2024 Herb Feith Research Symposium

View the full program below

SPEAKERS

Professor Matthew Nicholson
Pro-Vice Chancellor and President, Monash University, Indonesia

Professor Nicholson joined Monash University, Indonesia in February 2024 as its President and Pro Vice-Chancellor. Previously, Professor Nicholson was Vice-President (Research and Development), and Interim Pro Vice-Chancellor and President at Monash University, Malaysia in addition to other Executive Leadership positions across Monash University where he has created and implemented a strategic vision for excellence. Professor Nicholson  is internationally renowned for his research in the public health-sport nexus and has published more than 120 books, book chapters and journal articles, securing more than $10 million in research funding through numerous industry-funded programs and projects, including through the Australian Research Council and National Health and Medical Research Council.

Professor Katie Stevenson
Faculty of Arts, Dean, Monash University, Australia

Professor Katie Stevenson is Dean of the Faculty of Arts at Monash University. She has held this role since 2022, prior to which she spent five years as Vice-Principal (Deputy Vice-Chancellor) at the University of St Andrews in the UK. She has also held roles as Keeper at National Museums Scotland, CEO of the heritage tech company Smart History, and spent seventeen years as an academic historian at the University of St Andrews. Her first degree in History and Archaeology is from the University of Melbourne and her PhD in History was awarded by the University of Edinburgh.

PANELISTS (A-Z)

Professor Megan Farrelly
Associate Dean, Graduate Research, Faculty of Arts
Professor of Environmental Geography in the School of Social Sciences

Professor Farrelly has been involved in several significant interdisciplinary research programs and has written and co-authored over 70 academic publications and commissioned industry reports. Her research focuses on identifying governance, policy, and experimentation dynamics for expediting urban sustainability transitions within water and energy sectors in Australia and beyond. She currently leads a number of research projects supported by Australian and international funding agencies.

Rima Febriani
PhD Candidate, Arts Faculty, Monash University, Australia

Rima Febriani is a PhD Candidate in Literary and Cultural Studies. She is taking a break from her lecturing job at Universitas Padjadjaran to focus on the topic of Indonesian erotic fiction and popular sexual science. Her thesis is inspired by her desire to know what people think about when they think about sex. In June 2024, Rima participated in the Faculty of Arts 3 Minute Thesis Competition and won first place and people's choice.

Rima is currently in the second year of her PhD and is living in Melbourne with her four-year-old daughter.

Hilman Fathoni
PhD candidate, Monash University, Australia,  Faculty of Arts, and Herb Feith Scholar

Hilman S. Fathoni is a doctoral researcher and Herb Feith scholar based in School of Sciences at Monash University (Australia). He has broad research interests, looking at the intersection of community development, tecno-ecological transition and socio-cultural change, with an empirical focus on rural Indonesia. For his PhD project,

Hilman undertook both long-term and experimental forms of ethnography to understand how these multiple themes manifest in people’s everyday lives.

Professor Jane M Jacobs
Director (Academics) and Professor in Urban Design, Monash University Indonesia.

Dr Jacobs has published on postcolonial geographies, the social production of built environments, the history of high-rise housing, the politics of urban heritage and comparative urbanism. She has conducted this research in various contexts, including Australia, Britain, Singapore and Indonesia. Her book publications include Edge of Empire: Postcolonialism and the City (1996), Cities of Difference (1998), Uncanny Australia (1998), and Buildings Must Die: A Perverse View of Architecture (2014).

Dr Jacobs has extensive international experience in higher education, having taught and held senior administrative roles at The University of Melbourne , University of Edinburgh and Yale-NUS College, Singapore.

Dr Wikke Novalia
Senior research Fellow, Human Geography, Anthropology and Development Studies, Monash University Australia

Dr Wikke Novalia is an interdisciplinary social scientist specialising in environmental governance with a focus on water management and climate resilience. She has worked across Southeast Asia and Australia, leading and contributing to projects on sustainable river revitalisation, urban experimentation, and water-energy-food nexus. Her research examines the intersections of environment, technology, and society to inform infrastructure planning and governance designs for sustainability and climate outcomes.

Sari Ratri
IFAR Research Fellow, PhD candidate, Northwestern University

Sari Damar Ratri is a PhD candidate in Anthropology at Northwestern University, focusing on the politics of care and maternal responsibilities in Indonesia’s child stunting prevention programs. Her research explores how health metrics function as a language to justify interventions. Sari has received grants from the Wenner-Gren Foundation, the Buffett Institute, and KONEKSI for a collaborative research project on digital health applications in Indonesia. She has published in both academic journals and popular platforms. Sari starts with Monash University, Indonesia in November.

Dr Dima Rusho
Postdoctoral Research Fellow, Faculty of Arts, Monash University

Dr Dima Rusho is a Research Fellow at the Monash Indigenous Studies Centre, School of Philosophical, Historical, and International Studies. Her current research focuses on Indigenous language interpreting and the law, mainly in relation to the cultural and socio-political context of the Northern Territory in Australia. Dima’s other research interests include the relationship between language and knowledge, critical sociolinguistics, and decolonial approaches to language interpreting and translation. Dima is a trained pharmacist.

Assistant Professor Yulisna Mutia Sari
Assistant Professor, Monash University, Indonesia; Monash Alumna

Dr Yulisna Mutia Sari is a physiotherapist and a researcher with expertise in aging, dementia and older people rehabilitation. She is an Assistant Professor at Herb Feith Indonesia Engagement Centre, and is project manager of KONEKSI project on the topic of climate resilience of vulnerable communities in Eastern Indonesia.

Dr Sari holds her PhD from Monash University, Australia and Master of Science (Gerontology and Rehabilitation Studies) from University of Wollongong, Australia.

