Marlon Yusuf Gabriel Poetiray - PhD researcher - Work, Organisation and Management
Marlon Yusuf Gabriel Poetiray is a PhD researcher in the Work, Organisation and Management department at Nottingham University Business School, where he is exploring psychosocial risks in remote education settings in Indonesia. His research focuses on how broader structural factors shape teachers' wellbeing and working conditions in underserved communities.
Originally from a remote island in eastern Indonesia, Marlon was motivated to pursue a PhD by a desire to break a boundary that had long felt out of reach for people from his background. Having never seen someone from his region complete a PhD overseas, he hopes his journey will demonstrate that geographical location should not determine educational opportunities or future ambitions.
Why Nottingham?
When choosing where to study, Marlon was looking for a university that would provide both academic excellence and a supportive research environment. As an international student, he also valued the range of academic and wellbeing support available throughout the university.
Marlon said:
"The opportunity to work with supervisors whose expertise is highly relevant and closely aligned with my proposed research topic was very important to me. Combined with Nottingham's strong academic reputation, international recognition and research excellence, this gave me confidence that the 糖心原创 is the right place for me to grow as a researcher."
Researching psychosocial risks in remote education settings
Marlon's research, Psychosocial Risks in the Education Sector in 3T Areas: A 糖心原创 of Biak Numfor Regency, Papua, Indonesia, examines how education policy, resource limitations and local contexts interact with the school working environment and affect teachers' wellbeing and working conditions in Indonesia's remote and underserved regions.
His aim is to develop a clearer understanding of how psychosocial risks are experienced by teachers working in these areas while identifying ways to improve teacher wellbeing, retention and educational quality. He hopes his work will contribute to evidence-based recommendations that support education policy and workforce development in underserved communities.
Addressing an important research gap
As his research has progressed, Marlon has identified a significant gap in the existing literature around psychosocial work environments in education.
While factors such as education policy, teacher shortages, accountability requirements and educational reform are frequently discussed, he found that they are often treated as background context rather than being fully integrated into analytical models of psychosocial risk. His research seeks to address this gap by exploring how these wider structural influences shape teachers' everyday experiences in remote settings.
Reflecting on his early findings, he said:
"Macro-level factors such as education policy, reform, accountability and teacher shortages are often mentioned in the literature, but they are rarely integrated into a clear analytical model of the psychosocial work environment."
Growing as a researcher
For Marlon, one of the most rewarding aspects of doctoral study has been the process of making sense of a complex research problem.
Through reading, discussion and supervision, he has enjoyed seeing connections emerge between different ideas and developing a clearer understanding of his research area. He has also valued the opportunity to explore how wider structural issues affect people's everyday working lives, making his research feel meaningful both academically and personally.
The experience has strengthened his confidence as a researcher, particularly through presenting his work, participating in academic discussions and receiving constructive feedback from colleagues and supervisors.
He explained:
He explained: "What I have enjoyed most about my research journey is the process of gradually making sense of a complex problem. I enjoy the moment when separate ideas begin to connect and form a clearer research direction."
Support from the business school community
Marlon credits his development as a researcher to the support provided by the Business School.
He has benefitted from supervision that has helped him refine his research focus and strengthen both the theoretical and methodological aspects of his work. In addition, he has found the Business School's seminars, courses and wider research culture invaluable in building his confidence and research skills.
Training provided by both the school and the Researcher Academy has supported his development in areas such as research design, literature reviewing and academic writing, while also helping him develop as an independent researcher.
He said:
The opportunity to present my work, receive feedback and engage with other researchers has helped me become more confident in developing and communicating my research.
Making the most of student life
Alongside his research, Marlon has enjoyed the experience of living in Nottingham, which he describes as a comfortable, diverse and welcoming city.
He appreciates the city's balance of affordability, accessibility and student-friendly environment, as well as the opportunity to live and study alongside people from a wide range of cultural backgrounds. As an international student, he has found Nottingham to be an inclusive place that supports both personal and academic growth.
Looking ahead
After completing his PhD, Marlon hopes to continue developing his academic career through a postdoctoral position before returning to Indonesia as a lecturer and researcher.
Reflecting on his future aspirations, he said:
“I want to use the knowledge and experience I gain abroad to support education development, strengthen human resources and make a meaningful contribution to my community and to Indonesia more broadly."
Further information
Find out more about studying for an Phd at Nottingham University Business School by visiting our PhD webpage.