Name: Ramanee Peiris
Title: Lecturer
Company: University of Dundee, Applied Computing Department
How I arrived at my present job (academic and other influences): Degree in Maths (after leaving school), worked as a computer programmer, then as a research assistant. Went back to student life at 28 to do a PhD in computing, then got a lecturing job in the same department.
How I organize my day: No typical days - mixture of lecturing & preparing for classes, writing research papers & proposals, meetings - with project team members and students.
Amount of time spent working daily (at home and office): 9am-5.30pm in the office. Sometimes extra at home or weekends.
What I do to get myself thinking creatively: Listen to classical music.
My problem-solving strategy: Lots of writing on paper.
What I do to relieve stress: Walk in the fresh air, do the garden.
My hero, mentor, or person I most admire and why: Randolph Fiennes - explorer. His survival abilities and he's visited so many places.
What I do to mentor those who work for me: I don't know!
How a negative event changed my life in a positive way: If my ex & I hadn't split up I'd never have taken another look at my career and done a PhD.
One event or decision in my life I wish I could go back and change: Not sure - because changing that would mean I wouldn't be where I am now.
What values are the most important to me and what I value in others: My faith & my health & being happy. I like people who are fair, and give & take credit.
What inspires, motivates, or gets me excited about my job on a daily basis: You never know what's going to happen next.
Biography:
BSc (Hons) Maths 1985 University of York
PhD Applied Computing 1997 University of Dundee
Research interests in computer-based interviewing, and other interventions to help people communicate things they find difficult face-to-face. Also gender & the computer interface.
Last Modified:
Location: www.acm.org/crossroads/dayinlife/bios/ramanee_peiris.html