Athula Attygalle

Athula Attygalle is an Adjunct Research Professor at Stevens Institute of Technology’s Charles V. Schaefer, Jr. School of Engineering and Science, Department of Chemistry. He holds a PhD in Chemistry from the University of Keele (1983), MS in Biochemistry from the University of Sri Lanka (1977), and BS in Chemistry from the University of Ceylon (1975). His research focuses on mass spectrometry, chemical ecology, and natural products analysis, particularly investigating gas-phase ion chemistry, defensive secretions of arthropods, and analytical method development.

Key research interests include mass spectrometric ion fragmentations, bioanalytical techniques, chromatography, and chemical communication in insects. His work bridges fundamental analytical chemistry with applications in environmental, biomedical, and ecological contexts. Notable contributions include studies on defensive chemistry in beetles, helium plasma ionization (HePI-MS), and ambient mass spectrometric methods.

Dr. Attygalle has received prestigious awards such as the UNESCO Fellowship (1979), Alexander von Humboldt Foundation Fellowship (1984), and Edwina Mountbatten Award (1982). He actively participates in professional societies like the American Society for Mass Spectrometry and Royal Society of Chemistry. His grants include NSF-funded research on phorid parasitoid chemical ecology (2011–2014) and collaborative studies on carabid beetle defensive chemistry.

He has authored over 100 peer-reviewed publications and holds multiple patents related to insect deterrent compounds and analytical instrumentation. His labs specialize in mass spectrometry innovation, including desorption ionization by charge exchange (DICE) and HePI-MS for trace analysis.