As a globetrotting scientist, Tonni Kurniawan has undertaken his studies and research training at the interface between solid waste management and water treatment in different parts of the world. Recently, he completed postdoctoral training at University of Kuopio (Finland). He completed his Ph.D. at the Hong Kong Polytechnic University (China). He also received his M.Sc. in environmental technology at Thammasat University (Thailand).

His expertise in his field is evident in the citation count for his article entitled “Low cost adsorbents for heavy metals uptake from contaminated water: a review” published in the Journal of Hazardous Materials (2003). The article, which features a variety of solid waste for water treatment applications, has topped the journal’s list of citation count since its establishment in 1975.

His research work in his area of specialization also attracted immense interest from the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research, which awarded him with the 2010 Green Talents Award. These credentials led to his participation in the 2010 Lindau Nobel Laureate Meeting (Germany). The meeting provided a platform for young researchers and scientists to engage in cross-generational dialogue on central issues of our common future, such as climate change and renewable energy. With an h-index of 11, he has co-authored 22 refereed articles in SCI journals, 22 conference proceedings, 2 monographs and 5 book chapters. Currently The Essential Science Indicators of Thomson Reuters identifies him as one of most cited top 1% scientists in engineering field.