Buffett-EDGS Visiting Scholars Directory
2025-2026 Cohort
Muhammad Hanri
March 1st - 31st, 2026
Muhammad Hanri was a Buffett-EDGS Visiting Scholar in residence from March 1st to March 31st, 2026. Hanri is the Director of the Master’s Program in Economic Planning and Development Policy and leads the Social Protection and Labor Research Group at the Institute for Economic and Social Research – Faculty of Economics and Business, University of Indonesia (LPEM FEB UI). His work focuses on labor economics, social protection, and inequality, with research spanning labor market diagnostics, poverty and inequality analysis, green jobs, and social protection financing. In addition to his academic role, Hanri has collaborated with international partners such as the French Development Agency (AFD), the European Union, German Agency for International Cooperation (GIZ), Prospera, and the Economic Research Institute for ASEAN and East Asia (ERIA) on studies addressing labor market challenges and inclusive development. At Buffett, his research will examine the distributional effects of carbon taxation on unemployment and poverty, the prospects for green jobs in energy transitions, and comparative approaches to inequality diagnostics in the Global South.
2024-2025 Cohort
Dr. Sirojuddin Arif
Head of the Master’s Program in Political Science at the Indonesian International Islamic University
Contact: sirojuddin.arif@uiii.ac.idIn residence from August 9 to September 27, 2024, Dr. Sirojuddin Arif is the head of the Master’s Program in Political Science at the Indonesian International Islamic University in Jakarta. His extensive research encompasses education policy, food security, gender equality, and the politics of religion. Hosted by Jeffrey Winters, Professor of Political Science and Director of the Buffett Institute’s Equality Development and Globalization Studies (EDGS) program, Dr. Arif focused on the politics of technology learning and industrial upgrading in late-industrializing countries, with a particular emphasis on Indonesia. During his visit, Dr. Arif collaborated with experts across Northwestern’s academic community, particularly around his ongoing project, “Learning, Technology Transfer and Industrial Catch-up in Late Industrializing Countries: Indonesia, Malaysia, and South Korea in Comparative Perspective.” His visit enhanced both his research and the university's academic community. Additionally, Arif's visit aligned with the 2024 annual meeting of the American Political Science Association in Philadelphia, enabling him to present his work and engage with fellow scholars. His visit fostered valuable academic exchanges and strengthened ties between Buffett, EDGS, and the Institutes for Advanced Research (IFAR) Consortium, benefiting both institutions and their scholars.
Dr. Asmin Fransiska
Dean of the Faculty of Law at Atma Jaya Catholic University of Indonesia
Contact: asmin.fr@atmajaya.ac.idServing as a Visiting Scholar from January 28 to February 28, 2025, Dr. Asmin Fransiska is the Dean of the Faculty of Law at Atma Jaya Catholic University of Indonesia in Jakarta. A renowned expert in human rights law, drug policy reform, and international criminal law, she used her time at Northwestern to explore institutional collaboration between Atma Jaya and the Buffett Institute. Her efforts concentrated on developing a new Master’s Program in Public Policy centered on establishing better policy with empowering good policy makers. Dr. Fransiska also presented research titled "From Cannabis to Methamphetamine: The Drug Landscape in Aceh, Indonesia', aligning closely with IFAR Consortium’s and the Buffett Institute’s mission to address complex global challenges through interdisciplinary research. She was hosted by Laura Hein, Director of the Arryman Scholars Program within the Buffett Institute’s Equality Development & Globalization Studies program and Harold H. & Virginia Anderson Professor of History at the Weinberg College of Arts & Sciences.
Dr. Sarah Gultom
Assistant Professor of Business Innovation, Monash University, Indonesia
Contact: sarah.gultom@monash.eduDr. Sarah Gultom joined the Buffett Institute as a Visiting Scholar from March 1 to May 1, 2025, hosted by EDGS Director and Professor of Political Science, Jeffrey Winters. She is an Assistant Professor of Business Innovation at Monash University in Indonesia and holds a Ph.D. in Economics from Monash University. Her research is in development economics, focusing on poverty alleviation, inequality, and social policy in Indonesia. At Northwestern, Dr. Gultom developed the research design of an empirical study on the effects of market information asymmetry and peer networks in the operations of intermediaries in Indonesia’s agricultural sector. Her work seeks to inform policies to reduce the adverse impact of intermediary activities on poverty among smallholder farmers. During her visit, she had the opportunity to discuss, present, and refine her research project with faculty members from various departments, such as the Global Poverty Research Lab and the Department of Economics. She attended the Association for Asian Studies Conference and served as a session chair at the Midwest International Economic Development Conference.
"As a Buffett-EDGS Visiting Scholar, I had invaluable discussions regarding my research on agricultural markets and farmer welfare in Indonesia. The rigorous feedback from Northwestern faculty and researchers significantly enhanced my research design, enabling me to advance the project. I also started collaborating on this project with a former Arryman Scholar whom I met through the program. While at Northwestern, I attended the Association for Asian Studies Conference and was a session chair at the Midwest International Economic Development Conference. These opportunities expanded my professional network and gave me access to the latest knowledge in international development."