I am an interdisciplinary researcher working at the intersection of human-centred computing, psychology and empirical software engineering research. My work focuses on understanding how human cognition, behaviour, motivation, and individual differences shape interactions with technology in real-world contexts. I am currently a Lecturer (Level B) in the School of Computing Technologies at RMIT University, Australia. Previously, I worked as a Research Fellow under Australian Laureate Professor John Grundy in the HumaniSE Lab, Faculty of Information Technology, Monash University, Australia. I am involved in several human-centric research projects with national and international collaborators (current projects). I am open to both academic and industry collaborations—if you are interested, please feel free to contact me here. 

I completed my PhD in Software Engineering in April 2023, focusing on the thesis titled “Investigating the Influence of Personality and Motivation in Requirements Engineering (RE)-related Activities“. My doctoral research drew on psychology-informed theories and mixed empirical methods to examine how personality, motivation, and contextual factors influence task performance and decision-making in software engineering tasks within complex socio-technical environments.This work resulted in a systematic literature review (SLR), a practical framework, an interactive prototype Jira plugin, and a set of evidence-based strategies and guidelines, with outcomes published in top-tier, peer-reviewed journals such as IEEE TSE, ACM TOSEM, and EMSE, and presented at international conferences including FSE 2022 and COMPSAC 2023. Check here to find more about my PhD research.

Alongside my research, I am actively involved in undergraduate and postgraduate teaching and supervision. I currently teach and coordinate courses at RMIT University, and supervise undergraduate and postgraduate research and project students. During my PhD, I worked as a Teaching Associate in the Faculty of IT at Monash University, delivering on-campus and online tutorials and evaluating student work. Before moving to Australia in August 2019, I worked as an Assistant Lecturer and Teaching Associate at the University of Colombo School of Computing, Sri Lanka, where I taught undergraduate courses in Information Systems and Computer Science and supervised student software development and research projects. Further details of my teaching and supervision experience can be found here.

I graduated with a First Class Bachelor of Science (Hons.) degree in Information Systems from the University of Colombo School of Computing, Sri Lanka. Notably, I was recognised as the Gold Medallist for the Best Undergraduate Research Project (jointly), and won the Silver Award at the renowned National Best Quality Software Award (NBQSA), in Sri Lanka for the same project, paving the way to represent Sri Lanka at the Asia Pacific ICT Alliance Awards (APICTA) in 2018.

Beyond research and teaching, I am actively involved in academic service, leadership, and community engagement. I am a member of the Mental Health and Wellbeing Committee within the School of Computing Technologies at RMIT University, contributing to initiatives that support staff wellbeing. II was a member of Toastmasters International, Panadura Toastmasters Club, Division A, District 82 from 2014 -2019 and held number of executive committee positions (Vice President of Education, Vice President of Public Relations, Secretary), leading the club to achieve prestigious club awards. I -2019 and held number of executive committee positions (Vice President of Education, Vice President of Public Relations, Secretary), leading the club to achieve prestigious club awards. I have contributed to the organisation and program committees of numerous international conferences, and have volunteered in a range of service roles, including Publicity and Social Media Chair for the IEEE Symposium on Visual Languages and Human-Centric Computing (VL/HCC) 2024, Workshop Co-Chair for VL/HCC 2025, and Program Committee member for conferences such as EASE 2025, VL/HCC 2025–2026, and ICSME 2024. Click here to know more about my service roles.

Outside my research and academic responsibilities, I value quiet moments and everyday experiences that foster reflection and creativity. I am a solitude seeker, sunset enthusiast, dog lover, and a coffee-loving reader.