National Instrument Database
Institutes
69
Faculties
65
Departments
302
Laboratories
556
Products
371
Instruments
1440
We are very happy that the NSF has taken the initiative to establish a database with details of high-end scientific instruments scattered across Sri Lanka in universities and R&D institutions. It will enable researchers to expand their scientific analyses through collaboration with other universities, research institutes and government laboratories leading to quality publications and innovations.
Read More..It will reduce capital expenditure on purchase of new scientific instruments as the National Instrument Database will enable researchers to find a suitable local lab to conduct the analysis. Moreover, the database will enable funding agencies to identify gaps in the fleet of high-end analytical and testing instruments available in the country, and prevent unnecessary duplication of equipment, thus paving the way towards sustainable resource utilization.
Since anyone could be a user, apart from academia, even members of the general public and industries can request to use the instruments. Showcasing the strength of analytical/testing capacity of universities is likely to enhance analytical services provided by them to industry and export sector and generate more opportunities for commercialization of research. Therefore, we see establishment of the National Instrument Database as a major step forward in leading Sri Lanka towards an innovative, techno-entrepreneurial culture.
The University of Kelaniya has a strong research culture with eminent scholars and well-established research labs. We congratulate the NSF for successfully developing this centralized integrated database and undertake to extend our fullest cooperation in maintaining and using this database.
Prof. Nilanthi de Silva, Vice-Chancellor, University of Kelaniya
Dr. Wasanthi Subasinghe, Faculty of Medicine
Dr. Dakshika Wanniarachchi, Faculty of Science
Sri Lanka has over 20 state-owned higher education institutions, a comparable number R&D institutions, and several public sector institutions, such as Sri Lanka Atomic Energy Board, Sri Lanka Standard Institute and Board of Investment, which collectively possess an immense instrument base including high-end equipment, most of which has been purchased using public funds.
Read More..Much of this equipment is meant to be used on a 24x7 basis, as is done in many parts of the world. However, due to compartmentalization and fragmentation of institutions, the “possessive attitude” of many scientists, the lack of a sharing culture, and the absence of an institutional policy and mechanism for providing analytical and testing services to external institutions and persons, many expensive items of advanced equipment and instruments purchased operate far below their capacity. Thus, they remain underutilized and inaccessible to stakeholders who need to analyse and test food and beverages, soil, industrial effluents, water and air, to name but a few.
On the other hand, providing such a service to stakeholders for a reasonable fee, besides generating revenue for the institution and helping to make the most of the hitherto underutilized instruments, will meet a long standing need of industries, including micro, small and medium enterprises, which neither have the capacity to invest in expensive equipment nor the competency to maintain it in order to carry out the requisite tests before releasing their products to the local, regional and global markets.
Therefore, the NSF took steps to develop a user-friendly, state-of-the-art data base of analytical, testing and research equipment available in state higher education and R&D institutions with a view to providing much needed services and support to its stakeholders both in the public and private sectors in a cost-effective manner. This will undoubtedly constitute another landmark in the annals of the almost 55-year journey of the NSF in affording a new momentum and boost to science, technology and innovation (STI), industry and exports of the country.
Prof. Ranjith Senaratne,Chairman, National Science Foundation
Even though the scientific community and funding agencies had recognized the need to develop a Database of the Scientific Instruments available in the Higher Educational Institutions (HEIs) in the country a long time ago, it did not materialise until recently. I am very pleased to learn that the National Science Foundation (NSF) has undertaken a bold initiative to create a digital National
Read More..Instrument Database integrating the analytical and research equipment available in more than twenty HEIs. The database will provide the basic information of instruments located at each HEI in the country so that potential users can contact the relevant officer at the respective HEI for more information/necessary service. The success of this initiative entirely relies on the complete and accurate information provided by the HEIs periodically. I congratulate the NSF for successfully developing a National Instrument Database by coordinating with more than 20 HEIs in the country.
