A scientist’s journey abroad and back home

Dr. Chami N. K. Patabendige is a senior lecturer in Chemistry at the University of Sri Jayewardenepura, Sri Lanka. She is passionate about research in energy conversion technologies like solid oxide fuel cells. Read her journey of balancing home and work and her transition from Sri Lanka to the UK and back home.   

Tell us a bit about yourself and your educational background

Born in Sri Lanka, I completed my Chemistry Honors degree at the University of Sri Jayewardenepura. Soon after my marriage, I moved to the United Kingdom with my husband. There I enrolled for a Ph.D. at University of St-Andrews, Scotland, in 2007 with a full scholarship. I was fortunate enough to be recognized and do my doctoral studies under the world-famous and renowned Material Scientist, Prof. John T. S. Irvine. Thereafter, I also did two postdoctoral studies in two world-ranking universities: the University of Glasgow and the University of Strathclyde in the UK. 

Tell us about your current job profile and your journey to your current role

After spending nearly 13 years in the United Kingdom, I decided to move back to Sri Lanka to give back to my mother nation. I now serve my alma mater: the University of Sri Jayewardenepura as a lecturer using the expertise and experience gained from my educational exploits in the UK.

Currently, I am a Senior lecturer, where I follow my passion of teaching and impart knowledge to students. My job profile entails teaching, conducting lab classes for undergraduates, writing grant applications, and mentoring undergraduate and postgraduate students through academic and research activities. It’s very common for my day to include all of the above activities.

I am also Head of the Department of Science for Technology at the University of Sri Jayewardenepura. As a founding member of the department who worked for its establishment, I am continuously on a journey to find new and innovative ways of developing my department; thus, in addition to my academic commitments, I also attend to the administrative tasks as a leader.

How did you find your transition from the UK to Sri Lanka?

Academically and in terms of opportunities, there was a learning curve while adapting to the local education system. The UK had a well-established education system, undergraduates and postgraduates had more resources for research and a better quality of life.  The purpose of my journey abroad was to learn from them and try to uplift the education system of Sri Lanka. On a more personal plus side, my presence in Sri Lanka affords me the luxury of being close to my parents and family. 

Our department was new to the university, so me along with several newly recruited academics faced many challenges, such as the lack of resources, structure and funding.  At the same time, it was an opportunity for me to use my previous knowledge to develop something new in my home country.

What are the differences in working for academia in the UK and Sri Lanka?

 It is easier to do research in the UK since it has cutting-edge, novel technologies and resources. The hardest part in Sri Lanka is seeing something through to the very end. It is not for the lack of ideas; our country is brimming with innovative ideas and solutions. However, though we build up and establish these bright ideas, the process is cut short due to the lack of resources and support to continue those projects financially and in terms of the policy.

Regardless of the country, one of the biggest pros is teaching and research freedom. Another big pro is the working hours that academia offers, which is more flexible than other jobs.  Sabbatical is another advantage. Senior lecturers will, at some point in their career, arrange to take off a few months from their regular teaching duties to do research at a different university or a different country. There are many travel opportunities to new places for conferences or research visits, thereby expanding the horizons of our understanding.  

One of the negatives of being in academia is the competitiveness that prevails in the system.  Even a talented and hard-working academic may not manage to land a permanent job. Lecturers are by no means poorly paid, and they typically earn fair enough to live comfortably. But someone with the level of experience and skills that an academic has could almost certainly earn much more money in the private sector. The flexibility that the field offers while being an advantage can also be a disadvantage. Hours tend to extend longer than a typical 8-5 job, and Vacations are hard to come by even though they are well deserved, as there is just too much work with deadlines to meet.

The common challenges faced by female academics are the lack of work-home balance, discrimination, and harassment in the workplace.

What are the challenges you faced in your career, and how did you overcome them?

I did my Ph.D. while raising my two-year-old daughter with my husband, working in a different city and a country (Galway, Republic of Ireland).  It was a crucial time in my daughter’s development, and I did not want to compromise it. Therefore, I learned how to balance my life to enjoy the best of both worlds. It is no secret that having children puts stress on a woman and can cause a delay in the completion of studies and reaching more personal goals.

I had my Ph.D. viva two months after my second child was born. Needless to say, it was difficult for me to study for my final defense with a newborn baby and a six-year-old child. At that time, I found some Sri Lankans and lovely Scottish families to take care of my daughter when I was really in need. They picked my daughter from the daycare, looked after my kids, and showed me around St Andrews. These relationships were the cornerstone of my development as they helped me move forward with  limited compromise.

My research group was one of the most extensive research groups at St Andrews university, and it had researchers from all over the world. I had wonderful mentors who supported and encouraged me; without them, I would not be where I am today. The challenges I faced helped me in many ways to become who I am, and today I reap the benefits of that labour by being a mum of three lovely children, which is not typical for many female academics.

How do you unwind after a hectic day at work and  balance your career and personal life?

Reconciling personal and professional life is a decisive criterion for young generations who are beginning their careers. I do a few things to balance these two equally and to not feel overwhelmed. I define my priorities for the office and home and for this it is imperative to be organized. For example, making to-do lists helped me immensely. I start my day by writing everything I wish to accomplish and then working straight away.  I concentrate only on the most critical tasks and learnt to delegate secondary ones. I usually concentrate on what I am doing. To achieve this, I do not open my social media while working and only look at my emails at a set time. The same thing I apply at home. I try not to give too much of my time at home to professional notifications as the time with my family and children is very important to me.  Finding the right balance between my personal and professional life is essential for my well-being and success. I go out for a jog with my family during the weekends and enjoy being present with them.

What changes in the work environment would help women succeed in academia?

Universities and institutions have made remarkable efforts toward creating positive improvement over the last decade; women are still under-represented in the scientific community. It is evident that women face more challenges in academia than their male counterparts, and most academic environments are very aware of this issue and are actively working on it. There are some committees and organizations on gender equity and equality. Recruitment  and promotions of women to professorship should be increased.   I believe cultural influences also have played an essential role in this matter.  If women make significant contributions to advancing science, they deserve recognition and would inspire many young girls.  Most women are not good at promoting themselves, they should realise the importance of this and promote themselves and other women colleagues strongly. 

In the end, technical skills, knowledge, empathy, and integrity are essential factors for career success, and they reflect on the individual personality, independent of their gender. My advice would be to work hard to reach your dreams, no matter what they happen to be.

If you had to give up science, what would be your alternative career?

If I weren’t where I am today, I most probably would’ve pursued a career as an engineer. I believe I am good at marketing and business studies, too. I hail from a family with a business background, therefore I think entrepreneur would have been another career option.

What is your professional dream and motto in life?

My dream role would be leading a skilled research group in my research area.   I aim to combine my skills with all the knowledge I have gained to create something that makes a significant impact in the world for the better.