Emeritus Professor Piyasiri Yapa, Former Department Head and Senior Lecturer in the Department of Botany, Faculty of Applied Sciences has passed away.
Professor Yapa was one of the pioneer professors in Botany who had introduced Environmental Botany, Economic Botany, Plantation Crop Resources and Phytoremediation for the Botany curricula for the first time in the University history. He was an alumnus of the Vidyodaya and secured his PhD in the field of Biochemistry from the prestigious University of London, UK. His PhD research work opened a new window of the understanding the mechanism of phloem translocation in plants. Subsequently completing his PhD, he joined as a Biochemist at the Rubber Research Institute of Sri Lanka and was the first scientist to introduce several natural rubber products and received four patents for his research.
In 1989 Professor Yapa joined to the Department of Botany, SJP and continued as a senior Lecturer and subsequently a Professor in Botany as well as the Head of the Department (2000_2002). Prof Yapa was a well-known scientist and a science writer in Sri Lanka authored 100 local and international research publications, 24 books on plants,( especially on Medicinal Plants) and 4 patents to his credit. He disseminated his knowledge to the general public through printed and digital media. Prof Yapa was a humble, sincere person and was a great mentor to all his students.
The final rites of Professor Piyasiri Yapa will be performed on 26th of December 2022 (Monday) at Boralasgamuwa Public Cemetery, Boralasgamuwa. His remains will be laid at the Boralasgamuwa Florists Funeral Parlor, Boralasgamuwa on 26th of December 2022 from 8.00 am.
The University of Sri Jayawardenepura wishes to express its deepest sympathies in regards to the demise of Professor Piyasiri Yapa.
