Andy Simarmata earned his DPhil (Ph.D.) in Development Studies with magna cum laude predicate from one of the leading research universities in Germany, The University of Bonn. He has fifteen years of experience in research, technical assistance and advocacy. In the last seven years, he has focused his works on climate change adaptation, urban resilience and spatial planning. He currently works as a senior lecturer at urban development studies postgraduate program in Universitas Indonesia, Jakarta. He also serves as the Secretary General for Indonesian Association of Urban and Regional Planners (IAP) and is a certified urban planner. Following his doctoral research that investigated the inter-relational concepts among vulnerability, adaptation, and planning from humanist philosophical approach, his research now examines the extent to which people dimensions flourish urban planning and how humanistic urban planning contributes to more resilient and sustainable cities.

He has published various journal articles in peer-reviewed journals and book chapters. He is also the World Social Science (WSS) fellow on sustainable urbanisation, awarded by the International Social Science Council (ISSC) in 2014.