Anjalee Kumarihamy is originally from Sri Lanka and holds a B.S. degree in Environmental Science from University of Peradeniya, Sri Lanka. Anjalee later earned a M.S. degree in Chemistry from National Sun Yat-sen University in Taiwan before joining the Ph.D. program in the Department of Chemistry at Case Western Reserve University. The focus of Anjalee’s Ph.D. research is developing a novel 2D semiconductor-silk composite filter for photocatalytic water purification. The goal of her current project is to develop a cost-effective, biodegradable and energy efficient composite material for water filtration, which can remove physical contaminants, degrading organic pollutants and eradicating bacteria through light driven photocatalysis. As a part of this research, Anjalee is synthesizing nitrogen-doped TiO₂ nanosheets and integrating them into natural silk fiber matrices. 

Through the SCSAM Spring/Summer 2025 Fellowship, Anjalee has had the opportunity to receive valuable training in Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM). AFM has allowed her to precisely measure the thickness of the nanosheets and evaluate the topography and roughness of her nanosheet-silk fiber composites. AFM has played a significant role in advancing her current research project and the skills gained through the SCSAM Fellowship will support her career goals in the field of materials research. According to Anjalee, “this experience has not only enriched my current doctoral research but also strengthened my technical foundation for a future in industrial research and development.”