PMDSU PhD Program at ITB under my supervision

Author:

Title

Understanding the Interconnection between Urban Growth, Groundwater Quality, and Environmental Sustainability in Indonesian Cities.

Prospective students

We are looking for prospective PhD students with the following backgrounds:

  • Geological Background: Students with strong foundation in geology, hydrogeology, or geochemistry.
  • Earth Science: Candidates with expertise in environmental science, physical geography, or related earth science fields.
  • Civil Engineering: Students with background in water resources engineering, environmental engineering, or urban infrastructure.
  • Urban Planning/Planology: Candidates with knowledge in urban development, spatial planning, or sustainable city development.
  • Please contact me if you have a background other than those mentioned above: dasaptaerwin at itb dot ac dot id or dasaptaerwin at gmail dot com.

Candidates should demonstrate:

  • Strong analytical and research skills
  • Interest in interdisciplinary research combining natural and social sciences
  • Ability to work with diverse stakeholders including government agencies

Summary

This research looks at how city growth in Indonesia affects water resources and the environment. We focus on how underground water, rocks, and water chemistry are all connected in Indonesian cities, especially on Java island. As cities grow quickly, they change how land is used and how water moves through the area. The type of rocks found in these cities, including volcanic and sedimentary rocks, affects how much groundwater is available and how clean it is (Xaixongdeth et al., 2015; Sánchez-Gutiérrez et al., 2023).

Cities in Indonesia face water challenges as they grow larger. When new buildings and roads are built, they create surfaces that don’t let water soak into the ground. This can lead to more flooding (Choi, 2022). Another big problem is water pollution. When rain washes over city streets or when waste isn’t properly disposed of, harmful substances can get into the groundwater. For example, in the city of Yogyakarta, dangerous metals like copper have been found polluting the groundwater (Xaixongdeth et al., 2015).

Tests show that city groundwater often contains high levels of nitrates and other pollutants that can harm people’s health (Sánchez-Gutiérrez et al., 2023). To plan better cities and manage water resources well, we need to understand how city buildings and infrastructure affect groundwater systems. There’s also a problem with unequal access to clean water and proper sanitation between people living in cities and those in rural areas. This needs to be fixed (Wulandari et al., 2021; Laksono & Wulandari, 2020).

To solve these problems, Indonesia needs to look at all aspects together – the rocks, underground water, and water chemistry – when managing urban water resources. This will help government officials make better decisions about water security and sustainable development as cities continue to grow.

Roadmap

Here’s a four-year PhD research roadmap based on the groundwater and urban development study in Indonesia:

Year 1 (2025)

  • Literature review and research design focusing on hydrogeology, urban development, and water chemistry in Indonesian cities
  • Identification and initial contact with case study areas in Java island
  • Development of data collection methodology
  • Network building with Australian and French universities

Year 2 (2026)

  • Field data collection focusing on:
    • Groundwater quality assessment
    • Urban infrastructure mapping
    • Rock and soil sampling
  • Analysis of water pollution patterns, particularly focusing on nitrates and heavy metals
  • Initial data analysis and preliminary findings presentation at international conference

Year 3 (2027)

  • Comprehensive data analysis of:
    • Urban development patterns
    • Groundwater system changes
    • Water chemistry variations
  • Collaboration with local government authorities for policy implications
  • Manuscript preparation for first publications

Year 4 (2028-2029)

  • Development of integrated water management recommendations
  • Thesis writing and compilation
  • Final presentations and defense
  • Publication of remaining research papers

Expected significant impacts:

  • Work to improve urban water management by studying how groundwater, geology, and city development affect each other
  • Study how city growth affects groundwater quality to help reduce pollution
  • Provide suggestions for city planning that could help reduce flooding and water contamination
  • Gather data to help make better decisions about water management
  • Work towards making clean water and sanitation more accessible in both cities and rural areas

References:

  • Choi, E. (2022). Colonial legacies in indonesia’s urbanization and urban housing: past, present, and future. Mahabbah Journal of Religion and Education, 3(2), 101-117. https://doi.org/10.47135/mahabbah.v3i2.39 Laksono, A. and Wulandari, R. (2020). The barrier to maternity care in rural indonesia. Journal of Public Health, 30(1), 135-140. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10389-020-01274-3
  • Lancia, M., Su, H., Tian, Y., Xu, J., Andrews, C., Lerner, D., … & Chen, K. (2020). Hydrogeology of the pearl river delta, southern china. Journal of Maps, 16(2), 388-395. https://doi.org/10.1080/17445647.2020.1761903 Lapworth, D., Nkhuwa, D., Okotto-Okotto, J., Pedley, S., Stuart, M., Tijani, M., … & Wright, J. (2017). Urban groundwater quality in sub-saharan africa: current status and implications for water security and public health. Hydrogeology Journal, 25(4), 1093-1116. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10040-016-1516-6
  • Maurice, L., Taylor, R., Tindimugaya, C., MacDonald, A., Johnson, P., Kaponda, A., … & Gooddy, D. (2018). Characteristics of high-intensity groundwater abstractions from weathered crystalline bedrock aquifers in east africa. Hydrogeology Journal, 27(2), 459-474. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10040-018-1836-9
  • Nytch, C., Meléndez‐Ackerman, E., Pérez, M., & Ortiz‐Zayas, J. (2018). Rainfall interception by six urban trees in san juan, puerto rico. Urban Ecosystems, 22(1), 103-115. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11252-018-0768-4
  • Schmidlin, D., Scheiber, L., Teixidó, M., Vázquez-Suñé, E., Criollo, R., Jurado, A., … & Enrich, M. (2023). Sources of contaminants of emerging concern in groundwater of barcelona urban area. Advances in Geosciences, 59, 59-67. https://doi.org/10.5194/adgeo-59-59-2023
  • Su, H., Lancia, M., Zheng, C., & Hiscock, K. (2020). Analysis of tropical urban aquifers in response to climate change.. https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-egu2020-17872
  • Sánchez-Gutiérrez, R., Sánchez‐Murillo, R., Esquivel‐Hernández, G., Birkel, C., Boll, J., Rojas‐Jiménez, L., … & Castro‐Chacón, L. (2023). Nitrate legacy in a tropical and complex fractured volcanic aquifer system. Journal of Geophysical Research Biogeosciences, 128(8). https://doi.org/10.1029/2023jg007554
  • Wulandari, R., Laksono, A., & Rohmah, N. (2021). Urban-rural disparities of antenatal care in south east asia: a case study in the philippines and indonesia. BMC Public Health, 21(1). https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-021-11318-2
  • Xaixongdeth, P., Hendrayana, H., Putra, D., Karnawati, D., & Sato, T. (2015). Copper mobility assessment using speciation schemes: case study–mantrijeron district, yogyakarta, indonesia. Journal of Applied Geology, 4(2). https://doi.org/10.22146/jag.7198
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