Nuwanthika Fernando
Research Software Engineer, Australian Astronomical Optics- Macquarie University
Sri Lanken living in Kirribilli, Australia
Nuwanthika is a Research Software Engineer, working with astronomical telescopes at the Australian Astronomical Optics- Macquarie University. She grew up in Sri Lanka, where she graduated from the University of Colombo, and completed her PhD in Astrophysics at the University of Sydney, Australia. She was an astronomy educator at the Sydney Observatory, where she loved doing public outreach programmes and educational tours for schools. Nuwanthika has also been involved in mentoring programmes for high school and undergraduate students in Sri Lanka. She’s seen the need to expose students, especially girls and young women, to the diverse opportunities a STEMM education can offer, and she’s keen to learn new and innovative ways to increase science literacy in the public.
