Left job at UCSC as a Research Assistant

Tags: UCSC, Life

I’ve completed my 6-month contract at my alma mater, UCSC, where I served as a Research Assistant. During this time, I had the opportunity to publish a review paper titled “Automated Bird Sound Recognition and Analysis in the New AI Era”, and co-authored two more research papers 1,2.

I was fortunate to start this role immediately after completing my degree, under the guidance of my final-year supervisor Dr. Kasun Karunanayake, and my project supervisor Dr. Samantha Mathara Arachchi. I am especially grateful to Mr. Ravindu Perera, who provided valuable guidance from the very beginning, including tutorials and learning materials, as this was a new research area for me.

This role gave me a meaningful glimpse into the current technological landscape of avian conservation in Sri Lanka, as well as global efforts, notably by institutions like the Cornell Lab of Ornithology. During my time as a Research Assistant, I also had the chance to mentor a fourth-year student on her final-year research project, assisting with experiment design and implementation with her target population.

My time at UCSC as a Research Assistant truly opened doors into the world of research. As I’ve mentioned before, I had the privilege of attending several conferences, meeting inspiring individuals, and learning from lectures by experts from around the globe. I’m sincerely thankful for the opportunity, and I hope I was able to give back more than I received, which was always my goal in returning to serve my alma mater.