Staff and Committee Members

Centre  Leadership

	Associate Professor Sharyn Davies Centre Director, Lecturer in Indonesian Studies
	Assistant Professor Sabina Puspita Deputy Director, Lecturer in Public Policy and Management
Researchers Koneksi Project
	Dr Yulisna Mutia Sari is a physiotherapist by background, gerontologist and a researcher with expertise in ageing, geriatric physiotherapy, dementia and older people rehabilitation. She is an Assistant Professor at Herb Feith Indonesia Engagement Centre, Monash University Indonesia and a project manager of Monash KONEKSI project (Project collaboration between Australia and Indonesia). She holds her PhD (2023) from Monash University, Australia and Master of Science (Gerontology and Rehabilitation Studies) (2012) from University of Wollongong, Australia. Prior to joining Monash University, Yulisna was a lecturer and has extensive experience in older people in the community engagement. Dr. Yulisna’s expertise extends in designing intervention programs for older people to improve their physical activity and performance, mixed-method research and health professional development in ageing. She also actively contributes to the research and development in Alzheimer’s Indonesia,
	Dr Welmince Djulete, an accomplished educator, teacher trainer, and educational researcher from Eastern Indonesia, excels in fostering teachers' professional development, higher-order thinking skills, and promoting sustainable education in rural regions. Her academic journey, culminating in Master's and PhD degrees from Flinders University, South Australia, focused on the Quality Teaching Model's influence on pedagogical content knowledge and higher-order thinking in rural Indonesian schools. Dr. Djulete's expertise extends to qualitative research methods, designing intervention programs, enhancing teachers' professional knowledge, skills, and teaching quality while nurturing sustainable education practices. She advocates for elevated professional support in rural schools, fostering collaboration through professional learning communities (PLCs) and integrating Video-Based
	Dr Miya Irawati is an architect and urban planner who taught in Indonesia, Singapore, and the U.S. From 2016 to 2021, she conducted research at Future Cities Laboratory, ETH Zurich. In 2017, she earned a scholarship for her Ph.D. in Human Geography at the National University of Singapore. Her ETH Zurich project, the Expandable House, won the INDE AWARDS in 2020 and was shortlisted for the 2022 Aga Khan Award for Architecture. Interested in housing, slum upgradation, and civic advocacy, Miya collaborates on projects in Indonesia and globally. Serving as a consultant for organisations like the World Bank and UN-Habitat, she focuses on land issues, microfinance, housing, and urban water management in Indonesia.

Director

Associate Professor Sharyn Davies - Centre Director and lecturer in Indonesian Studies

Members

Assistant Professor Sabina Puspita -  Deputy Director, Herb Feith Centre

Professor Cecilia Hewlett - Pro Vice-Chancellor (Europe) and Associate Dean (International)

Professor Jo Winning - Head of School of Languages, Literatures, Cultures & Linguistics,

Professor Julian Millie - Professor, Indonesian Studies, Herb Feith Centre Advisory Board Chair

Chair

Professor Julian Millie - Professor, Indonesian Studies, Faculty of Arts

Associate Professor Sharyn Davies - Centre Director

Members

Professor Edward Buckingham - Director, Engagement, Faculty of Business & Economics

Lachlan Cropley - AIYA (Australia Indonesia Youth Association) Victoria Chapter President

Joanna Donagan - Director Global Initiatives Global Engagement, Office of the President and Vice-Chancellor

Dr David Feith - Monash College

Professor Ariel Heryanto - Emeritus Professor, Faculty of Arts; Inaugural Director, Herb Feith Centre

Professor Margaret Kartomi - Ethnomusicology, Sir Zelman Cowen School of Music, Faculty of Arts

Yacinta Kurniasih - Indonesian Studies, Faculty of Arts

Professor Andrew MacIntyre - Pro Vice Chancellor & President (Indonesia), Monash University

Dr Eugene Sebastian - Director, Australia - Indonesia Centre

Adeline Tjendra - President, PPIA Monash

Connect with other PhD candidates!

Are you a Monash PhD student doing a topic focused on Indonesia? Would you like to meet other PhDs working on Indonesia?

Join us for a monthly coffee group to discuss research ideas, plans, questions and troubleshoot things like applying for research ethics and conducting fieldwork. It's also a great way to increase your connections and make friends - all graduate research students with an interest in Indonesia are welcome!

If you're keen please email sharyn.davies@monash.edu

Herb Feith PhD Scholarship

This fully funded PhD scholarship is awarded annually to an Indonesian national, based at the Monash University Indonesia Campus, to explore issues of social justice, history in Indonesia.

Jessica Kim
Jessica Kim was announced as the 2025 Herb Feith PhD Scholarship recipient at the Herb Feith Research in Indonesia Symposium. Read more here

Hilman Fathoni
Project title: "Understanding everyday development in rural Eastern Indonesia: an ethical inquiry"

Andina Dwifatma
Project title: Islamic Web Series and The Cultivation of Piety Among Muslim Women in Indonesia"

Anak Agung Istri Diah Tricesaria (Diah)
Project title: "Surviving the Open Prison: Refugee Women's Hope, Resistance and Struggles in Protracted Transit and Precarious Livelihoods in Indonesia"

Herb Feith PhD Scholars

Muhammad Syihab Asad
Project title: "Threats, Challenges, and Opportunities of LMS Implementation in Indonesian Islamic Boarding School"

Rima Febriani
Project title: "The Desire to Know: The Formation of Sexual Knowledge in Postcolonial Indonesia"

Sukma Ari Rogil Putri
Project title: "The Power and Resistance of LGBTI on Social Media"

Fahmi Fahmi
Project title: "Analysing Indonesia’s Media Sentiment of China and Chinese"

Serena Ford
Project title: "Liberal States and the Women, Peace and Security Agenda"

Nasya Shafira
Project title: "Building Political Awareness Strategy for Cyber Insecurity Problem in Indonesia"

Laura Wallace
Project title: "Problematised and Overlooked: What factors influence the sexual and reproductive health and wellbeing"

Jean Aaron de Borja
Project title: "Uneven Connections: The Digital Divide in the Ageing Indonesian Migrant’s Home"