Dr. Agung Mahesa Himawan Dorodjatoen is deputy director for urban affairs at the Directorate of Local Development, BAPPENAS. He earned a bachelor’s degree in regional and city planning from Institut Teknologi Bandung, a master’s degree in human geography and planning from Utrecht University in the Netherlands, and a doctoral degree in economic geography from the University of Western Australia.

His research addresses urban heat island (UHI) effects as part of broader efforts to promote sustainable urbanization in ASEAN cities. He aims to examine how green building technologies can help reduce temperature disparities between urban and surrounding rural areas, contributing to climate-responsive development strategies. His project connects environmental microclimates with urban planning frameworks relevant to Indonesia and neighboring countries.

He hopes his research’s results will help inform urban policy and contribute to more livable, sustainable cities across the region.