National Institute of Fundamental Studies (NIFS), previously known as the Institute of Fundamental Studies is a basic research institute in Sri Lanka operating under the ministry of Highways, Higher education & Investment promotion. NIFS was established in Colombo in September 1981 by parliament act no 55.Later it was shifted to the center of the Island, Kandy to build as the foremost scientific center of the Island. Cyril Ponnamperuma was the paramount director of NIFS. The main objectives of the NIFS is initiating, promoting, and conducting research and original investigation of fundamental studies on mathematics, physics, chemistry, life science, social sciences and philosophy. Moreover NIFS is engaged in raising the exchange of technical and scientific information and upholding public understanding of science in native language. NIFS is administrated by a board of governors who consist of the advisor to the president on scientific affairs, the chairman of University Grant Commission and the Director of NIFS. Research council of the NIFS have the control of education, research & examinations in the institute and advice the board on all academic and related matters. In year 2014, seven research professors, three senior research fellows, five research fellows, two visiting research professors and one visiting scientist were engaged in conducting research with nearly 48 research assistants. They were engaged in different kinds of research in alternative & renewable energy, artificial intelligent & applied electronics, environmental and earth science, food science, microbial biotechnology, molecular biology & genetics, natural products, theoretical & computational sciences disciplines. In last year NIFS members have published about 75 research papers in different journals and 126 conference papers. Up to now NIFS researches have got nine patents for their innovative discoveries. Total annual expenditure in 2014 was 262 million which consist of 12.5 million of outside grants. Nearly every Lankan has given 12 rupees for NIFS work. Several NIFS researches for its contribution to innovative scientific studies has won presidential awards for scientific publications. Science Education and Dissemination unit of NIFS has been dedicated to promote public understanding of science through exhibitions, public lectures, YouTube video channel, open science circle in electronic media, Sinhala science web, vidumanpetha and school science program. For almost 33 years, NIFS has contributed scientific expansion over different research projects and it is heading to raise continuously the scientific research capability in Sri Lanka.
