Erbi Setiawan
PhD project title: Marine Protected Area Preservation: Exploration of Water System Improvement in Coastal Tourism Destinations for Coral Reefs’ Resilience
Supervisory team: Katarzyna Kujawa (WUR), Erik Horstman (WUR), Bart Vermeulen (WUR), Machiel Lamers (WUR), Huub Rijnaarts (WUR)
PhD project description: My research will focus on improving the coral reefs’ resilience to maintain MPA biodiversity through water system improvement, especially concerning wastewater quality. Suitable intervention to improve the existing water system, primarily focusing on wastewater improvement, is favorable in this research. Identifying the urban profile of tourism destinations is the entrance point of this research. In order to generate comprehensive research, stakeholder analysis is included for receiving knowledge about the interest and influence of relevant stakeholders to implement the strategy. Furthermore, development planning and policy are also explored to formulate suitable interventions for water system improvement.
Erbi Setiawan is a PhD candidate at Wageningen University & Research, where he specializes in Environmental Technology. He holds a strong background in water sector research, focusing on urban water metabolism, wastewater management, and the water–energy–food nexus in urban settings. Erbi is also the co-founder of Water Network Initiative, an NGO dedicated to developing sustainable solutions for water resource management, especially in urban configurations. In addition to his academic work, Erbi is involved with Karsa City Lab, a platform that helps Indonesian cities grow more globally through data-driven policy, multidisciplinary collaboration, and urban innovation. Through these roles, he combines research, professional practice, and civic engagement to address water challenges, climate impacts, and governance in rapidly urbanizing environments.
