Malithi joined Dr. Yakun Zhang’s Soils and Landscape Analysis Lab in 2023. She earned her BSc in Environmental Conservation and Management from the University of Kelaniya, Sri Lanka, and an MSc in Environmental Hazards and Risk Management from Université Côte d’Azur, France.

Her PhD research focuses on using mid-infrared (MIR) spectra to deepen our understanding of soils across diverse environmental conditions. A central part of her work is evaluating how different AI and machine learning approaches perform in specific soil contexts and developing transfer learning algorithms to improve model portability across instruments, regions, and climates. Beyond spectroscopy, she is fascinated by fire-affected soils and how their properties evolve across space and time. Outside of work, she loves hiking, biking, reading, and relaxing on the couch with a good tv series and a cup of Sri Lankan tea.