Sari Octaviani

Background

About Sari Octaviani

I currently work at the intersection of higher education and the energy sector, driven by a commitment to people-centred clean energy initiatives. As PhD Program Coordinator at Monash University Indonesia and RACE (Reliable, Affordable, Clean Energy) for 2030, a AU$350 million Australian Cooperative Research Centre (CRC), I manage a flagship, fully funded doctoral program for nine industry-focus PhD candidates, delivered through a co-funding partnership with PT PLN (Indonesia’s state electricity company).My past career encompassed engineering research, higher education, the public sector, private industry, media/event production, and entrepreneurship. At Indonesia’s Ministry of Communications and Informatics, I managed high-level Digital Leadership Academy's programs attended by 90 senior leaders from public and private institutions, in partnership with Cornell University and the University of Cambridge, while also supporting hundreds of other participants enrolled in programs with Harvard, Oxford, Tsinghua, NUS, Imperial College London, and MIT.In the private sector, I addressed talent gaps in the data centre industry, one of the world’s highest energy consumers, by delivering vendor-neutral professional training with Data Centre Dynamics (DCD) Academy UK for engineers and technicians. This work gave me firsthand insight into the challenges of decarbonising digital infrastructure. To raise public awareness and foster dialogue on low-carbon digital systems, I hosted 11 episodes of Podcast Nusantara on YouTube, interviewing experts and industry leaders, and produced the 2023 Nusantara Data Center & Cloud Summit at JIEXPO Kemayoran, Jakarta, featuring 33 prominent speakers.Earlier, at the University of Southampton, UK, I conducted research on fatigue cracking in jet and turbine engines, investigating nickel-based superalloys using advanced imaging and experimental techniques.In addition, I founded KAIU, a small business designing and manufacturing children’s wooden gyms and furniture. Our products have reached homes across Indonesia, combining quality craftsmanship with creative design. I am also a proud recipient of two prestigious women’s entrepreneurship programs:1. UK–Indonesia Tech Hub Fellowship by the British Embassy, Jakarta2. Australia Awards Indonesia Scholarship by Australia’s Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT), delivered by RMIT University, with in-person classes held in Bali, Surabaya, Melbourne, and Sydney.