Welcome! I am Malika Nisal Ratnayake, a Research Fellow
at the Department of Data Science and AI at Monash University, Australia and a
2024 National Geographic Explorer.
My research interests revolve around the intersection of computer vision, artificial intelligence, and ecology, with a specific focus on advancing
pollination monitoring for agriculture and conservation.
I completed my PhD in Computer Science at Monash University in 2022, under the supervision of Associate Professor Alan Dorin and
Associate Professor Adrian Dyer. During my doctoral research, I designed computer vision and deep learning
frameworks for automated pollination monitoring. A significant aspect of my work involved collaborating with farms to develop and implement pollination monitoring systems that met the
industry's specific requirements. I was awarded a prestigious National Geographic Society Grant and
a Green Talents Award for Outstanding Young Scientists in Sustainable Development in recognition of my research.
Currently, I am employed as a Research Fellow in the Computational and Collective Intelligence group
within the Department of Data Science and AI at Monash University. I am actively engaged in a collaborative project
with the industry, aiming to enhance the sustainability and competitiveness of the Australian agricultural sector through the
automation and data-driven transformation of industrial crop pollination. Additionally, I am involved in a National Geographic Society-funded project aimed at designing a camera trap
for insect pollinator biodiversity field monitoring and biometric analysis. This initiative seeks to deepen our understanding of insect populations and enhance the sustainability of
endangered native insect species.