National Library Week: Living Library Event- Book a Conversation with Ari Nissanka, Mote Marine Scientist, Accomplished Cook, and Visual Artist!

Do you have questions about red tide?  Are you looking to ramp up your curry game?   Are you interested in the Japanese arts of Ikibana, or Sumi-e?  Well, now’s your chance! Stop in or call the Osprey Library to reserve a one-on-one 20-minute discussion with Dr. Ari Nissanka!

Dr. Nissanka is a staff scientist at the Mote Marine Lab, overseeing multidisciplinary studies on water quality.  She completed her undergraduate studies in Sri Lanka, and her graduate studies in Japan.   While her work is fascinating, particularly in relation to recent concerns about red tide, she is also a wonderfully multifaceted person with many interests and skills outside of her work.  Ari is an avid cook, has published a cookbook in Japan, and has used her culinary skills to raise money for Tsunami relief in both Sri Lanka and Japan.   She is a watercolor and Sumi-e artist, and teaches Ikibana at ACE.  She and her husband raised their daughter here, and are popular Osprey Library patrons.

This Living Library program is based on similar “people check-out” programs at libraries worldwide. More often than not, you’ll discover we have more in common than we thought.