Research Award, ISU 2015 GPSS Teaching Award, ISU 2015 Finch Award, Dept. of EEOB, ISU 2014 (US $ 1500) 2013 (US $ 800) 2011 (US $ 1500) ISU Professional Advancement Grant (PAG) 2014 (US $ 200) 2013 (US $ 200) 2011 (US $ 200) 2

3 American Society of Plant Taxonomist (ASPT) 2013 ($ 800) General Graduate Student Research Grants ASPT travel grant 2013 (US $ 335) 2011 (US $ 335) International Association for Plant Taxonomists (IAPT) research improvement grant 2013 Honorable mention (the proposal reached the quality and requirements to be granted, but was not due to limited funds) EEOB Graduate Student Research Award, Dept. of EEOB, ISU 2011 (US $ 500) Lois H. Tiffany Scholarship, ISU 2011 (US $ 1500) Prof. Abeywickrama Award for Plant Sciences 2007, University of Colombo based on the best performances in Plant Systematics, Ecology and the Field Taxonomic Survey in the Plant Sciences Special Degree Program. Mahapola Higher Education scholarship 2003 Awarded by the Mahapola Higher Education Scholarship Trust Fund, Sri Lanka, based on the performance of Advanced Level Examination for University admissions RESEARCH PRESENTATIONS (Presenters indicated with an asterisk) *Attigala, L., Wysocki, W. P. & Clark, L. G., Understanding the temperate woody bamboo (Bambusoideae: Arundinarieae) polytomy using complete plastomes. Botany Boise, Idaho. *Wysocki W. P., Clark, L. G., Kelchner, S. A., Attigala, L. R. & Duvall, M A full-plastome phylogenomic study on the tropical bamboo lineages Botany Boise, Idaho. *Attigala, L., Triplett, J., & Clark, L. G., Low copy nuclear markers support the monophyly of the Sri Lanka Arundinaria clade (Poaceae: Bambusoideae: Arundinarieae) Botany New Orleans, Louisiana. *Attigala, L., Triplett, J., & Clark, L. G., A new lineage of the Arundinarieae (Poaceae: Bambusoideae) based on a multi-locus plastid phylogeny. The Annual Meeting of 4 Leading Scientific Societies Botany 2011, St. Louis, Missouri. *Attigala, L., & Kathriarachi, K. S., Development of a computerized herbarium catalogue and a taxonomic database for the herbarium of University of Colombo. 64 th Proceedings of the Annual Scientific Sessions of Sri Lanka, Association for the Advancement of Science (SLAAS), Part I, Abstracts, 123. RESEARCH COMMUNICATIONS Attigala, L., Nason, J. & Clark, L. G Genetic diversity and population structure of the threatened temperate woody bamboo Arundinaria debilis (Poaceae: Bambusoideae) populations from Sri Lanka based on microsatellite analysis Poster. Botany Boise, Idaho. 3

