We live in precarious times. Multiple crises, both natural and manmade, have led to increasing instability, endangering the already fragile relationship between humans and the earth we live in.

Academics and researchers with the capacity to achieve scientific excellence and to influence change in the system are critical - to influence public policy and help ensure the health and wellbeing of our communities and the environment.

In response to this urgent need, The Conversation Indonesia (TCID), with grant support from The David and Lucile Packard Foundation, has collaborated with international experts in leadership development, innovation, and creative teamwork.

The result is a unique program called the Science Leadership Collaborative. It employs leading-edge methods to transform 30 high-potential science researchers into more effective leaders — champions who can shape the future of their respective fields of expertise, the ecosystems they operate in, and ultimately, Indonesian societies.

The research scientists who will participate in the program will experience transformational leadership: they will learn to innovate and engage their stakeholders; influence their field and their communities; mobilize resources and collaborate with multiple stakeholders to tackle complex problems.