Senani Karunaratne currently works as a Senior Research Scientist attached to the Agriculture Victoira Research. He completed his PhD in Agriculture in 2014 at the University of Sydney. Previously he worked as a lecturer (agriculture) attached to Wayamba University of Sri Lanka, Research Associate – Western Sydney University, Environmental Scientist (Spatial modelling) – Office of Environment and Heritage, New South Wales Government, Data Fellow attached to CSIRO Data61 and Senior Soil Carbon Modeller attached to Department of Environment and Energy, Australian Government. He also work as a postdoctoral research fellow in the School of Life and Environmental Sciences and Sydney Institute of Agriculture attached to University of Sydeny prior to moving to Agriculture Victoria Research.
My research is focused on modelling and prediction of variation of agriculturally and environmentally important properties in space and time. To model this variation and predict more accurately, I am using novel combination of process-based (simulation models) and statistical modeling. I also have a growing interest in utilising large volumes of freely available geospatial products as model drivers which enable me to characterise the variation in space-, time- more precisely. For this I am using machine learning and data mining algorithms to develop empirical models to characterise this variation in space and time through novel arrangement of geospatial products as model drivers. I apply these modelling techniques to resolve emerging issues in agronomy (crop and pasture production systems), soil science and climate change.
Recently completed research projects includes;
My current work is focused on;
All the above work has been carried out with extensive collaboration between leading scientists and academics from both national and international organisations enable me to learn new areas of research and modelling techniques, project management and achieve the project objectives within the budgetary and time pressures.