Dr. Samanthi Gunawardana

Assistant Professor

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Biography

Samanthi J. Gunawardana is a Senior Lecturer in Human Geography and Gender Development at Monash University, within the School of Social Science in the Faculty of Arts. Her research primarily focuses on the impact of development policies and employment systems, particularly in relation to rural women in South Asia, with an emphasis on gender, labour, and the effects of conflict in Sri Lanka. Samanthi's expertise encompasses areas such as export processing zone employment systems, agrarian labour, and labour migration, while also exploring topics related to political economy and livelihoods. She has served as the Course Director for the Master of International Development Practice, and has held significant roles in research initiatives related to the UN Sustainable Development Goals. Her academic contributions include collaboration on projects addressing gendered impacts of COVID-19 on small and medium enterprises in Southeast Asia, alongside various leadership roles in promoting women's leadership through formal education. With a PhD in Economics from the University of Melbourne, Samanthi has gained experience in different academic institutions including Griffith University and Pennsylvania State University, as well as visiting professorships at international universities.

Research Interests

Experience

Senior Lecturer

— Present

Monash University • Melbourne, VIC, Australia

Senior Lecturer in Human Geography and Gender Development.

Lecturer

— Present

Griffith University • Australia

Lecturer in Employment Relations.

Instructor

— Present

Pennsylvania State University • United States

Instructor in Labour Studies.

Visiting Professor

— Present

Trinity College Connecticut • United States

Visiting Professor in International Studies.

Visiting International Fellow

— Present

Cornell University • United States

Visiting International Fellow.

Awards

#

Richard Higgott Journal Article Prize

#

Citation for Excellence in Post-Graduate Coursework Teaching

Requirements for Monash University

Master Program
Requirements
GPA Requirement
Required:3
IELTS
Listening
Required:6
Reading
Required:6
Writing
Required:6
Speaking
Required:6
Overall
Required:6.5
TOEFL
Listening
Required:12
Reading
Required:13
Writing
Required:21
Speaking
Required:18
Total
Required:79
Prerequisites
Bachelor degree (or equivalent) in a related field
Application Checklist
  • Academic Transcripts
  • Proof of English Proficiency
  • Curriculum Vitae
  • Copy of Passport
Specialization Notes

Requirements are standardized across the Faculty of Information Technology for most Master's programs including Computer Science and Data Science.