Malka Halgamuge

Dr Malka N. Halgamuge is a Senior Lecturer in Cybersecurity at RMIT University, Melbourne, Australia. She is the Chair of the IEEE Computational Intelligence Society, Victorian Section. She obtained her PhD at the Department of Electrical and Electronic Engineering, The University of Melbourne, Australia.

Malka has served as Chief Investigator on multiple grants totaling over AUD $1 million, including funding from the Australian Government, e.g., Australian Government grants from Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT), Department of Defence, Defence Science Institute (DSI), Australian Academy of Technological Sciences and Engineering (ATSE), and Australian Government, Department of Industry.

Prior to RMIT, she worked as a Senior Lecturer in Cybersecurity and the Department's Course Coordinator for Micro-credential Subjects (Cybersecurity Short Courses) at La Trobe University. She also worked as the Program Manager for the Australian Government's Cyber Security Skills Partnership Innovation Fund ($4.7m investment) with the Pro Vice-Chancellor and her Industry Engagement team, SCEMS, and industry partners (Wiley, CISCO, GHD, Optus, Quantum Victoria, Practera, War on Wasted Talent) to develop micro-credential short-courses and students' work-based learning placements (industry) to uplift Australia's cyber security capability. She also served as the department's Course Coordinator for Micro-credential Subjects (43 Cybersecurity Short Courses).

From 2007-2021, Malka worked as a Researcher at the Department of Electrical and Electronic Engineering at The University of Melbourne. She obtained her PhD in the same department. Her Google Scholar profile lists over 4,380 citations, an h-index of 37, and an i10-index of 89.

Accomplishments:
Fellowships
Malka received the CAS President's International Fellowship from the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), Beijing (2017 & 2018), Incoming Leaders Fellowship from Australia India Institute (2016), Next Step Initiative Fellowship (2015), Australia-China Young Scientist Fellowship (2014), Dyason Fellowship to undertake research at Department of Epidemiology, University of California (UCLA), Los Angeles, USA (2013), Early Career Researcher (ECR) Award (2013) from the Alexander von Humboldt Foundation. Two papers she co-authored with her PhD students at The University of Melbourne received the Best Paper Award (2012) and Best Student Paper Award (2011). Malka received the Vice-Chancellor's Engagement Award (2010) and the Vice-Chancellor's Knowledge Transfer Award (2008) for her research at The University of Melbourne. She was also awarded the Solander Fellowship (2007 and 2008) for research collaboration with the Departments of Neurosurgery and Radiation Physics at Lund University. She was among the short-listed applicants for both the 2009 and 2010 LOreal Australia for Women in Science Fellowship out of over 200 female scientists who applied in Australia. She has been consecutively listed among the top 2% of the world’s most cited researchers (Stanford University database, 2020-2024).

Leadership
Malka was the Keynote Speaker, Plenary Speaker, Associate Editor, Editorial Board Member, IEEE Senior Member, and Chair of IEEE VIC Computational Intelligence Society, IEEE VIC Section. She was the Program Co-Chair, Track Chair, Publication Chair, Advisory Chair, Publicity Co-Chair, Session Chair, Guest Editor, and a Member of the TPC for 300 international conferences. She has presented 46 invited/guest lectures in academia (e.g., Oxford University, Ohio State University), industry (e.g., IBM, KPMG East Africa, AISA), and at 8 IEEE sections. Malka has conducted 17 media interviews, articles, radio interviews, and TV interviews (ABC News).


Industry experience:
- Electro Magnetic Radiation (EMR) Consultant, EMR Australia Pty Limited, Sydney (Jan 2014 - 2021).
- Founder & Director of SenseRadiation Pty Ltd (Jul 2015 – Jul 2018)
- Algorithm Trading Researcher/Consultant - Part-time, GreenBox Services Pty Limited, Melbourne - Developing algorithms to predict electricity demand (Sep 2013 - Mar 2014).

Malka worked as the Program Manager for the Australian Government's Cyber Security Skills Partnership Innovation Fund of $4.7m, liaising with La Trobe University Pro Vice-Chancellor and her Industry Engagement team, School of Computing, Engineering and Mathematical Sciences and industry partners (Wiley, CISCO, GHD, Optus, Quantum Victoria, Practera, War on Wasted Talent) to develop cybersecurity micro-credential short-courses and students' work-based learning placements to uplift Australia's cybersecurity workforce.

