Kartika was a full-time lecturer and climate research scientist for 23 years until a remarkable life journey opened another door for her. Since 2021, she has devoted more time to her other passion, writing, and continues to improve her craft through writing courses, e.g., UCLA Extension. She has focused on nonfiction, some of which has appeared in online magazines. She also writes poems occasionally and is interested in speculative fiction, such as science fiction. She just finished an essay collection, “Gambaro!” and is now completing her memoir. She has served as the lead organizer of the Japan Writers Conference since 2023. She is also a freelance editor of academic papers and runs businesses in Japan with her spouse. 

Kartika was born and grew up in a town on a mountainside in Indonesia. In 2002, she moved to Japan to study at Tohoku University, where she got her PhD in geophysics, focusing on atmospheric sciences. Before now, she dedicated her time to her promising academic career and worked at well-known institutions, including Bandung Institute of Technology, Nanyang Technological University, the University of Tokyo, APEC Climate Center, and Meteorological Service Singapore. 

After recovering from prolonged illnesses at one time, Kartika has maintained her well-being by regularly practicing Reiki, meditation, and yoga, as well as walking with her beloved dog. In her free time, she enjoys reading, traveling, cooking, or gardening. She also loves sharing her experiences with others—from writing to living overseas and from learning to living purposely.   

She created this site for her current writing activities, while her past research work is available here.

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