Anura Rathnayake

Biography

Education

• Ph.D. in Optical Measurements and Control, Saitama University, Japan, 2007
• B.S. in Mechanical Engineering (Manufacturing focus), University of Peradeniya, Sri Lanka, 2000

Professional Preparation

• Associate Professor in Mechanical Engineering, Washington State University, August 2022 – continuing
• Assistant Professor in Agricultural Engineering, University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff, August 2021- July 2022
• Research Scholar, Center for Precision and Automated Agricultural Systems, Washington State University- Prosser, September 2018- July 2021
• Research Fellow, School of Mechanical, Medical and Process Engineering, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, Australia, August 2016 – February 2017
• Adjunct Faculty and Visiting Fulbright Scholar, Center for Precision and Automated Agricultural Systems, Washington State University- Prosser, March 2016- August 2016
• Head of the Department, Mechanical and Manufacturing Engineering, University of Ruhuna, Sri Lanka, July 2011- January 2016
• Senior Lecturer in Mechanical and Manufacturing Engineering, University of Ruhuna, Sri Lanka, January 2008- April 2019
• Lecturer in Mechanical and Manufacturing Engineering, University of Ruhuna, Sri Lanka, May 2002- December 2007

Recognition and Honors

• Fulbright Advance Research and Lecturing Fellowship, US Department of State and the Fulbright Commission of Sri Lanka (March 2016).
• Endeavour Postdoctoral Research Fellowship, Department of Education and Training, Government of Australia (August 2016).
• IMechE Educational Awards, Institution of Mechanical Engineers, United Kingdom (April 2017).
• Presidential Research Award for scientific publications, Presidential Secretariat and National Research Council of Sri Lanka (April 2014).
• MEXT Scholarship for PhD studies at the Saitama University, Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology, Japan (October 2004).
• Postgraduate Scholarship for MSc studies at the University of Peradeniya, Sri Lanka, Asian Development Bank (May 2001).

Teaching Areas

• Mechanical Engineering Design and Analysis
• Senior Capstone Design
• Mechatronics
• Fundamentals of Engineering (FE Exam focus)

Research Interests

• Industry-collaborated engineering design
• Precision agriculture: Decision support systems

Selected Publications

• Chandel, A. K., Khot, L. R., Stöckle, C. O., Kalcsits, L., Mantle, S., Rathnayake, A. P., & Peters, T. R. (2025). “Canopy Transpiration Mapping in an Apple Orchard Using High-Resolution Airborne Spectral and Thermal Imagery with Weather Data.” AgriEngineering, 7(5), 154.
• Sahni, R. K., Schrader, M. J., Rathnayake, A. P., Khot, L. R., Hoheisel, G. A., & Zhu, H. (2024). “Evaluation of suitable base spray rate estimation methods for precision chemical applications in vineyards with different training systems.” American Journal of Enology and Viticulture, 75(1).
• Rathnayake, A. P., Sahni, R. K., Khot, L. R., Hoheisel, G. A., & Zhu, H. (2022). “Intelligent sprayer spray rates optimization to efficiently apply chemicals in modern apple orchards”. Journal of the ASABE.
• Schrader, M. J., Rathnayake, A. P., & Khot, L. R. (2022). “Horticultural Oil Thermotherapy Delivery System for Perennial Specialty Crops: A-Proof-of-Concept and Preliminary Results”. Applied Engineering in Agriculture 38(2), 461-468.
• Rathnayake, A. P., Chandel, A. K., Schrader, M. J., Hoheisel, G. A., & Khot, L. R. (2022). “Air-assisted velocity profiles and perceptive canopy interactions of commercial airblast sprayers used in Pacific Northwest perennial specialty crop production”. Agricultural Engineering International: CIGR Journal, 24(1).
• Kothawade, G. S., Chandel, A. K., Schrader, M. J., Rathnayake, A. P., & Khot, L. R. (2021, November). “High throughput canopy characterization of a commercial apple orchard using aerial RGB imagery”. In 2021 IEEE International Workshop on Metrology for Agriculture and Forestry (MetroAgriFor) (pp. 177-181). IEEE.
• Rathnayake, A. P., Chandel, A. K., Schrader, M. J., Hoheisel, G. A., & Khot, L. R. (2021). “Spray patterns and perceptive canopy interaction assessment of commercial airblast sprayers used in Pacific Northwest perennial specialty crop production”. Computers and Electronics in Agriculture, 184, 106097.
• Rathnayake, A. P., Khot, L. R., Hoheisel, G. A., Thistle, H. W., Teske, M. E., & Willett, M. J. (2021). “Downwind spray drift assessment for airblast sprayer applications in a modern apple orchard system”. Transactions of the ASABE, 64(2), 601-613.
• Rathnayake, A., L. R. Khot, G.-A. Hoheisel, and H. Zhu. 2021. Intelligent sprayer retrofit for airblast sprayers. Washington State University – Viticulture and Enology Extension News, Fall 2021, page 6-7.
• Sinha, R., Khot, L. R., Rathnayake, A. P., Gao, Z., & Naidu, R. A. (2019). “Visible-near infrared spectroradiometry-based detection of grapevine leafroll-associated virus 3 in a red-fruited wine grape cultivar”. Computers and Electronics in Agriculture, 162, 165-173.
• Espinoza, C. Z., Rathnayake, A. P., Chakraborty, M., Sankaran, S., Jacoby, P., & Khot, L. R. (2018). “Applicability of time-of-flight-based ground and multispectral aerial imaging for grapevine canopy vigour monitoring under direct root-zone deficit irrigation”. International Journal of Remote Sensing, 39(23), 8818-8836.
• Sinha, R. R., Gao, Z., Rathnayake, A. P., Khot, L. R., & Naidu, R. A. (2017). “Visible-near infrared spectroscopy-based Grapevine leafroll-associated virus-3 detection from undetached leaves under field condition”. In 2017 ASABE Annual International Meeting. American Society of Agricultural and Biological Engineers.
• Rathnayake, A. P., Kadono, H., Toyooka, S., & Miwa, M. (2008). “A novel optical interference technique to measure minute root elongations of Japanese red pine (Pinus densiflora Seibold & Zucc.) seedlings infected with ectomycorrhizal fungi”. Environmental and Experimental Botany, 64(3), 314-321.
• Toyooka, S., Kadono, H., Miwa, M., Rathnayake, A. P. (2008) “Environmental Diagnosis by Optical Measurements of Plant Growth”, Journal of The Japanese Society for Experimental Mechanics.