Alfan Gunawan Ahmad was born in Rembang on April 2, 1975. He received his primary and secondary education in Rembang, Central Java. His primary education was completed at Kutoharjo II Rembang State Elementary School and State Junior High School II, Rembang City. During his primary education, he also received additional formal education at Madrasah Ibtidaiyah An Nawawiyah Tasik Agung, Rembang City, for 7 years under the care of KH Asfani Thoha. He completed his senior high school education at the State Senior High School I Rembang. In 1993, he was accepted as a student of Institut Pertanian Bogor through the IPB Student Invitation Selection (IPB). He earned his Bachelor of Forestry degree in 1998. After becoming a Forestry Bachelor, he began his work as a Farmer Empowerment Action Program Facilitator in Karawang Regency.

Then, in 1999, he moved to Medan to start a new world of work as a lecturer at the Forestry Science Program at Universitas Sumatera Utara (USU) Medan. To strengthen his knowledge as a lecturer, he participated in the Forestry Science Study Program at the Graduate School of IPB and, in 2006, officially received a Master of Forestry degree. Not stopping there, he attended the Doctoral Program at the IPB Tropical Silviculture Study Program and officially received his Doctorate in 2014. Following the principle of lifelong learning, he again followed the learning process in the Professional Engineer Study Program at the Faculty of Forestry, Universitas Gajah Mada (UGM) Yogyakarta, and in January 2024, he officially held the title of Professional Engineer (Ir.).

Several times, Alfan Gunawan Ahmad was mandated to carry out additional duties at the University of North Sumatra: 1). Secretary of the Regular Community Service Committee of the Universitas Sumatera Utara (USU) in 2016; 2). Secretary of the USU Quality Management Unit (UMM) in 2017-2019, 3). Head of the Masters Program in Forestry, USU Faculty of Forestry in 2019-2021, and 4). Vice Dean for Academic, Student Affairs, and Alumni Affairs of the USU Faculty of Forestry for 2021-2026.

In lectures, Alfan Gunawan Ahmad teaches Urban Forest Science courses. He is a member of the team teaching for Forest Soil Science, Landscape Ecology, Conservation Area Management, and Environmental Pollution courses for Undergraduate Program in Forestry students. In addition, he also teaches courses for Masters Program in Forestry students, including Flora and Fauna Conservation, Ethnobiology, and Hydrometeorological Disaster Mitigation.
Alfan Gunawan Ahmad has also conducted scientific writing activities. Some of his articles include the Tree damage index in Taman Merdeka, Binjai City, North Sumatra Province, an Assessment of the tree damage level in Medan Beringin Park, The damage profile of kerai umbrella (Filicium desipiens) in Universitas of Sumatera Utara green space based on Forest Health Monitoring (FHM) method. Currently, he has a Scopus H index of 5.

Besides on campus, he also took part in the world outside the campus, where from 2018 to 2022, he became a member of the Expert Team for the Technical Acceleration of Intensive Silviculture (SILIN) promoted by the Indonesian Ministry of Environment and Forestry. At the Provincial Level, from 2015 until now, he has been a member of the North Sumatra Provincial Agricultural Extension Commission.

Alfan Gunawan Ahmad also participated in several professional organizations, including the Masyarakat Biodiversitas Indonesia (MBI), Masyarakat Silvikultur Indonesia (MASSI), Masyarakat Agroforestry Indonesia (MAFI), Persatuan Insinyur Indonesia (PII), and International Society for Mangrove Ecosystems (ISME).