Assoc Professor Narelle Warren
Sociology and Anthropology, Deputy Head of School, Monash University, Australia

Associate Professor Narelle Warren is a medical anthropologist whose research explores the everyday experiences of chronic conditions and disability, including how care is arranged, negotiated, and deployed in practice. Her current research focuses on understanding the relationship between the lived experience of neurological conditions, biomedical representations of the brain and temporality, from the perspectives of people living with such conditions and their informal carers.

MODERATORS

Gabriella Fernando
Assistant Professor, Monash University, Indonesia
(Session 2)

Dr Gabriela Fernando teaches several units within the Master of Public Health program and is part of the foundational academic team. As a global health researcher, Dr Fernando focuses her global health research on the intersection of women's health, gender, and poverty, with a focus on South and Southeast Asia. Her research is grounded in participatory approaches, especially qualitative methods. Dr Fernando earned her PhD in Global Health from the University of Queensland, Australia. Before joining Monash, she completed a Postdoctoral Fellowship with the Gender & Health Hub at the United Nations University - International Institute for Global Health.

Assistant Professor Sabina Puspita
Herb Feith Centre, Deputy Director; Public Policy and Management, Monash University, Indonesia
(Session 1)

Dr Sabina Puspita is Deputy Director of the Monash Herb Feith Indonesian Engagement Centre and Assistant Professor of Public Policy and Management at Monash University, Indonesia. Her research focuses on democratization, gender politics and sustainable communities, and cities. She is currently a co-researcher for the Koneksi-funded "Model for Future-Proofing Climate Resilience by Engaging Communities in East Indonesia" Project. Sabina completed her doctoral training at Northwestern University's Department of Political Science in June 2023.

KEYNOTE SPEAKERS

Professor E Aminudin Aziz

Professor of Pragmatics and Forensic Linguistics, Universitas Pendidikan Indonesia
Masters and PhD in Linguistics - Monash University (Arts).

Professor Aziz is Acting Director of the National Library of the Republic of Indonesia and has been the Ministry of Education's Head of Agency for Language Development and Cultivation since 2020 where he has introduced language policy reforms nationally.

Previously, he was the Education and Culture Attaché at the Embassy of the Republic of Indonesia, in London (2016-2020) where he was awarded Education Attaché of the Year 2019 by Diplomat Magazine.

Professor Aziz has published scholarly works in linguistic politeness and sociolinguistics and has been a Linguistics Expert Witness for the Indonesian National Police.

Time named Professor Aziz as one of the world's influential people in AI in 2024.

From Impossibility to Accomplishment: My Monash University PhD experience
In this presentation, Professor Aziz will reflect on his personal experiences as a master's and then a PhD student at Monash University, Clayton, in the mid-90s. As Professor Aziz will share, initially, it felt like embarking on a journey into an impossible world, which ultimately proved to be a wonderful experience where he developed quality thinking skills, valuable networks, and recognition for his hard work. He has drawn on this firm foundation throughout his career as an international diplomat, and as an education and thought leader.

Dr Irine Hiraswari Gayatri

Senior Researcher, BRIN
Masters - Uppsala University; PhD - Monash University (Arts).

Dr Gayatri specialises in the Norm Diffusion and Convergence on Women, Peace, and Security (WPS) Agenda and preventing and countering violent extremism. Her research includes policy studies on the WPS Agenda in Southeast Asia and the Indo-Pacific, and on gender mainstreaming in Indonesian foreign policy. Dr Gayatri has worked with, among others, Monash Global Peace and Security Centre, BRIN, BNPT, USAID-HARMONI, UN Women, and “All-In for Development".

Arts Led Research: Navigating the challenges of our time
Dr Gayatri will share more on how Arts-led research provides insights on navigating the challenges of our time. She will draw from her work experience to discuss how Humanities and Social Sciences can amplify voices, bridge cultural, social, and political divides, and challenge assumptions, ultimately leading to a better future for  communities.

SPECIAL GUEST

Natalino Mella

Sasando crafter and master player; Australia Awards in Indonesia Alumnus

Natalino Mella will perform his traditional instrument the Sasando. Natalino is self taught and through his deep understanding has created new Sasando designs, and the "10 Finger Technique" to enhance harmonisation.  Performances of this traditional instrument from the Eastern Indonesian island of Rote carry deep cultural significance and help to preserve and celebrate traditions, stories, and heritage of the Indonesian people.

Natalino visited Monash Australia as a part of an Australian Awards In Indonesia Fellowship hosted by Monash Arts in 2022

ABOUT THE EVENT

Venue

Monash University, Indonesia
Jakarta Campus
Green Office 9 Building, Jl. BSD Green Office Park,
Sampora, Cisauk,
Tangerang Regency, Banten 15345,
Indonesia

Campus Information - including information to plan your journey

View Map

Registration

Afternoon tea, buffet dinner and a light supper is included in your registration.

While this event is free, spots are limited and registration is required.

Dress code

Please dress in smart corporate attire.

Is there a Prayer Room on Campus?

Yes, there is a space for prayer.

What time should I arrive?

Registration opens and a light afternoon tea will be served from 4pm. The event closes at 9.15pm.

GRADUATE RESEARCH DEGREES

Are you interested to find out more about a Monash Arts Graduate Research Degree?

You are invited to book a meeting for personalised information and advice about taking the first steps towards starting your Masters by Research or PhD at Monash University.

Our Graduate Research specialists will be in Jakarta and ready to answer your questions and to discuss with you the best option for your circumstances.

• Admission process and eligibility
• Scholarships
• Global mobility program
• Global supervision options

Appointments are open across 5th, 6th and 7 December in Jakarta or via Zoom.

Book your appointment now!