Maisha Boteju
Doctoral candidate in the Faculty of Science
Tell us a bit about yourself
I come from the Pearl of the Indian Ocean, beautiful Sri Lanka. I absolutely love to cook and bake!
What's next on your travel bucket list?
As soon as I finish my PhD, I’m heading back to Sri Lanka for a lovely relaxing vacation! I've missed it so much over these past three years and can’t wait to be home.
What are you most passionate about?
Teaching. It’s truly rewarding to contribute to someone’s growth. This is actually at the heart of my research, as I’m educating future computing professionals.
What is the title of your thesis?
“Do It to Know It”: Reshaping the Privacy Mindset of Computer Science Undergraduates.
How did you end up in your field of study?
“What is privacy?” I asked myself. Despite being a professional software developer, I couldn’t answer it. And I needed to know why.
What do you hope will change in your field as a result of your research?
My research will guarantee that privacy protection is deeply embedded in how technology professionals think and build, right from day one. It will also inspire researchers to bridge the gap between advanced privacy research and computing professionals.
What do you plan to do once you have finished your doctorate?
A good sleep and a relaxing vacation to reset my mind are definitely first on the list. After that, I’ll actively seek opportunities to apply my research to a larger audience. I’m excited to see its real-world impact.
If you could invite four people to dinner, who would they be, and why?
First, my mother, for a dinner table filled with unconditional love.
Next, my father, because a dinner table is incomplete without a good storyteller.
My husband would absolutely be there as he is my biggest cheerleader.
Finally, I’d invite my Grade 1 teacher. She showed me how a good teacher can shape a life.