Researcher, Vcitoria University of Wellington, New Zealand
Dr. Erandi Nanayakkara is a dedicated research statistician and lecturer with expertise in statistical modeling, data science, and teaching. With a Ph.D. in Statistics from Victoria University of Wellington, New Zealand, she specializes in microsimulation models for health research, particularly lung cancer. She has a strong background in education, mentoring, and research supervision, actively engaging students and helping them develop practical skills. Dr. Nanayakkara is known for her adaptability, innovative approach to problem-solving, and effective communication. She has collaborated with diverse teams and contributed to a variety of projects, from epidemiology to business analytics. Her professional journey includes teaching, research, and administrative duties across various universities, with a commitment to student success and academic development. She is proficient in multiple programming languages and statistical tools, making her a versatile contributor to interdisciplinary research.
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Education
Dr. Erandi Nanayakkara holds a Ph.D. in Statistics from Victoria University of Wellington, New Zealand, where she focused on the development and Bayesian calibration of a microsimulation model for lung cancer. Her dissertation explores the natural history, screening, and treatment of lung cancer in the New Zealand context. Prior to her Ph.D., Dr. Nanayakkara completed a Master of Philosophy (M.Phil.) in Mathematical Modelling from the University of Kelaniya, Sri Lanka, with a thesis on the stochasticity in SIR models for epidemic diseases. She also holds a B.Sc. Special Degree (First Class Honors) in Mathematics, Statistics, and Computer Science from the University of Ruhuna, Sri Lanka. Her academic background reflects a strong foundation in both theoretical and applied statistics, particularly in the fields of health modeling, epidemic disease transmission, and statistical data analysis.
Experience
Dr. Erandi Nanayakkara has extensive experience in teaching, research, and academic administration. She worked as a Teaching Assistant at Victoria University of Wellington, where she fostered active student engagement and supported over 60 students each trimester in undergraduate statistics courses. As a Graduate Researcher, she developed a lung cancer microsimulation model incorporating screening and treatment components, using programming languages such as R, SQL, and C++. Dr. Nanayakkara also served as a Lecturer in Statistics at the Open University of Sri Lanka, where she delivered both classroom-based and online lectures, developed curriculum, and mentored students. Her role involved designing and delivering engaging content, moderating papers, and evaluating student performance. Earlier in her career, she worked as a Research Assistant at the University of Kelaniya, where she performed advanced data analysis and contributed to research reports. She has also lectured at other institutions, enhancing her cross-cultural communication and time management skills.
Research Focus
Dr. Erandi Nanayakkara’s research primarily focuses on the development and application of statistical models to real-world problems, especially in health and epidemiology. Her Ph.D. research centered on the development of a microsimulation model for lung cancer, which incorporates Bayesian calibration to reflect the specific context of New Zealand. She has also worked extensively on stochastic models, particularly in the context of epidemic diseases, focusing on SIR (Susceptible, Infected, Recovered) models and their applications in understanding disease transmission dynamics. Additionally, Dr. Nanayakkara’s research explores survival analysis, particularly in customer attrition and insurance policy persistence. Her work integrates advanced statistical techniques with computational modeling to generate actionable insights in public health, epidemiology, and business analytics. She is also passionate about mentoring students, promoting academic growth, and bridging the gap between theoretical and applied statistics in various fields of research.
Publication Top Notes
- “A calibrated model for lung cancer natural history: the case for New Zealand” 🫁📊
- “Simulation Model Development for Lung Cancer Screen Detection: A case study for New Zealand” 🧑⚕️💻
- “Analysing the customer attrition using survival techniques” 📉👥
- “Development and Bayesian calibration of a microsimulation model for lung cancer: natural history, screening and treatment” 🫁🔬
- “Stochasticity in SIRV Models for the Transmission of Epidemic diseases” 🦠📚
- “Analyzing persistence of life insurance policy using survival model” 💼💡
- “Stochasticity in SIRV Models with Vaccination and Reversion for the Transmission of Epidemic diseases” 🦠💉