Sandamali Dassanayake, research technician in animal science, is the recipient of the staff 2025 Community Excellence Award from the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences at Iowa State University. She has demonstrated an unwavering commitment to the department’s efforts to engage with faculty, staff and students to enhance morale, foster social connections and promote a collaborative community.
Dassanayake has consistently focused on the perspectives and needs of departmental staff. She developed a survey for staff to assess their job satisfaction and needs for career success. She analyzed results and presented themes that emerged. A colleague stated that her dedication to celebrating the people of the department has been both transformative and enduring, leaving a lasting positive impact on the collective environment.
Dassanayake has embraced opportunities to enhance morale and foster social connections in the animal science department. She was involved in an effort to increase faculty, staff and student interaction before weekly seminars. Snacks were provided each week from different parts of the world. She said, “I found it very rewarding when members of the animal science community related the snacks to food they had consumed when they were traveling overseas or in their home countries.” Dassanayake often engaged with department members at these events, greeting them and encouraging them to socialize. Animal science is a large department, and the feedback stated that these were valuable opportunities to interact.
Dassanayake was involved in another effort where she researched and distributed information on holidays and events worldwide with the intent to educate and celebrate times and occasions that are important to members of the department. Faculty, staff and graduate students indicated that they enjoyed receiving this information, and it provided an opportunity to become better acquainted with their colleagues.