Yasheelee is a first-year Master’s student from Sri Lanka. She earned her BSc Honors in Biomedical Science from KIU, Sri Lanka, in 2022. After completing her degree, she worked as a Teaching Assistant for a year in her department and later joined the Global Health Research Unit at the Faculty of Medicine, University of Kelaniya. With a strong passion for Food Science, she undertook an internship at Fonterra Brands Sri Lanka, working in the Food Safety and Quality department alongside a team of microbiologists.

At Fonterra, Yasheelee ensured product safety and quality through rigorous microbial testing of raw materials, in-process samples, and finished products. Her responsibilities included employing a variety of techniques, from traditional culture-based methods to advanced molecular biology tools, to accurately identify and quantify microorganisms. She also played a vital role in environmental monitoring to maintain stringent hygienic standards within production facilities and was actively involved in implementing and managing Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points (HACCP) programs to enhance food safety.

Yasheelee started her time at the U of I at the Agriculture Bioprocessing Laboratory (ABL) and is currently rotating through labs with Dr. Stasiewicz, Dr. Banerjee, and Dr. Miller. Outside of academics, she loves to cook and bake, enjoys spending time outdoors and exploring new food products at the grocery store, where she’s always eager to try out something new.