Hello, I am

Wasura Wattearachchi

PhD Candidate in Computer Science | Researcher | Tutor | Software Engineer

Discover My Work
Wasura Wattearachchi

About Me

I am a researcher and PhD Candidate in Computer Science at UNSW Canberra, driven by a passion for solving complex problems at the intersection of humans and robotic swarms. While my primary focus is advancing research, I am also deeply invested in education-based academics. I genuinely love teaching, mentoring, and helping students grasp complex technical concepts.

Before diving full-time into academia, I worked as a Senior Software Engineer at WSO2. This industry background allows me to bring practical, real-world perspectives into both my research and the classroom. Beyond my academic work, I am a strong advocate for community building and leadership. Whether I'm organizing student events, volunteering, or serving as Vice President for the postgraduate community, I thrive in environments where I can connect with people, share ideas, and foster a supportive culture.

Research Interests

Human-Computer Interaction (HCI) Swarm Intelligence Artificial Intelligence (AI) / Machine Learning Multi-Agent Systems Affective Computing Serious Games

Technical Arsenal

Languages

Java, Lua, Python, Go

Databases

MySQL, PostgreSQL, Firebase, MongoDB

Frameworks

Maven, OSGi, Spring, React

Core Tech

CI/CD, REST, GraphQL, Git, Jenkins

Wasura in Parliament

Experience

Teaching Experience

Casual Academic (Lab Demonstrator, Marker, Student Experience Tutor)

UNSW Canberra, Australia

2024 – Present
  • Lab Demonstrator & Marker – ZEIT1102 Introduction to Programming (Jul 2024 – Present): Facilitated hands-on Python programming labs covering object-oriented programming, data structures, searching/sorting algorithms, and recursion. Evaluated student performance and provided comprehensive, personalized feedback via Moodle.
  • Student Experience Tutor – ZEIT1102 Introduction to Programming (Jul 2024 – Present): Conducted regular drop-in sessions and provided dedicated one-on-one mentoring. Supported student well-being, academic progression, and technical troubleshooting across multiple computer science disciplines to ensure a smooth transition into university studies.
  • Lab Demonstrator – ZEIT2102 Computer Technology (Jul 2025 – Dec 2025): Guided students through complex hardware and low-level software concepts, including digital and neuromorphic computing, logic operations, computer architectures, OS fundamentals, and neural network-based applications.
  • Lab Demonstrator & Marker – ZEIT1110 Computer Games (Jul 2024 – Dec 2024): Taught game development using Unity 3D, covering HCI, AI principles, simulation, and graphics. Delivered live lab demonstrations, evaluated assessments, and gamified the learning experience by managing the course's student scoreboard.

Industry Experience

Senior Software Engineer

WSO2 Lanka (PVT) Ltd, Sri Lanka

Nov 2021 – Feb 2023
  • Leadership: Led and mentored interns/juniors in R&D and maintenance of WSO2 API Manager. Served as Release Manager and Code Owner of WSO2 API Controller (CLI tool written in Go). Conducted webinars, code reviews, and prepared WSO2 Certification exams.
    WSO2 Screencast
    WSO2 Community Call
  • Feature Development: Backend development with Java and Go. Added GraphQL Subscription support, maintained Web Socket APIs, implemented JDK 17 support, and analysed/fixed security vulnerabilities in dependencies.
  • Achievement: Selected as a top finalist of Ballerina: WSO2 Global Hackathon 2022.

Software Engineer

WSO2 Lanka (PVT) Ltd, Sri Lanka

Mar 2020 – Oct 2021
  • Developed REST APIs (Java, Swagger) to support External Identity Providers for Choreo (iPass from WSO2).
  • Fully restructured WSO2 API Controller 4.1.0 and implemented CI/CD support for API Products using Go and Java.
  • Handled bug fixing, customer support, testing, and training sessions.
  • Achievement: Rockstar Award (8-time winner for technical writing) & Winner of Internal Hackathon 2021.

Software Engineer Intern

WSO2 Lanka (PVT) Ltd, Sri Lanka

Aug 2018 – Feb 2019
  • Developed the Comments Feature (Backend and Frontend) for WSO2 API Manager 3.0.0 utilizing Java and React.
  • Documented GraphQL Support for WSO2 API Manager 2.6.0.

Trainee, Seeds for the Future

Huawei Technologies, China

Nov 2018

Successfully completed Huawei's global CSR flagship program – "Seeds for the Future" in China.

