Dr Dasuni began her journey as a determined go-getter biomedical undergraduate. She came to Australia as an full fee international student, acutely aware of the financial burden she was placing on her parents.

'Sometimes, the weight of responsibility and obligation can get heavy - try not to drown in it'

Das finished her neurophysiology PhD in 2013 and she worked as a post-doc at Monash University and then at the Florey Institute of Neuroscience and Mental Health. She came back to Monash University as a research-focused lecturer. Having been in research for a substantial period of time now, Das was looking for more stability and she was getting jaded by the constant grant cycles. She began exploring opportunities outside of research. In 2018, she started her current job as a Doctoral Program Coordinator and it was an instant match. 

'When the opportunity comes, you should try to be ready to take it. Even if you feel like you aren't ready.'

In the beginning, Das grappled with some of the changes and at times she felt like an imposter. Over time she found that the skills that she developed during her PhD were transferable and she gained confidence and recognition in her quality of work. She has developed a strong sense of what she likes and dislikes with her work, she's learned to improve her weaknesses and be more vocal about her needs. 

In 2019, Dasuni became a mother and she went on maternal leave for a year. She returned to work 3 days a week in 2020 and 4 days a week late 2022. It was a transition that came with difficulties as she learned how to balance work and life outside of work, but her team has really helped her find her feet again. Her role as a Doctoral Program Coordinator is a highly demanding one, but she enjoys the challenge and can finally say that she is in love with her job again.