Dr. Sumule has extensive experience in social analysis related to design, monitoring and evaluation of development programs and projects. Holder at a Doctorate in Agriculture from the University of Queensland. Dr. Sumule has been involved and providing expert opinion and inputs in the socio-economic and baseline surveys, policy analysis, feasibility studies, project design and training needs assessment in the field of rural development, community development, natural resource conservation, and environmental impact assessment. He has held responsibilities in supervising projects, interviewing project stakeholders, organising dialogues for mutual benefits of different parties regarding certain development issues, writing and supervising the undertaking of social aspects of the environmental management plan (RKL) and environmental monitoring plan (RPL) for major resource industries in Mapua, as well as initiating and developing the Office of Social Research at a world class mining company. In May 1999, he wrote a policy paper entitled “Important Factors to be Considered in the AMDAL for the Development of the Natural Gas Industry in Bintuni, Papua” for parties interested in environmental analysis of possible development of gas industry in Papua. Dr. Sumule holds a lectureship in community development, rural sociology, social change, the ethnography of Papua, agricultural extension and development, human ecology, institutional development, and social research methodology at the Faculty of Agriculture, Universitas Papua, Manokwari (formerly known as the Manokwari campus of Universitas Cenderawasih).
In early 2001, he was assigned by the Governor of Papua as well as by the Rectors of Universitas Cenderawasih and Universitas Papua to play a key role in the development of the Bill for the Special Autonomy of Papua Province. He was then appointed to chair a small team consisting of lecturers from Universitas Cenderawasih and Universitas Papua, formed by the Governor, to provide intellectual inputs to support the deliberation of the above mentioned Bill in the national parliament of Indonesia. The Bill was passed by the Indonesian Parliament on 22 October 2001, and the Law of Special Autonomy for the Province of Papua was effective as per 1 January 2002.
Dr. Sumule has published two books and several articles on Aspects of Special Autonomy. He also has published reports and articles on social and environmental issues of Papua in international journals and national newspapers. He has been asked several times to be the resource person for seminars/workshops on Papua both at the national and international level.
Being raised, educated (except for the post graduate studies) and worked in Papua, Dr. Sumule is familiar with culture, history and various social aspects of the indigenous people of this island.