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Dr. Mrs. Sutharshiny Sathyaruban
Head, Senior Lecturer
Dr. Sutharshiny Sathyaruban is a Senior Lecturer and Head of the Department of Fisheries, Faculty of Science, University of Jaffna, Sri Lanka. Her research expertise encompasses aquaculture, ornamental fish culture, fish nutrition and feed development, fish biochemistry, natural carotenoids, and fisheries and aquatic resource management. She has served as Principal Investigator and consultant for several national and international research projects and has published extensively in peer-reviewed journals, books, and conference proceedings. She also contributes as a resource person, technical committee member, consultant, reviewer, and panelist in fisheries, aquaculture, environmental conservation, and blue economy initiatives.
Research Interests
Skills & Expertise
Academic Profile
Ph.D
PhD
University of Sri Jayewardenepura, Sri Lanka and UiT, Norway
M.Phil
M.Phil
University of Jaffna
BSc
B.Sc (Hons)
University of Jaffna
Activities
2026
Consultant, "More Power to the People: Changing Power Dynamics in Certification Systems through Community-Based Environmental Monitoring (CBEM)"
Organisation of People for Engagement and Enterprise (OPEnE), Mannar
2025
Panellist, development of an Integrated Mariculture Policy for Sri Lanka
Presidential Secretariat, Sri Lanka — 21 October 2025
2025
Panellist, development of the agriculture (aquaculture) sector in the Northern Province
High Commission of Canada with the Ceylon Chamber of Commerce, District Secretariat, Jaffna — 30–31 October 2025
2025
Organising committee member, Exhibition on Inland Aquaculture
Pannai, Jaffna, 1–2 November 2025; funded by the Ministry of Agriculture, Northern Province
2025
Panellist, Sea Cucumber Symposium
Organised by Synamon Global, Colombo — 26–27 July 2025
2025
Consultant, Exploring Sustainability and Socio-Economic Dynamics in Sea Cucumber and Seaweed Aquaculture
Organisation of People for Engagement and Enterprise (OPEnE), Mannar
2024–2025
Consultant, comprehensive technical study on the seafood supply chain in the Jaffna and Mannar districts
Fairtrade Network of Asia and Pacific Producers (NAPP), Singapore
2024–Present
Technical committee member, IUCN project "Conservation of coral reef associated with the Erumaitivu–Kakkaitivu Seascape for community and ecosystem Resilience"
Kilinochchi District
2023–Present
Consultant in feed formulation
Unique Farm's (Pvt.) Ltd., poultry farm, Jaffna, Sri Lanka
2023
Evaluator, "Sahasak Imavum" National Invention and Innovation Competition
Sri Lanka Inventors Commission (SLIC), Colombo
Admin Roles
—
Head, Department of Fisheries
Faculty of Science, University of Jaffna
2026–Present
Principal Investigator, Boosting Guppy Fish Vitality: Enhancing Colour, Growth, and Immunity with Sustainable American Cockroach Residue and Untapped Plant Carotenoid Sources
Investigator Driven Grant, National Research Council (NRC), Sri Lanka — In progress
2025–Present
Member, Technical Evaluation Committee
IUCN, Sri Lanka
2023–Present
Committee member, Career Guidance
Faculty of Science, University of Jaffna
2026–Present
Committee member, Web and IT Committee
Faculty of Science, University of Jaffna
2024
Secretary, VIGNANAM Research Conference
University of Jaffna
2021–2022
President, Thondaimanaru Field Work Centre
2021
Principal Investigator, Enhancing the skin colouration of ornamental fishes using palmyrah fruit (AHEAD/RA3/UBL/JFN/OVAA/23)
Amount Rs. 91,500 — Completed
2021
Principal Investigator, Formulation of practical diets for swordtails Xiphophorus helleri (Poeciliidae) for growth and colour optimization using mathematical modelling (URG/2021/SEIT/30)
Amount Rs. 797,000 — Completed
2020–2021
Co-ordinator, Applied Science Degree Programme
Faculty of Science, University of Jaffna
2020
Committee member, Biosafety Committee
Faculty of Science, University of Jaffna
2019–2021
Committee member, Curriculum Development, Revision and Monitoring
Faculty of Science, University of Jaffna
2019
Principal Investigator, A comparative study on isolation of DNA from fin, scale and tissues of cryptic ornamental fishes in Jaffna Peninsula (URG/2019/SEIT/22)
Amount Rs. 900,000 — Completed
2018–2021
Committee member, Science Faculty Strategic Management
Faculty of Science, University of Jaffna
2018
Principal Investigator, Effect of natural carotenoid for enhancing colouration and growth in goldfish (Carassius auratus) (URG/2018/SEIT/02)