Education & Qualifications

PhD Candidate in Computer Science

University of New South Wales (UNSW) Canberra, Australia

Feb 2023 – Present

School of Systems and Computing (SysCom).
Awarded the University International Postgraduate Award (UIPA).

Bachelor of Science (Hons) in Computer Science

University of Colombo School of Computing (UCSC), Sri Lanka

2016 – 2020

First Class Honours with GPA: 3.95 (Batch Top).

Awards: Prof. V.K. Samaranayake Award for Most Outstanding Graduate, Prof. Mohan Munasinghe Award for Best Performance, Prof. Thilak Hettiarachchy Award for Academic Excellence.

Certifications & Short Courses

Beginning to Teach

UNSW Canberra (2024)

13-week professional development program.
✓ Australian Higher Education Graduation Statement (AEHGS) Approved

Leadership Foundations Course

UNSW Employability Team (2024)

✓ Australian Higher Education Graduation Statement (AEHGS) Approved

ESOFT Metro Campus

2017 – 2018

Completed Android Application Development with Java (Pearson Assured) and Advanced Web Development with PHP.

Other Certifications

  • British Computer Society (BCS) - Certificate Level (2015)
  • International English Language Testing System (IELTS) Academic: 8.0 (January 2022)

Selected Publications

W. D. Wattearachchi., E. Lakshika, K. Kasmarik, & M. Barlow, "Designing Effective Human-Swarm Interaction Interfaces: Insights from a User Study on Task Performance", 2025 IEEE International Conference on Systems, Man, and Cybernetics (SMC), Vienna, Austria.

DOI: 10.1109/SMC58881.2025.11343025 Watch Presentation

W. D. Wattearachchi., E. Lakshika, K. Kasmarik, & M. Barlow, "Understanding Human Situation Awareness in One-to-Many Human-Robot Interaction Scenarios", Australasian Joint Conference on Artificial Intelligence (AJCAI) 2025, Canberra, Australia.

DOI: 10.1007/978-981-95-4972-6_37

W. D. Wattearachchi, K. P. Hewagamage, and E. Hettiarachchi, "Emotional Keyboard: To Provide Adaptive Functionalities Based on the Current User Emotion and the Context", Interaction Design and Architecture(s), no. 54, pp. 147-174, Nov. 2022.

DOI: 10.55612/s-5002-054-007

W. D. Wattearachchi, K. P. Hewagamage and E. Hettiarachchi, "A Framework to Decide Adaptive Functionalities by Considering User Emotions and the Context", 2020 20th International Conference on Advances in ICT for Emerging Regions (ICTer), Colombo, Sri Lanka, 2020.

DOI: 10.1109/ICTer51097.2020.9325497

W. D. Wattearachchi, E. Hettiarachchi, and K. P. Hewagamage, "Analysing the Compatibility of Identifying Emotions by Facial Expressions and Text Analytics when Using Mobile Devices", Proceedings of the 2020 2nd International Conference on Image, Video and Signal Processing (IVSP), Mar. 2020.

DOI: 10.1145/3388818.3389161

W. D. Wattearachchi, E. Hettiarachchi and K. P. Hewagamage, "Critical Success Factors of Analysing User Emotions to Improve the Usability of Systems", 2019 Twelfth International Conference on Ubi-Media Computing (Ubi-Media), 2019.

DOI: 10.1109/UbiMedia.2019.00026
AJCAI Conference 2025 IEEE SMC Conference 2025
Conferences

Presenting my research globally at top tier venues including IEEE SMC and AJCAI.

Projects & Hackathons

WSO2 API Manager

A platform for building, integrating and exposing digital services as managed APIs in the cloud, on-premises, and hybrid architectures.

Java OSGi React

WSO2 API Controller

CI/CD tooling for WSO2 API Manager.

Go Git Jenkins

UCSC Library System

A web system to manage functions in a library. Developed individually.

MEAN (MongoDB, Express, Angular, Node) MongoDB Angular

TalkToTalk App

Augmentative and Alternative Communication device application helping users communicate effectively.

Android Studio Java Google Vision API

Smart Kumbura

A water management system for farmers (NB-IoT Hackathon). Developed the complete Android app.

Firebase Arduino

PutMe

Waste management system with IoT, mobile app, and web app (Sampath Green Inventor). Developed mobile app and part of web system.

