Sri Lanka Robotics FIRST

SINGITHI KARUNARATNE : DIRECTOR & LEAD MENTOR – MELBOURNE ROBOCATS

Singithi Karunaratne is a distinguished STEM educator, robotics leader, mentor and community advocate whose work has made a significant contribution to the growth of FIRST Robotics and STEM education in Australia. As Lead Mentor and Head Coach of Melbourne RoboCats (FRC Team 5648), President of Victorian FIRST Robotics, and Tournament Director of the Melbourne Robotics Tournament, Singithi provides leadership across student development, competitive robotics, community engagement and the growth of the wider FIRST Robotics ecosystem.

A passionate advocate for inclusion and diversity in STEM, Singithi has been instrumental in expanding opportunities for young people across Melbourne and Victoria, with a particular focus on encouraging girls and young people from underrepresented communities to participate in robotics and engineering. Through mentoring, school and university partnerships, industry engagement, competitions, workshops and community programs, Singithi has helped create pathways for students to experience authentic engineering, develop leadership skills and discover future careers in STEM. Her commitment extends internationally through initiatives supporting the growth of FIRST Robotics in Sri Lanka, helping bring the transformative FIRST experience to a new generation of students.

Singithi’s dedication to STEM education, leadership and community service has been formally recognised through the 2026 Sir John Monash Awards – Inspirational Women’s Leadership Award, acknowledging her contribution and positive impact within the Australian community. Her leadership reflects a strong belief that robotics is about far more than building exceptional robots — it is about building exceptional people, creating opportunities, strengthening communities and inspiring the next generation of scientists, engineers, innovators and leaders.

Awards

MELODY KARUNARATNE
Biomedical Science Student | FIRST Robotics Leader | STEM Advocate | Lead Mentor | 3rd Dan Black Belt

Melody Karunaratne is an accomplished young STEM leader, biomedical science student, robotics advocate, mentor and martial artist whose journey reflects an extraordinary commitment to science, engineering, leadership, discipline and community.

Now studying a Bachelor of Biomedicine at the University of Melbourne, Melody is pursuing her passion for medicine and science with a long-term ambition to bring together biomedical science, engineering and robotics. She hopes to contribute to the development of medical robotics, assistive technologies and innovative engineering solutions that can improve healthcare and people’s lives.

A Remarkable FIRST Robotics Journey

Melody’s FIRST journey began with FIRST Robotics Competition (FRC) in 2018, when she was just 11 years old. Given a special opportunity to join Melbourne RoboCats despite being below the usual FRC age, she became part of an all-girls robotics team and quickly developed a passion for engineering, technology and leadership.

She subsequently expanded her FIRST experience through FIRST LEGO League (FLL), achieving an exceptional record of Regional and National success, including multiple Champions Awards and Engineering Excellence Awards between 2019 and 2023.

In FRC, Melody progressed from one of the youngest participants to Captain of Melbourne RoboCats. In 2023, she helped lead the team to the Engineering Inspiration Award at the Australian National Competition and qualification for the FIRST World Championship in Houston. Competing against 645 teams from around the world, Melbourne RoboCats achieved an outstanding 42nd-place ranking.

Melody’s individual contribution to FIRST was recognised through her selection as a FIRST Deans List Finalist in both 2023 and 2024.

Today, after more than nine years in FIRST, Melody continues her journey as a Lead Mentor with Melbourne RoboCats, sharing her knowledge and experience with the next generation of robotics students and encouraging more girls and young women to discover opportunities in STEM.

Excellence Beyond Robotics

Melody’s achievements extend across academics, sport, leadership, music and community involvement.

She is a 3rd Dan Black Belt in Taekwondo, having started training at just nine years old. She began instructing younger students from the age of 11 and continued coaching for approximately four years, developing leadership, discipline and mentoring skills while also competing at State and National levels.

Her academic achievements include four consecutive years on the Kumon Advanced Honour Roll and recognition through ICAS Mathematics and Science competitions.

Melody was also a student leader at Glen Waverley Secondary College, serving on the Principal’s Advisory Group from Year 7 and as a Peer Support Leader. She further developed her communication skills through public speaking and debating.

Her sporting achievements include representing her school in golf, finishing 4th in the 2022 SSV Golf Tournament and Runner-Up in 2023, as well as receiving a Golf Australia scholarship involving a 52-week training program with a PGA professional.

She began playing piano at five and progressed to AMEB Grade 5 Classical Piano, while her early engineering and teamwork experiences included strong results in the RACV Energy Breakthrough, including Victorian wins in Boats and Push Karts and a Victorian Runner-Up result in HPV.

Inspiring the Next Generation

What makes Melody’s journey particularly remarkable is not simply the number of awards, competitions or achievements she has accumulated, but the way she uses her experiences to give back and inspire others.

From entering FRC at just 11, becoming a World Robotics Championship competitor in Houston Texas and Deans List Finalist, to becoming a Lead Mentor supporting younger students, Melody continues to demonstrate the power of combining curiosity, perseverance, leadership and a commitment to helping others.

Her journey reflects a clear vision for the future: bringing together medicine, biomedical science, engineering and robotics to create technology that can make a meaningful difference to society.

Awards

RACV Energy Breakthrough

RACV Energy Breakthrough – Maryborough in 2019 – HPV (VIC – 2nd Place Runner-Up)

RACV Energy Breakthrough – Maryborough in 2018 – Push Karts (VIC Winner)

RACV Energy Breakthrough – Maryborough in 2017 – Boats (VIC Winner)