From her early days in Sri Lanka, it was clear that PhD candidate Shashikala Randunu excelled at science. Her parents encouraged her to become a doctor, but there was just one problem. “I’m scared of needles,” she says. “I just can’t handle them. But I loved chemistry and physics and I wanted to end up somewhere in science. I like experimenting and being in the lab.”
Setting her sights on Australia
While still in high school, Shashi became fascinated by nanotechnology – a field of science conducted on the scale of atoms and molecules. She says, “I think I was in year 11, doing my A-levels, when I first heard about it. I knew it would be the next generation in science and I wanted to learn more. But in my country at that time there was no nanotechnology bachelor course.” Realising she would need to study abroad if she wanted to follow her dream, Shashi set her sights on Australia. “My Auntie and Uncle live there, and they said ‘okay, if you want to study nanotechnology, we can help,’” she says.
Her Australian study journey began at UTS College. “I didn’t study English when I was at high school, so I didn’t want to go straight away to UTS. I started with the English language course. And I was scared, to be honest. I thought ‘Oh my God, I’m not going to learn anything because of my English.’ But UTS College worked out very well for me,” Shashi says. After completing her English course, she enrolled in the UTS College Diploma of Science. “It gave me the main foundation for Australian education as well as learning the UTS way of doing things. Even if I had to do my degree again, I think I would go through the same path. It was better for me than going to UTS directly.”
Making a memorable connection
Shashi singles out one of her teachers at the College, Jonathan Mack, as an inspiration. “He was the first person I ever met who actually did nanotechnology. He was giving a talk on the first day and I remember him saying he studied nanotechnology at UTS. I screamed! He still remembers that,” she says, laughing. “We still have a good connection, and I’ve asked him for advice now and then.”
More than academic skills
She says the College gave her more than academic skills. “As an international student, it’s a new environment and you have to learn so much, and everything at UTS is on a much larger scale. You’re not just learning about your subject. It’s also ‘Where do you find Canvas?’ ‘What does this mean?’ The extra support at UTS College means there’s not so much stress.” Sharper communication skills were another unexpected benefit from Shashi’s UTS College experience. “I was very shy when I first came to Australia. I didn’t talk very much, but during my diploma I improved my presentation skills. Now I’m not scared to speak. I might be a little bit shaky here and there, but I can present in front of people.”
The volunteering opportunities at UTS College also helped her confidence. She says, “There were so many fun activities – we went to lots of places, and I got to help other students. There was a good social life too, which took away a bit of stress. I remember we had a board game night at the end of classes. I think it was on a Friday. It was such a nice way to wind down and relax with friends.”
When it was time to move on to UTS, Shashi was more than ready to enter second year of her Bachelor of Science in Nanotechnology. “I knew my way around the campus, I’d been exposed to a lot of the material already, and the labs were similar. It felt great,” she says.
“Anything is possible if you make up your mind.”
She followed her degree with an Honours year in Applied Chemistry before commencing her PhD in Biophysics. “My PhD supervisor was looking for someone with experience in chemistry who was also good with physics. It’s an unusual combination and he was looking for over a year,” she says.
While completing her PhD, Shashi has combined her research work with teaching at UTS College. She says, “I love teaching and tutoring. I never thought when I was studying at UTS College that I would ever be teaching, let alone finishing a PhD. To anyone saying to themselves ‘Oh I don’t think I can do a PhD,’ I say anything is possible when you make up your mind. If you think you should be the brightest person, that’s wrong. I believe anyone who has completed their degree is capable. When you have a dream, the main thing is to take one step at a time. Overall, I’m very happy and thankful about my journey.”