All the roads Aruna Weerasooriya, Ph.D., took on his career path led him to Prairie View A&M University College of Agriculture, Food, and Natural Resources. A lifelong researcher, his desire to find new species and life in areas barely uncovered by others has inspired his unique and thoughtful approach to teaching and guiding young scientists on their journey.  

Dr. Weerasooriya studied biology in Sri Lanka, his native country, and soon after moved to London to earn his master’s degree. There he met another scientist who encouraged him to move to Hong Kong to start a research team at the University of Hong Kong, where he also completed his doctorate degree in Plant Systematics.  

During his studies, Dr. Weerasooriya was an avid explorer, often wading into dense forests in Asian regions to explore all the plant species available in the area.  

“When you look at the world, the highest biodiversity is found in these regions,” Dr. Weerasooriya said. “The number of species is so high. In the Philippines, for example, there are 14 distinct species. During my exploration, I found 45 species myself, but it is possible there could be more.”

Aruna Weerasooriya, Ph.D.

Thanks to his tireless devotion to plant exploration, he found all the plants available in Sri Lanka and even discovered a species completely unknown to others beforehand, from the Mae Hong Son Province in northern Thailand, the Mitrephora sirikitiae. According to the Nordic Journal of Botany, “It is easily distinguished from the seven species of Mitrephora previously recorded from Thailand due to its very large, showy flowers. It is most like M. winitii, but differs in its larger flowers, with inner petals that undulate at maturity. The profuse blooming of the new species and its large flowers with mild fragrance suggests that it may be of significant horticultural potential.”  

The discovery of the attractive plant caught the attention of the Thai government, and in 2006, the flower appeared on an official stamp for the country, and its photos were placed around the Thailand airport.  

In 2001 he moved to the United States to study as a post-doc researcher in St. Louis, MO. Afterward, he was asked to join the University of Mississippi to develop a new research program and botanical garden. The college received a grant to study the efficacy of herbal supplements made in the U.S. and abroad. This involved the identification and authentication of hundreds of plant species, and Dr. Weerasooriya was appointed to oversee the expansion of the lands now known as the Medicinal Plant Garden. According to the university’s website, thanks to Dr. Weerasooriya, “the garden has grown over 1000 authenticated living medicinal plant species, outdoors and in greenhouses. Dr. Weerasooriya established a seed bank in 2002. The garden collaborates with numerous national and international botanic gardens to exchange medicinal plant germplasm. It is registered with the Botanic Gardens Conservation International (BGCI) and is a member of both the International Plant Exchange Network (IPEN) and the American Association of Botanical Gardens and Arboreta.” It is currently one of the best medicinal plant institutes in the United States.  

Word of Dr. Weerasooriya’s achievements and lengthy experience with plant species and botany reached Prairie View A&M University, where the former dean of the college, Alton Johnson, Ph.D. repeatedly asked Dr. Weerasooriya to visit the college in hopes of joining the burgeoning research team. When he finally saw PVAMU for the first time, he immediately recognized the need for more great minds to join the school and shape students and the college, mainly the Cooperative Agricultural Research Center (CARC).  

By this point, Dr. Weerasooriya was an accomplished scientist with decades of notoriety in teaching and volumes of books dissecting various plant species under his belt. He had achieved everything he wanted in his career, but instructing students, especially those underserved and needing extra guidance to excel in agriculture fields, seemed like the next great step for a researcher who had mastered his field.  

Left to Right: CAFNR Dean and Director of Land Grant Programs Gerard D’Souza, Greenhouse Manager Rafash Brew, Texas A&M University Board of Regents Member John Bellinger, Aruna Weerasoriya, Ph.D., PVAMU President Tomikia P. LeGrande at the Medicinal Plants Greenhouses on the Gov. Bill and Vara Daniel Farm at Prairie View A&M University.

“I told my wife, ‘What is the purpose of our lives?’” Dr. Weerasooriya reflected. “We will live 70-80 years, hopefully. And yes, I have created a professional legacy for myself that I am proud of. But if I can make a change here, that will be much more impactful for society than what I have done at the university.” 

So, he decided to take the challenge. Since arriving at PVAMU in January 2013, Dr. Weerasooriya has developed two greenhouses and has supervised great hires that have elevated the work done at the college. His students are routinely published in scientific articles with award-winning research and have gone on to pursue great careers in agriculture. He and his colleagues have been awarded over $7.5 million in grants, and he has a patent pending. Thanks in part to leadership support within the college and university, he has seen great strides within his department and believes the college is doing research that is on par and even ahead of nearby institutions in Texas.  

“We have great minds and great leadership here,” Dr. Weerasooriya said. “Dr. Gerard D’Souza has been a great support as the Dean. So, we will achieve more with this assistance.” 

Dr. Weerasooriya says CARC is growing, and its trajectory is promising. There is an exciting partnership with Shell underway, and plans to create a botanical garden are in the works. He works with all researchers in CARC, and his focus on cannabis research is setting blueprints within the field. And his students are remarkable, he says, so teaching here is well worth it.

“Helping students to kickstart their careers is a nourishing duty,” Dr. Weerasooriya said. “To me, teaching is not just a job; it is a service to society. And I am honored to do it here.” 

Yes, there is plenty of work to do. But, with Dr. Weerasooriya’s commitment to exploration in education and guiding emerging researchers to forge new paths, the future of agriculture will continue to blossom. 

In the gallery below:

Aruna Weerasooriya, Ph.D. gives PVAMU President Tomikia P. LeGrande, TAMU Board of Regents Member John Bellinger, and CAFNR Dean Gerard D’Souza a sample of gotu kola, an herb in the parsley family that helps improve mental clarity.

Gotu kola’s scientific name is Centella asiatica. The plant is native to tropical and subtropical parts of Asia.