4 Attigala L., Triplett, J., Kathriarachchi, H. & Clark L.G Kuruna: a new temperate woody bamboo genus from Sri Lanka Poster. 1 st Graduate and professional student (GPSS) research conference, Iowa State University, Ames, IA. Attigala, L., De Silva, N. & Clark, L. G A simple interactive key for the native Sri Lankan temperate woody bamboos: Arundinaria Poster. Botany New Orleans, Louisiana. Also at 2013 Interdepartmental poster competition organized by Molecular, Cellular & Developmental Biology Graduate Student organization, Iowa state University, Ames, IA. McDonald, K., Attigala, L., Londono, X., Oviedo, R. & Clark, L. G Systematics of Arthrostylidium cubense Poster. Biological Pre-Medical Illustration (BPMI) program honors project, Iowa state University, Ames, IA. PUBLICATIONS Attigala, L., Triplett, J. Kathriarachchi, H. & Clark, L.G A new major lineage of the Arundinarieae (Poaceae: Bambusoideae) from Sri Lanka based on a multi-locus plastid phylogeny and utility of plastid markers in temperate bamboo clade, Phytotaxa. 174 (1): Ranwala, S. M. W, Attigala L.R. & De Silva, S Herbicidal potential of Lantana camara l. on Ludwigia spp in paddy soil. Tropical Agricultural Research & Extension 17(1): Wysocki, W. P., Clark, L. G., Attigala, L., Ruiz-Sanchez, E. & Duvall., M. R Evolution of the bamboos (Bambusoideae; Poaceae): a full plastome phylogenomic analysis. BMC Evolutionary Biology, 15: 50. Attigala, L., Clark, L. G. & Kathriarachchi, H. Submitted. Taxonomic revision of the temperate woody bamboo genus Kuruna (Poaceae: Bambusoideae: Arundinarieae). Systematic Botany. MANUSCRIPTS IN PREPARATION Attigala L., Gallaher, T., Nason J. & Clark. L. G. In Prep. Genetic diversity and population structure of the threatened temperate woody bamboo Kuruna debilis (Poaceae: Bambusoideae: Arundinarieae) from Sri Lanka based on microsatellite analysis. Journal of the National Science Foundation of Sri Lanka. Attigala L., Wysocki, W. P., Triplett, J., Duvall, M. R. & Clark L.G. In Prep. Understanding the taxonomy of Arundinarieae (Bambusoideae: Poaceae) based on full plastome phylogenomics and low copy nuclear marker analyses. Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution. Attigala L., De Silva N. I. & Clark, L. G. In Prep. A simple multi-access web-based interactive identification key for the temperate woody bamboos: Kuruna (Poaceae: Bambusoideae). Computers and Education. March R., Attigala L. & Clark L. G. In Prep. A Morphological Analysis of Yushania niitakayamensis. Journal to be determined. MENTORING EXPERIENCE 2012 Summer Timothy Landwehr, Biology Major program, ISU Katelyn MacDonald, Biological Pre-Medical Illustration (BPMI) program, ISU. 4

5 PROFESSIONAL MEMBERSHIPS Member of American Society of Plant Taxonomist (ASPT) Member of American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) Life Member of the Geo-Informatics Society of Sri Lanka (GISSL) Member of the Sri Lanka Association for the Advancement of Science (SLAAS) Member of The Computer Society of Sri Lanka (CSSL) PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT Member of the ISU Graduate Collage Emerging Leaders Academy (GC-ELA) cohort. PROFESSIONAL SERVICE Student representative Facilities committee EEOB, ISU Member of the organizing committee National Symposium on Invasive Alien Species (IAS 2008) Sri Lanka Association for the Advancement of Science (Section D), National Science Foundation and Biodiversity Secretariat, Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources, Sri Lanka Treasurer Botanical Society, University of Colombo, Sri Lanka 2011 Jan 2012 Jan 2008 Nov OTHER QUALIFICATIONS Completed a short course on GIS and its Applications conducted by the Postgraduate Institute of Science, University of Peradeniya, Sri Lanka. Successfully completed the Australian Computer Society (ACS) examination in Information Technology. Successfully completed the Diploma in Computer Studies with distinction, conducted by the IDM Studies (Pvt.) Ltd., Sri Lanka. Passed the Diploma in Computer Programming conducted by the Technical Educational Institute of Sri Lanka, Sri Lanka Dec Oct 2001 Sep REFERENCES Lynn Clark Professor, Dept. of EEOB Director of the Biological/Pre-Medical Illustration program Ruth MacDonald Professor and Chair, Dept. of Food Science Assistant Dean of Graduate Education, ISU 345 Bessey Hall 2312 Food Science EEOB, Iowa State University Ames IA Iowa State University Ames, IA Tel: (515) ; lgclark@iastate.edu Tel: (515) ; ruthmacd@iastate.edu 5

6 John Nason Professor, Dept. of EEOB Dennis Lavrov Professor, Dept. of EEOB 339 Bessey Hall 343A Bessey Hall EEOB, Iowa State University Ames IA 50011, USA EEOB, Iowa State University Ames IA 50011, USA Tel: (515) ; Tel: (515) ; 6