Asri Yusrina is a Senior Researcher and Head of the Governance, Poverty, and Inequality Cluster at The SMERU Research Institute. She holds a bachelor’s degree in economics from Universitas Indonesia and a master’s degree in economics from the University of Queensland, Australia. A quantitative economist, she applies advanced STATA analysis to generate evidence-based policy insights from primary survey data and secondary national datasets, including Indonesia’s National Socioeconomic Survey (Susenas).

Her research focuses on development issues, particularly education, poverty, and multidimensional child deprivation, and consistently integrates gender equality, disability, and social inclusion (GEDSI) frameworks to ensure its relevance for inclusive policymaking. 

Asri developed extensive expertise in education research through her involvement in the Research on Improving Systems of Education (RISE) Programme in Indonesia. As part of the program, she led the development of classroom observation instruments and conducted several studies on the Teacher Professional Education Program (PPG). More recently, she has been involved in diagnostic research using data from Indonesia’s national learning assessment data, such as Asesmen Nasional (AN), which underpins the government’s Rapor Pendidikan platform for evaluating student literacy, numeracy, and school environments. 

Beyond education, Asri has been engaged in poverty research, particularly through the lifecycle approach to social protection, with a strong emphasis on targeting mechanisms. Through her rigorous, data-driven approach, she contributes to education reform and evidence-based socioeconomic policymaking in Indonesia. She also supports child well-being initiatives as a member of the Early Childhood Education and Development (ECED) Council, a multistakeholder body supported by the Tanoto Foundation.