HQP Highlight Series: Thilini Malsha Suduwella
Updated: Aug 24
Welcome to the HQP Highlight Series: a series of interviews designed to highlight the innovative research and diverse experiences of Highly Qualified Personnel (HQP) across the Carbon to Metal Coating Institute (C2MCI) network.
Today, we welcome Thilini Malsha Suduwella, a PhD candidate working with Dr. Janine Mauzeroll on macro-scale research at McGill University. Thilini will be sharing her insights on the exciting science taking place at C2MCI and the approaches, challenges, collaborations, and career journey behind her research.
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Could you introduce yourself and briefly share what you’re currently working on at C2MCI?
I am Thilini Malsha Suduwella and I am currently pursuing my PhD at McGill University under the supervision of Prof. Janine Mauzeroll. My research is affiliated with C2MCI, where I am primarily working on a macro-scale project focused on studying NHC coatings on steel as corrosion protection coatings.
What first drew you to your field of research?
I was born and raised in Sri Lanka in a coastal area, where I frequently observed metals corroding in everyday life and saw how costly it was to replace them. That made me constantly wonder whether there could be a way to better protect metals from corrosion.
Over time, this curiosity drew me toward science and ultimately to my current research, where I have the opportunity to work on solutions that address a problem I have personally witnessed for a long time.
What’s the coolest analytical or synthetic technique you’ve learned recently? Why did it excite you?
The coolest analytical technique I’ve learned is AFM-IR. It is a hybrid microscopic-spectroscopic method that allows us to simultaneously obtain surface morphology and the chemical identity of molecules present on the surface. It excites me because it provides both structural and chemical information at the nanoscale, which is extremely powerful for understanding surface processes.
Which of your recent projects with C2MCI are you most proud of, and what made it special?
Recently, I am most proud of my work on the electrodeposition of NHCs on carbon surfaces within C2MCI. In this project, we systematically studied their deposition behaviour, which had not been explored before on carbon substrates.
In this project, we also investigated the stability of NHC salts in both aqueous and non-aqueous electrolytes, and importantly, we were able to achieve successful deposition in water-based electrolytes, which had not been reported previously.
Have you ever worked with people from different disciplines? How did you make the collaboration effective?
Yes. Working with people from other disciplines helps me learn new areas and view problems from different perspectives, which ultimately makes the project more effective. To achieve this, clear communication and regular sharing of results are essential, along with being open to different approaches and feedback.
Have you ever mentored or trained someone? What did you learn from that experience?
Yes, I really enjoyed mentoring an undergraduate visiting scholar from Japan. I helped her learn techniques specific to our project and supported her as she got familiar with the work and the lab environment. I also encouraged her to read the literature and come up with her own suggestions, which helped her develop a stronger sense of scientific thinking and contribution. It was very rewarding that she extended her stay to continue the project.
From this experience, I learned that mentoring is mostly about patience and steady support, while also giving space for someone to think independently and grow in their own way.
Tell us about a presentation or poster session you gave. What made it successful?
I received a 1st place poster-prize for one of my poster presentations. I believe during poster presentation I can have one on one discussion and direct the discussion depending on the interest of people attending to my poster.
How do you prioritize tasks when juggling multiple projects or deadlines?
I am a mother of a young child, and I had my daughter when I started my PhD. From the beginning, I had to balance my responsibilities as a mother and as a student, which helped me develop strong time management and prioritization skills.
In addition, at the start of the PhD program, it is mandatory to work as a teaching assistant. During that period, I was teaching, grading assignments, and also progressing with my own research. This experience further strengthened my ability to manage multiple responsibilities effectively at the same time.
Have you ever proposed a new idea or method in your work? How was it received?
Yes, I proposed a project focused on developing a statistical model to correlate the structural features of NHCs with their corrosion inhibition efficiency on steel.
During my Master’s, I worked on a similar statistical model development project, and my literature review also showed that such models are commonly used in corrosion inhibition studies, which further supported the feasibility of the approach.
Can you share a time when a project didn’t go as planned? How did you navigate the situation?
One project that didn’t go as planned was during my work on NHCs on steel, where we observed surface deposits but initially lacked direct evidence to confirm their chemical identity.
Through a literature review, I identified AFM-IR as a suitable technique to address this gap. By incorporating it, we were able to obtain nanoscale morphology along with chemical confirmation of the deposits, allowing us to directly validate the presence and distribution of NHCs. This challenge ultimately strengthened the reliability of our results and overall approach.
Do you have a favourite chemical element or molecule? Why does it stand out to you?
Yes, iodine. Simply because of its purple colour, which is my favourite colour.
If you could turn any chemical reaction into a superhero power, what would it be and why?
I would turn metal oxidation into a superpower by controlling it so that, instead of weakening the metal as it normally does, it increases the metal’s strength over time. So rather than metal oxidation being a problem, it becomes a process that continuously reinforces and improves the material.
What’s one thing about your research that consistently makes you smile or surprises you?
I enjoy the fact that I get to explore areas that haven’t been studied in depth before. It’s always exciting to discover new insights and unexpected results along the way.
What’s one piece of advice you’d give to someone just starting their journey in chemistry?
Stay curious, because curiosity is what pushes you to explore beyond what is taught and to ask deeper questions. It helps you learn actively, connect ideas, and turn challenges into opportunities for discovery.
The HQP Highlight Series is made possible by the support of the Government of Canada’s New Frontiers in Research Fund (#NFRFT-2020-00573).
If you are a C2MCI HQP who might be interested in appearing in future instalments of the HQP Highlight Series, please reach out to Dr. Tetyana Levchenko to get involved.
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