Introducing Fulbright Australia's New Executive Director: DR VARUNI KULASEKERA

Dr Varuni Kulasekera is a scientist specialising in public health, science communication and mindfulness education.

Varuni has a BSc and a Master’s degree in Zoology and Entomology from Sri Lanka, a PhD in Medical Entomology and Evolutionary Biology from the University of Maryland, College Park, and a Graduate Certificate in Geographic Information Systems from Pennsylvania State University.

Varuni conducted her Master’s and PhD research exploring disease vectors at the Smithsonian Institution and Walter Reed Army Medical Unit in Washington DC. After obtaining her PhD, she progressed her postdoctoral research at the American Museum of Natural History on the evolution of flies that carry diseases. She has conducted extensive field research in the Americas and Australasia during her research career.

During the West Nile virus outbreak in New York City, Varuni joined the NYC Department of Health and Mental Hygiene as the Medical Entomologist and was responsible in implementing a comprehensive surveillance and control program for New York City.

She has published in peer-reviewed journals, presented her work at numerous scientific conferences, and is widely cited in infectious disease studies around the world. In addition to her research, Varuni is a passionate science communicator and has been actively involved in science outreach and education. She has organised and participated in numerous public talks, workshops, and events to engage with the wider community and promote scientific literacy.

Varuni is also a qualified MBSR teacher, who is passionate about promoting mindfulness practices in science, health and education and has conducted workshops and retreats for scientists, educators, and students.

Varuni has served on various boards over the years. Having joined the Fulbright Australia Board of Directors in 2014, and acted as interim Executive Director in 2022, Varuni has dedicated over 8 years to the governance and advancement of the Fulbright Program in Australia.

In 2023, this service was honoured with the U.S. Mission Australia Award for Leadership Excellence by Ambassador Caroline Kennedy, U.S. Ambassador to Australia.

Varuni is excited to be back in Canberra leading the effort to foster educational opportunities and cultural goodwill between Australia and the United States.

What does Fulbright mean to you?

Fulbright is many things to many people -a gateway, a conduit, a ladder, a catalyst – to me it is all these things, but more importantly it is a mindset. The Fulbright mindset is one of empathy, respect, kindness, and understanding.

It is these values that have shaped the impact that Fulbright Scholars have on Australia and the United States, and the lives of the people they come into contact with.

It is these values that have sustained the Fulbright Program for the past 75 years, and will continue to do so for the next.

I’ve been proud to serve as a messenger, and guide for these values for close to a decade, because I truly believe that Fulbright changes the world for the better.

What do you hope to achieve during your tenure as Executive Director?

Having lived and worked for years in both Australia and the United States, I’ve seen the incredible impact that we can create when we invest in collaborations that bring our people closer together.

Fostering “leadership, learning, and empathy” was Senator Fulbright’s ultimate goal – I believe we fulfil this each time we step into our office in Canberra, and I hope to find new and exciting ways of achieving this for Australians and Americans over the coming years.