Amount Rs. 800,000 — Completed
2017–2021
Secretary, Alumni Association — Interim Committee
Faculty of Graduate Studies, University of Jaffna
2017–2018
Student Councillor
University of Jaffna
2016–2022
Senior Treasurer, Fisheries Science Society
University of Jaffna
2016–2021
Committee member, Thondaimanaru Field Work Centre
2015–Present
Technical Evaluation Committee member
Department of Fisheries
2015
Principal Investigator, Evaluation of shelf life for commercially important food fishes and shellfishes in the Jaffna Peninsula during ice storage (URG/2015/01)
Amount Rs. 500,040 — Completed
2014
Secretary, Section A
Jaffna Science Association
—
Team member, proposal writing for the AHEAD project (World Bank funded, 100 Million) for the Faculty of Science
University of Jaffna
Awards
2025
PhD Gold Medal for research excellence
Highest international and national research publications, patents and research awards within the stipulated time, Board of Study of Multidisciplinary Studies, Faculty of Graduate Studies, University of Sri Jayewardenepura (convocation, 19 November 2025)
2024
1st Runner-up, 3MT (Three Minute Thesis) Competition
University of Moratuwa, funded by the University of Queensland, Australia
2024
Publication Fee Support, National Science Foundation (NSF)
Support to publish a manuscript in an indexed journal
2022
PhD Mobility Training Fellowship
UiT, Norway, under the NORPART Project
2022
Best Oral Presentation Award — First Runner-up
Virtual 13th AFAF, 2 June 2022
2021
Financial Assistance for PhD Studies, UGC Sri Lanka (Rs. 2,767,642.28)
PhD research on skin colouration, immune response and growth in guppy, swordtail and platyfish fed locally formulated diets using palmyrah fruit pulp, seaweed and shrimp shells
2018
IOC/IODE/OceanTeacher Global Academy (OTGA-INOS/UMT) Training Course
Foundations of Coastal and Marine Spatial Planning, 18–22 November 2018, Kuala Terengganu, Malaysia
2015
UNU–UNESCO International Fellowship
Two-week training programme on mangrove biodiversity, Annamalai University, India
Membership
Life Member
Jaffna Science Association (JSA), Sri Lanka
Life Member
Sri Lanka Association for Fisheries and Aquatic Resources
Life Member
Thondaimanaru Field Work Centre, Sri Lanka
Life Member
Institute of Biology, Sri Lanka (2019)
Member
Fisheries Society of the British Isles (2022)
Publications (5)
2025
Sathyaruban, S., Uluwadugae, D.I. and Kuganathan, S. Impacts of palmyrah (Borassus flabellifer) fruit pulp-enriched diets on growth and colouration of swordtail (Xipophorus helleri) and platyfish (Xipophorus maculatus)
Journal of Fisheries, 13(2): 132209 — DOI: 10.17017/j.fish.982
2025
Sutharshiny Sathyaruban, S. A Technical Study on Sea Food Supply Chain in Jaffna and Mannar Districts: Challenges and Recommendations
Pp. 92. FAIRTRADE Network of Asia and Pacific Producers (NAPP), Singapore. ISBN 978-624-92400-0-1
2025
Sathyaruban, S., Uluwaduge, D.I. and Kuganathan, S. Comprehensive Guide of Ornamental Livebearers: Nutrition and Colouration
Pp. 97. University of Sri Jayewardenepura, Nugegoda. ISBN 978-624-92400-1-8. Funded by Pelagikos (Private) Limited
2024
Efficiency of the experimental diet enriched with palmyrah (Borassus flabellifer L.) fruit pulp on growth, pigmentation, immune challenge, and breeding performance in the guppy (Poecilia reticulata)
Aquaculture Reports, 38: 102285 — Sathyaruban, S., Perera, G.C., Amarasinghe, D.J.M., Uluwaduge, D.I., Kuganathan, S.
—
Developing an economical and nutritious diet for juvenile guppy (Poecilia reticulata) and swordtail (Xiphophorus helleri): an approach through mathematical modeling
Journal of Applied Aquaculture, pp. 1–20 — Sutharshiny, S., Prasanthan, R., Shivatharsiny, Y., Harichandra, K., Deepthi, I.U., Sivashanthini, K.
Teaching
Course
Fish Evolution and Biodiversity
Department of Fisheries, University of Jaffna
Course
Ornamental Fish / Plant Culture and Fish Feed
Department of Fisheries, University of Jaffna
Course
Fish Parasitology and Diseases
Department of Fisheries, University of Jaffna
Course
Fish Post-Harvest Technology
Department of Fisheries, University of Jaffna
Course
Fish Biology and Embryology
Department of Fisheries, University of Jaffna
Course
Fish Physiology and Biochemistry
Department of Fisheries, University of Jaffna
Supervision
Postgraduate & undergraduate supervision
17 undergraduate (BSc Hons) projects, 1 M.Sc. completed and 1 M.Phil. in progress