Hi there. My full name is Muhammad Riza Nurdin. I originally come from Aceh (Indonesia), a region that experienced prolonged armed conflict and the 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake and tsunami.
I am a visiting researcher at the Asia-Japan Research Institute, Ritsumeikan University and a Senior Researcher at the International Centre for Aceh and Indian Ocean Studies (ICAIOS). In 2021-2022, I was one of the Think Next, Act Next – The Next Gen EU-ASEAN Think Tank Dialogue (EANGAGE) Fellows, a project that connects 90 young think tank researchers from ASEAN and the EU to collaborate and exchange ideas for a stronger partnership between the two regions. Prior to that, I was a Post-Doctoral Research Fellow at the Department of Southeast Asian Studies, University of Malaya, Malaysia. I also have some practical experience in development programs and consultancy.
I hold a PhD in Southeast Asian Social Inquiry from the School of Social Sciences and Humanities at the University of New South Wales, Australia. Before that, I obtained an MA in Southeast Asian Studies from the Faculty of Arts and Humanities, University of Passau, Germany, and a BA (Licence) in Islamic and Arabic Studies from Al-Azhar University, Cairo, Egypt.
My research interests include area studies, development anthropology, non-traditional security (especially disasters, climate change, forced displacement, conflicts, and pandemics), humanitarianism, the nexus of religion and development, and social policy.
I am a native Indonesian and Acehnese speaker. I also speak fluent Malay, English, Arabic, and intermediate German.
I am a lifelong learner and a coffeeholic. In my free time, I like to explore and learn new things. Thanks to the internet, I have taught myself how to build this website, how to make latte art, and photography.
I can be reached through the Contact Form on this website or through email contact[at]muhammadrizanurdin[dot]com.