Prof. Ravirajan,Dean/Science and Senior Professor, University of Jaffna
It is widely accepted that technology is the key driver of economic growth of countries as it transforms economies into large-scale industrialized, capital-intensive production systems which are competitive due to higher economies of scale. In facilitating economic development, the National Science Foundation, being one of the leading R&D organizations in the country, has identified the need of a
Read More..platform in creating opportunities for cross-industry partnerships in their efforts:
To strengthen the manufacturing community
To support new partnerships and to help manufacturers with emerging technology,
To adopt sustainable solutions and transform their interventions allowing production industry in Sri Lanka, which has been lagging behind over the past years
we NSF, expect that our initiative will augment the culture of entrepreneurship in our country. It can also provide solutions and learning opportunities to inspire the entrepreneurial minds in our country to build more businesses creating better opportunities. This in return will stimulate more efficient production of higher quality goods and services, on which our nation’s prosperity depends.
Finally, we strongly believe that this initiative will facilitate National Economic Policy of the government in addressing macro-economic issues, because the availability of the advanced technology will pave the way for fast and sustainable growth in our economy. Our mission is to make that happen and we do hope that this initiative too will immensely contribute to that.
Dr. S.R.S.N. Sudasinghe
Director General
National Science Foundation
This NID helps to locate and place advanced analytical instruments required for both research work and commercial testing purposes. Also, this gives information for planning the instrument budget in proposal formulation. This will serve as a resource pool for sharing equipment, which has gathered scattered information in to a one platform. A much needed initiative executed by NSF.
Much of this equipment is meant to be used on a 24x7 basis, as is done in many parts of the world. However, due to compartmentalization and fragmentation of institutions, the “possessive attitude” of many scientists, the lack of a sharing culture, and the absence of an institutional policy and mechanism for providing analytical and testing services to external institutions and persons, many expensive items of advanced equipment and instruments purchased operate far below their capacity. Thus, they remain underutilized and inaccessible to stakeholders who need to analyse and test food and beverages, soil, industrial effluents, water and air, to name but a few.
On the other hand, providing such a service to stakeholders for a reasonable fee, besides generating revenue for the institution and helping to make the most of the hitherto underutilized instruments, will meet a long standing need of industries, including micro, small and medium enterprises, which neither have the capacity to invest in expensive equipment nor the competency to maintain it in order to carry out the requisite tests before releasing their products to the local, regional and global markets.
Therefore, the NSF took steps to develop a user-friendly, state-of-the-art data base of analytical, testing and research equipment available in state higher education and R&D institutions with a view to providing much needed services and support to its stakeholders both in the public and private sectors in a cost-effective manner. This will undoubtedly constitute another landmark in the annals of the almost 55-year journey of the NSF in affording a new momentum and boost to science, technology and innovation (STI), industry and exports of the country.
Prof. Ranjith Senaratne,Chairman, National Science Foundation
Thanks to generous research support from the NSF, I was able to produce over 35 M.Phil./Ph.D. graduates, over 125 indexed publications, 2 granted and 10 pending NIPO and WIPO patents, large numbers of keynote, invited and plenary lectures.
as the National Instrument Database will enable researchers to find a suitable local lab to conduct the analysis. Moreover, the database will enable funding agencies to identify gaps in the fleet of high-end analytical and testing instruments available in the country, and prevent unnecessary duplication of equipment, thus paving the way towards sustainable resource utilization.
Since anyone could be a user, apart from academia, even members of the general public and industries can request to use the instruments. Showcasing the strength of analytical/testing capacity of universities is likely to enhance analytical services provided by them to industry and export sector and generate more opportunities for commercialization of research. Therefore, we see establishment of the National Instrument Database as a major step forward in leading Sri Lanka towards an innovative, techno-entrepreneurial culture.
The University of Kelaniya has a strong research culture with eminent scholars and well-established research labs. We congratulate the NSF for successfully developing this centralized integrated database and undertake to extend our fullest cooperation in maintaining and using this database.
This database is intended for information purposes only. Each participating institution has included instruments in the database in a complete and accurate manner as best possible given the available information. Details of instruments located at public or private organizations are provided in the database so that potential users can contact relevant officers in charge for more information/necessary services. The National Science Foundation as a funding agency assumes no responsibility or liability for the use of instruments and use of information contained within the database by others.
Some aspects of the database, including the full text of items, will only be shared with registered users and staff who have been given authorized access. Public users will be directed to register with the database to request full access for specific instruments.