Major commercial work & reports completed:
Electromagnetic Radiation Hazards (RADHAZ or EMR Hazards) Safety Assessment and Technical Reports Conducted for:
- EMF exposure assessment - close proximity to electric motors & traction cables, Toorak, Victoria, July 2020.
- EMF exposure assessment for Anytime Fitness Melbourne CBD, March 2020.
- EMF exposure assessment of parking officers with wearable wireless devices for Melbourne City Council, Melbourne, July 2019.
- EMF exposure assessment of Substation, High Voltage Powerline, and Telecommunications Tower for Veris Ltd, Altona North, Victoria, March 2019.
- EMF exposure assessment of Self-driving Cars (Driverless Cars) for Cohda Wireless Pty Ltd, Wayville, Adelaide, South Australia, February 2019.
- EMF exposure assessment for Villa World Developments Pty Ltd, Southbank, Melbourne, January 2019.
- EMF exposure assessment for University of Tasmania, Hobart, Tasmania, December 2018.
- EMF exposure assessment - close proximity to an electrical substation, Toorak, Victoria, September 2018.
- EMF exposure assessment of parking officers with wearable wireless devices for Melbourne City Council, Melbourne, August 2018.
- EMF exposure assessment for Royal Brisbane and Women's Hospital, Herston, Brisbane, May 2018.
- EMF exposure assessment for CS Energy: Kogan Creek Power Station, Brigalow, Toowoomba, Queensland, 17-18 April 2018.
- EMF exposure assessment for Wyangala Dam, Cowra, Orange, New South Wales, November 2017.
- EMF exposure assessment of parking officers with wearable wireless devices for Melbourne City Council, Melbourne, October 2017.
- EMF exposure assessment due to a smart meter, Melbourne, Victoria, September 2017.
- Power frequency exposure assessment due to underground power lines for Douglas Partners PL, Sydney Olympic Park, Sydney, June 2017.
- EMF exposure assessment for Sennheiser Australia Pty Limited, Sydney, May 2017.
- EMF exposure assessment for Villa World Developments Pty Ltd, Southbank, Melbourne, May 2017.
- EMF exposure assessment for Villa World Developments Pty Ltd, North Sydney, May 2017.
- EMF exposure assessment - close proximity to mobile phone base station, Docklands, Victoria, April 2017.
- EMF exposure assessment due to a smart meter, Melbourne, Victoria, March 2017.
- EMF exposure assessment for Property Development, Adelaide, South Australia, February 2017
- EMF exposure assessment for Epping Consulting Centre, The Northern Hospital, Victoria, January 2017.
- Assessment of Electromagnetic Fields for Seventh Day Adventist Church, Nunawading, Victoria, December 2016.
- EMF exposure assessment for Villa World Developments Pty Ltd, Broadbeach, Gold Coast, November 2016.
- EMF exposure assessment of parking officers with wearable wireless devices for Melbourne City Council, Melbourne, November 2016.
- EMF exposure assessment: close proximity to an electrical substation and high voltage power lines (underground) - Proposed development for a group of residential buildings and supermarkets for Coles Group Property Developments Ltd., Pacific Highway, Lindfield, Sydney, October 2016.
- RADHAZ safety assessment: Effects from Radar Transmitters for Cobham Aviation Services, Cairns, Queensland, October 2016.
- EMF exposure assessment - close proximity to mobile phone base station, Southern Highlands, Sydney, August 2016.
- EMF exposure assessment from powerline and close proximity to mobile phone tower for AMP Capital, Sydney, July 2016.
- EMF exposure assessment due to a smart meter, MoneePonds, Victoria, May 2016.
- RF radiation hazard assessment due to high-frequency welding machines for Impact International, Sydney, April 2016.
- EMF exposure assessment - close proximity to an electrical substation, Geelong, Victoria, April 2016.
- RF radiation hazard assessment for Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) Base, Edinburgh, Adelaide, South Australia, March 2016.
- EMF exposure assessment, Rowville, Victoria, February 2016.
- EMF exposure assessment from powerline and close proximity to mobile phone tower, Brighton, Melbourne, February 2016.
- EMF exposure assessment due to a smart meter, Brisbane, Queensland, February 2016.
- EMF exposure assessment - close proximity to mobile phone base station and an electrical substation for Complispace, Victoria, January 2016.
- EMF exposure assessment from road sensors for M2 Motorway at Toll Aust Lane, Sydney, December 2015.
- Assessment of radiofrequency microwave radiation emissions from a smart meter, Elwood, Victoria, December 2015.
- Proposed development for a group of residential buildings - Report of EMF exposure from powerline and close proximity to an electrical substation for Waverley Golf Course, Rowville, Victoria, October 2015.
- Assessment of radiofrequency microwave radiation emissions from a smart meter, Kew East, Melbourne, August 2015.
- EMF exposure assessment of close proximity to power lines, Ringwood, Melbourne, August 2015.
- EMF exposure assessment of parking officers with wearable wireless devices for Melbourne City Council, Melbourne, June 2015.
- RF radiation hazard assessment for Channel 9 Studios, Willoughby, Sydney, April 2015.
- EMF exposure assessment on a proposed child care center close proximity to TV towers and mobile phone antennas for Willoughby Council, Sydney, April 2015.
- EMF exposure assessment, Kinglake Views, Whittlesea, Victoria, Feb 2015.
- EMR calculation and assessment from high voltage power lines for Blacktown Council, Sydney, Jan 2015.
- Safety assessment of close proximity an electrical tram line for Brotherhood of St Laurence, Melbourne, Jan 2015.
- Safety exposure assessment for Synergy Building, QUT for Queensland University of Technology (QUT), Brisbane, Dec 2014.
- EMF exposure assessment, North Fitzroy, Melbourne, November 2014.
- EMF exposure assessment due to an electrical substation for Cisco Systems Australia, Sydney, Sep 2014.
- RADHAZ safety assessment for Strategic Marine - Effects from multiple systems including Satellite Antennas and Radar Navigation of a 40m long Marine Vessel, Perth, Western Australia, June 2014.
- EMF assessment on Data Centers for Haileybury School, Keysborough, May 2014.
- EMF assessment for a proposed child care center for Wollongong City Council, Wollongong, May 2014.
- EMF exposure assessment for the Commercial Bookshop, Melbourne, May 2014.
- EMF exposure assessment, Port Melbourne, Victoria, May 2014.
- Assessment of radiofrequency microwave radiation emissions from a smart meter, Keilor Downs, Victoria, May 2014.
- EMF exposure assessment - close proximity to radio and mobile phone base stations, Aurora Tower (skyscraper), Brisbane, April 2014.
- EMF exposure assessment - close proximity to mobile phone base station, Main Beach, Gold Coast, April 2014.
- EMF exposure assessment, Fitzroy North, Melbourne, March 2014.
- RF radiation hazard assessment from high-frequency welding machines, Hisen Welders for Aussie Bills, Newcastle, March 2014.
- EMF exposure assessment, Ascot Vale, Melbourne, January 2014.