Hi, I am Yanu Prasetyo! I am a researcher at the National Research and Innovation Agency (BRIN) and a member of INFID research fellows since 2021. I experienced evaluating community-based programs and social policies in Indonesia. My research focuses on poverty, food insecurity, and community resilience. In my dissertation, I develop a rural vulnerability framework to analyze Walmart closures’ socio-economic impact in small towns in Missouri. During my Ph.D. at the University of Missouri-Columbia, USA, I founded the IndoBIG Network, an activist and research network in Indonesia that advocates for universal basic income as a solution to alleviate extreme poverty. Since spring 2017, I have been involved with the Deaton Scholars Program, which empowers MU students to address global poverty through collaborative problem-solving. I hold two graduate certificates in society and ecosystem and community process from the University of Missouri-Columbia. I also graduated from the MU Extension Community Development Academy in 2019. With my PhD Adviser, Dr. Hua Qin, we published an article on a bibliometric analysis of environmental and resources sociology (2019) in the Journal of Society and Natural Resources and Dynamic Risk Perception and Behavior in Response to COVID-19 at the Natural Hazards Center, University of Colorado Boulder (2020). I received the MU International Engagement Award for Outstanding Student Contribution (2020), Freeda Thomas Yeo Agricultural Fund (2020), the Lionberger scholarship (2020-2021), and selected into the Rollins Society based upon the Society’s watchwords Officium (Duty), Fides (Faithfulness), and Ductus (Leadership) (2021).
email me at yanuprasetyo85@gmail.com or yanu005@brin.go.id
Scopus ID: 57209254099
Orcid ID: 0000-0003-3382-1131
My Journey
September 2021
Since September 1, 2021, the Indonesian Institute of Sciences (LIPI) has been merged with other research institutions such as BPPT and LAPAN into a National Research and Innovation Agency (BRIN). During this transition period, the research center where I’m working right now (research center for population – LIPI) was also transformed into a new research center that accommodates more researchers from various institutions/ministries. Many things may change in the years to come, and of course, as researchers, we have to get used to these changes because life is all about change, right?
July 2021
After defending my dissertation and completing my Ph.D. program from the University of Missouri-Columbia, the United States, my family and I decided to return to our beloved homeland, Indonesia. On June 31, we flew from Columbia, MO, and arrived in Jakarta on July 1, 2021. During the uncertain time of the COVID-19 pandemic, we are grateful that we could meet our family again and set foot back in this beautiful country. I also joined the Research Center for Population, Indonesian Institute of Sciences (LIPI) as my new home base.
March 2021
My initiation to INFID was actually not too long ago. Even though this organization already exists for almost my age. The introduction started from my interest in the issue of inequality and universal basic income. Long story short, I then connected with Mr. Sugeng Bahagijo, the Executive Director of INFID. Pak Sugeng himself was one of the first Indonesians to write about this basic income issue in the media (Jakarta Post) at that time. From casual talks about basic income and other welfare issues over the phone, I was invited to contribute to a book writing project by INFID. Then it continued with the Human Rights Festival (2019 dan 2020), social assistance surveys (2020), collaboration in UBI working papers with The Prakarsa (2020), writing grant proposals, articles for journals, filling in discussions and workshops, and finally, joined the INFID Research Fellow with several fellow students and researchers in March 2021.
2016 – 2021
For almost five years, my family and I have lived in the city of Columbia, Missouri, United States. I was lucky to get a scholarship from Research-Pro 2016 (World Bank & The Ministry of Research, Technology, and Higher Education of Indonesia) to continue my Ph.D. study. Living and studying in the US was an extraordinary experience that changed many things in my life and my family’s, especially in appreciating diversity, freedom of speech, and the rights of others. Many of my thoughts and perspectives cannot be separated from these personal experiences living in the US. In addition, my intensive research on rural America has undoubtedly become knowledge and social capital that I want to develop further in the future.
2019 – 2021
RCCCP is one of 20 Missouri Community Partnerships. It is a federally recognized 501(c)3 non-profit organization that has been in existence since 1998. As a project team member on innovative strategies, I helped organize community survey, stakeholder analysis, resources mapping, and social network analysis for Missouri Rural Mental Health Network (RMHN) activities. I am grateful to be able to learn firsthand and meet great people who really care about their community. Even though I am already in Indonesia, I am still working on several things for RCCCP, including preparing a collaborative research paper to be presented at the RUSET conference in September 2021.
September 2017 – September 2020
I have a long and unique relationship with The MU Deaton Scholars Program. In the beginning, I joined DSP as a volunteer and photographer (2017). I found out that this program is encouraging and essential for the student, especially in building networks and collaboration with other students from different interdisciplinary backgrounds. This program is a student-run program designed to equip the student with the tools to make a tangible difference in food security, extreme poverty, and malnutrition. While continuing my role as a volunteer, photographer, and videographer, I learned many things about food security and global poverty through this program. Then in fall 2019, Drs. Deaton assigned me as a co-leader together with Holly Enowski and Jenifer Pilz till fall 2020. I was responsible for delivering the program using appropriate teaching, learning, and assessment methods. For me, Dr. Brady and Dr. Anne Deaton themself is a role model because of their inspirational leader.
Fall 2017 – Spring 2021
My best friend and mentor at Columbia MO, Jenifer Pilz, first asked me to volunteer at the MU Africa Hub in fall 2017. At that time, I was interested in learning more about Africa and wanted to get to know Mizzou students from African countries. Volunteering at the Africa Hub has given me that invaluable opportunity. In Africa Hub, I had the opportunity to interview writers, hear presentations from African experts and students, watch African film series, and of course, taste a variety of African dishes. I continued volunteering (photographer and videographer) and managing the Africa hub youtube channel until Spring 2021. I couldn’t thank you enough, especially to Jenifer Pilz and Nadege Uwase, for giving me this unique opportunity and experience while at the Mizzou campus.
2008 – 2016
I started my career as a researcher at the Development Center for Appropriate Technology, Indonesian Institute of Sciences (January 1st, 2008). As a fresh graduate student with a social science background, I was so excited to collaborate with researchers from various disciplines and gained new experiences from them. Associating more than eight years with researchers from multiple disciplines at this institution has enriched my perspective on many issues in Indonesia – and it left a deep impression on my future research career. In this research center, we have developed various appropriate technologies that can be directly utilized by the community, farmers, and SMEs. Participating in various research projects at this institute has also given me valuable experiences working and seeing many incredible corners of Indonesia.