I am a researcher and educator in software engineering with experience in both the human and technical dimensions of software development. My work examines how factors such as team diversity, perspective-taking, and collaboration influence software quality and team performance. I combine empirical methods with applied studies in real-world contexts, producing insights that advance both theory and practice in software engineering. Alongside my research, I have extensive experience in teaching, mentoring, and program management, supporting students in developing the skills and practices needed to build reliable, inclusive, and high-performing software systems.
Kezia Devathasan
keziadevathasan@uvic.ca
Education
Doctor of Philosophy, Computer Science
University of Victoria (September 2022 - Present)
Expected Graduation: December 2026
Bachelor of Science
Major: Computer Science & Psychology
University of Victoria (September 2017 - August 2022)
Fellowships and Grants
$120,000 NSERC Canada Graduate Scholarship – Doctoral (CGS-D)
2024 - 2026
$40,000 Co-operative Education & Work Integrated Learning Grant (CEWIL)
2025
$10,000 Mitacs Research Grant
2023
Grant received for community-engaged, software engineering research
$40,000 PhD Fellowship, University of Victoria
2022 - 2024
$2500 Jamie Cassels Undergraduate Research Award (JCURA), University of Victoria
2021
$6000 NSERC USRA - Undergraduate Research Award
2022
Teaching Experience
Sessional Instructor, Software Engineering (SENG) 321: Requirements Engineering
Scheduled: Jan - April 2026
University of Victoria
Instructor & Program Manager, Software Engineering (SENG) 480B (Inspire Program UVIC)
4 Semesters Taught: Summer 2022, Fall 2023, Fall 2024, Fall 2025
University of Victoria
Teaching Assistant, Software Engineering (SENG) 321: Requirements Engineering
3 Semesters Taught: Spring 2023, Spring 2024, Spring 2025
Instructors: Drs. Neil Ernst & Daniela Damian
University of Victoria
Teaching Assistant, Computer Science (CSC) 110: Fundamentals of Programming 1
2 Semesters Taught: Summer 2023, Fall 2023
Instructors: Drs. Anthony Estey & Celina Berg
University of Victoria
Teaching Assistant, Computer Science (CSC) 130: Introduction to Web Development
1 Semester Taught: Spring 2022
Instructor: Dr. Anthony Estey
University of Victoria
Teaching Assistant, Computer Science (CSC) 106: The Practice of Computer Science
2 Semesters Taught: Fall 2020, Spring 2021
Instructors: Drs. Miguel Nacenta & Anthony Estey
University of Victoria
Presentations
Perspective-Taking as a Strategy to Manage Technical Debt
TechDebt Conference, Co-located with the International Conference on Software Engineering (ICSE’25)
Ottawa, ON, Canada, April 27, 2025
Decoding Diversity: Understanding its Impact on Team Performance in Software Teams
Doctoral Symposium, International Conference on Software Engineering (ICSE'25)
Ottawa, ON, Canada, April 29, 2025
STEM for Social Impact
Canadian Coalition of Women in Engineering, Science, Trades & Technology (CCWESTT'24)
Victoria, BC, Canada, May 24th 2024
Leveraging Diversity in Software Engineering Education through Community Engaged Learning and a Supportive Network
Software Engineering Education and Training (SEET), in the International Conference on Software Engineering (ICSE'23)
Melbourne, Australia, May 19, 2023
The Role of Abstraction in Introductory Programming
ACM SIGPLAN Conference on Systems, Programming, Languages, and Applications (SPLASH'22)
Auckland, New Zealand, December 5 2022
Learning to SWIM: Technical and Social Lessons Learned During Development of a Water Data Collaboration Platform.
International Conference on Collaborative Advances in Software and Computing (CASCON'22) (Innovating Education Track)
Toronto, ON, Canada, Nov 15 2022
What It’s Like to Be a Student Today.
International Conference on Collaborative Advances in Software and Computing (CASCON'22) (Innovating Education Track)
Toronto, ON, Canada, Nov 16 2022
Invited Talks
Future Innovators Panel - Island Women in Science & Technology (iWIST)
Victoria, BC, Canada, Oct 22 2024
Success in Academia Panel - Women in Engineering & Computer Science (WECS)
University of Victoria, Oct 10 2024
International Women's Day Event Speaker - Engineers and Geoscientists British Columbia (EGBC)
Victoria, BC, Canada, June 21 2024
Professional Service
Invited Speaker, NSERC Application Coaching Panel
September 2025
University of Victoria
Reviewer, Western Canadian Conference on Computing Education (WCCCE'25)
February 2025
Student Representative, Department Chair Hiring Comittee
October 2021
University of Victoria
Students Mentored
Hailey Gascoigne, undergraduate research project, Spring 2025
Puwentao Yan, undergraduate research project, Summer 2024
Molly Craig, undergraduate research project, Fall 2022