Industry PhD project title:
Operationalising Just Energy Transition (JET) in geothermal development: A socio-technical analysis of community inclusivity and social legitimacy in Flores, Indonesia
RACE University and Industry partners:
Monash University & PT PLN (Persero)
Previous education and work background:
- Bachelor’s degree in Civil Engineering.
- Master of Business Administration.
- Prior to commencing my PhD, I spent over 15 years at PT PLN (Persero), Indonesia’s state-owned electricity utility, I managed a large portfolio of major clean energy infrastructures, including large-scale hydro and geothermal power plant projects. I am also a certified Project Management Professional (PMP®).
What attracted you to the RACE Industry PhD?
What sets the RACE Industry PhD apart is its genuine bridge between high-level academic theory and real-world industrial application. Having spent years managing infrastructure on the ground, I know that clean energy transitions cannot succeed in a vacuum. RACE for 2030 provides the perfect, collaborative ecosystem to research how we can translate complex Energy Justice frameworks into practical, inclusive industry practices.
When you were young, what did you want to be when you were older?
I wanted to be a farmer. Growing up, I was fascinated by the idea of nurturing the land, watching crops grow, and feeding communities directly from the earth. Yet, in a beautiful twist of fate, my Just Energy Transition (JET) research brings me right back to my childhood roots. Today, my work directly intersects with the lives of indigenous agricultural communities, ensuring that as we build the clean energy of the future, we protect the very land, water, and livelihoods that sustain them.
What do you hope to achieve?
Having spent years managing large-scale infrastructure, I know that a transition is “green” if it honors and protects the people living alongside it. I hope to deliver a meaningful academic and practical contribution that be a reference to untangle the complex, high-friction conflicts between local communities, the government, and the Catholic Church regarding geothermal expansion in Flores.
What are you most looking forward to?
I am incredibly excited about seeing the indigenous people be a subject towards the energy transition and prosper.
What innovation/change would you like to see in 5-10 years’ time?
I want to see “inclusive co-design” become the standard operating procedure for global renewable energy deployment.
Fun fact about you:
I run my own micro-level “household transition” by managing a vibrant kitchen garden where I harvest my own fresh vegetables, alongside a small flock of chickens that supplies my daily eggs.
Favourite quote:
Injustice ruins the structure of civilisation, and the ruin of civilisation leads to the destruction of humanity – Ibn Khaldun (Muqaddimah)
Projects
