University of Peradeniya Alumni Association - USA (UPAA-USA)

Life After Graduate School – Preparing for Your Job Search

3 – 5 PM US EST, Saturday April 9

Determining your career path is a critical process that all graduate students face. For those who have not yet begun thinking about your career path, it is certainly time to begin! This Information Session is designed to help you plan and prepare for your job search after graduate school.

In this Information Session we will cover:  

·         Skills and attributes that employers look for in candidates

·         Tips for writing a winning resume and an impactful research summary

·         Advice on how to successfully navigate through the interview process

·         Follow up Mentorship Program 

Meeting Link:     UPAA-USA Career Workshop 

This Information Session will be conducted by Dr. Ravi Ranatunga, Director, Corporate Analytical at The Procter & Gamble Company.

Biography: Ravi received his BSc in Chemistry from the University of Peradeniya in 1984 and PhD in Analytical Chemistry from the University of Houston in 1989. He was an Associate Research Chemist at the Shell Oil Company in Houston, TX from 1990 -92, Senior Lecturer in the Chemistry Department at the University of Peradeniya from 1993-96, and a Visiting Scientist at the University of Minnesota from 1996 – 98. Ravi joined Procter & Gamble in 1998 and he is currently a Director in P&G’s Corporate Analytical organization. He has led PhD recruiting for Analytical at P&G and leads PhD campus recruiting at the University of Wisconsin-Madison for P&G. Ravi has conducted this Information Session at Wisconsin for 10+ years.  

Panel Discussion

Following the information session, we will have a panel discussion where panelists representing industry, academia and government labs will share their experience and insights on the job search process and answer any questions. Discussion topics include:

·         Creating a professional network

·         Tips on finding job opportunities

·         Planning career progression

·         Visa related issues (CPT/OPT/H1B) and Green Card application process

The panel members are:

·         Representing Academia – Professor Rasika Dias, Distinguished University Professor of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Texas at Arlington, Arlington TX

·         Representing Government Labs – Dr. Geethani Bandara, Senior Biologist, Laboratory of Allergic Diseases, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health (NIH), Bethesda MD

·         Representing Industry – Dr. Ravi Ranatunga, Director, Corporate Analytical, The Procter & Gamble Company, Mason OH

·         Visa/Immigration Matters – Ms. Disna Weerasinghe, Attorney-at-Law (Admitted in New York) and Member of the American Immigration Lawyers Association, Scarborough Law LLC, Jacksonville FL (practice exclusively limited to immigration)

Mentorship Program  

Participants in this workshop have the option of enrolling in the career guidance mentorship program organized by the UPAA-USA. We will match professionals working in the US with each participant based on their career aspirations. In this program, participants will receive 1:1 feedback on their resumes and research summary.  

This event is open to any Sri Lankan graduate student in the US, postdocs, as well as those who are early in their careers.