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Assoc_prof Anuja Thimali Dharmaratne

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Anuja Dharmaratne is an academic and a computer science researcher currently serving as an Associate Professor in the Department of Human Centred Computing at the Faculty of IT, Monash University in Melbourne, Australia. Her primary research and expertise bridge the gap between complex digital technologies and their application for human benefit, spanning computer vision, machine learning, and interactive tools. 

Anuja earned her Master of Engineering (2000) and Doctor of Engineering (2004) in Information Engineering from Hiroshima University, Japan. She graduated with First Class Honours in Computer Science from the University of Colombo, Sri Lanka, in 1995. She served for over nine years (2014–2023) as a Senior Lecturer, Associate Professor and the Associate Head of School (Education) for the School of Information Technology at Monash University Malaysia. She spent a decade in Sri Lanka  as a Senior Lecturer and administrative leader at the University of Colombo School of Computing (UCSC).

Her published work and research profiles on ResearchGate and Academia.edu highlight significant contributions in several modern IT domains: 

  • Image Processing & Computer Vision: Developing automated techniques, such as 3D bone segmentation from MRI scans to aid orthopedic surgeries, and 3D facial recognition systems.
  • Digital Health & Simulation: Using AI and Large Language Models (LLMs) to automatically code and analyze team dialogue within simulated healthcare environments to improve clinical communication.
  • Educational Technologies: Researching game-based learning analytics, online versus traditional student evaluations, and active collaborative learning structures in IT education.

Beyond teaching and research, Anuja actively promotes community growth and gender equity within the global technology sector:

  • ACM-W Asia-Pacific: She serves as the Celebrations Chair for the ACM-W Asia Pacific Leadership team, driving initiatives that support, celebrate, and advocate for women in computing fields.
  • Conference Leadership: Frequently serves in executive roles for international computing panels, including the Human-Centered Computing Track Chair for the ICTer 2026 Conference in Sri Lanka.