Ionic PHP/MySQL Arduino

AWEERA

Comprehensive Salon Management System. Built appointment scheduling algorithms, profiles, and database structure.

PHP MySQL jQuery

MyDoctor

Android app to locate medical centers with instant video chatting with doctors (MedHack 2017). Built Nearby Places module.

Android Vidyo APIs

MediQ

Notification system for patients tracking consultation numbers (ESOFT Dev Challenge 2017). Developed complete Android app.

Android Java SE PHP/MySQL

Honours & Awards

Highlighted Achievements

Arc PGC Award

Arc Postgraduate Council (PGC) Research Candidate Award 2024

UNSW Canberra & Arc UNSW Sydney

Winner
3MT Finals

People's Choice Award – Three Minute Thesis (3MT) Finals

UNSW Canberra (Advanced to Finals at UNSW Sydney)

Winner Watch Pitch

Academic Awards

  • Computer Society of Sri Lanka (CSSL) Information and Communication Technology (ICT) Student Award 2020

    Computer Society of Sri Lanka

    Undergraduate Category at National Awards

  • Prof. V.K. Samaranayake Award 2019

    University of Colombo, Sri Lanka

    Most Outstanding Graduate of University of Colombo School of Computing

  • Prof. Mohan Munasinghe Award 2019

    University of Colombo, Sri Lanka

    Best Performance (Highest GPA in Computer Science (Hons) Degree Program)

  • Prof. Thilak Hettiarachchy Award 2019

    University of Colombo, Sri Lanka

    Academic Excellence (Open Award)

  • Visualise Your Thesis 2025

    Participant representing UNSW Canberra.

    Watch Video

Scholarships & Placements

Global Scholarships & Programs

  • UIPA Scholarship to pursue PhD at UNSW Canberra
  • Cornell, Maryland, Max Planck Pre-doctoral Research School, Germany (Aug 2020)
  • Huawei Seeds for the Future, China (Nov 2018)
  • Nominated for Rhodes Scholarship from University of Colombo (2021)

Hackathons & Competitions

1st Place - MedHack '17 2nd Runner-Up - Quizzer '17 Most Creative - ESOFT '17 19th Place - Sampath Green Inventor Top 8 - Best Software UCSC Top 10 - Codefest '17 & Gamerush '19 Top 15/20/25 - HackX, HackStat, NB-IOT

Leadership & Volunteering

Teaching at YoWIE

Empowering the Community

Activity Support Robotics in YoWIE 2025

Apr 2025

UNSW Canberra

Volunteered in Young Women in Engineering (YoWIE) 2025 - a free workshop inspiring young women across the country. Guided nearly 100 high school students in programming robots over six three-hour sessions.

Watch Video Read Article

Vice President (Postgraduate)

Jan 2024 – Dec 2024

Arc Canberra (UNSW Student Life) ✓ Australian Higher Education Graduation Statement (AEHGS) Approved

Assisted the President in coordinating club activities. Planned yearly activities, promoted joint events for Postgraduate students, managed correspondence, and fostered a team spirit among volunteers.

Student Representative

Oct 2024 – Present

School of Systems and Computing (SYSCOM) Research Leadership Group

Discuss Higher-Degree Research (HDR) student concerns related to research and well-being with other RLG members, organize events and sessions, and guide colleagues.

Dance Club Coordinator

Sep 2023 – Present

Arc Canberra ✓ Australian Higher Education Graduation Statement (AEHGS) Approved

Organized and coordinated dance-related activities and events. Managed practice schedules, secured venues, collaborated with instructors, and ensured inclusivity for all members.

Volunteer at Australian Defence Force Academy (ADFA) Open Day STEM Displays

Aug 2023 & Aug 2024

UNSW Canberra

Engaged with enthusiastic visitors, showcased work, performed interactive activities, and shared insights into the operations at the School of Systems and Computing.

Organizing Committee Volunteer

Sep 2023

IEEE TENSYMP 2023

Assisted in managing Audio/Video issues and supported the Gala Dinner at the Parliament House, Canberra.

Previous Community Roles

2016 – 2019
  • Main Organizer – UCSC Career Fair 2019
  • Team Leader – TryCatch++ (2016 – 2019)
  • Member of Toastmasters Club at WSO2 (2018)
  • Led the Boys' Dance Group at UCSC (2017 – 2019)