Nirma Samarawickrema

Associate Professor Nirma Samarawickrema is a teaching-intensive academic and co-head of undergraduate teaching in the Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology at Monash University. She teaches Biochemistry to students in Medicine, Biomedical Science, and Nutrition programs. Her work focuses on curriculum design, active learning, and assessment literacy, with leadership in Australasia and internationally. She chairs the Education Symposium for the Federation of Asian and Oceanian Biochemists and Molecular Biologists (FAOBMB) and mentors colleagues through HERDSA Fellowships.

• Education: BSc, MSc, PhD in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology

Research interests span the teaching-research nexus, authentic assessments, and medical education innovation. She leads projects on assessment literacy and feedback sustainability. Awards include HERDSA Fellowship (2019), Australian Society for Biochemistry Education Award (2020), and FAOBMB Education Award (2022).

Her research outputs address online teaching strategies, HPV epidemiology in Sri Lanka, and STI prevalence studies. She organizes national conferences and contributes to the Australian Biochemist journal.