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27 researchers from across Indonesia have successfully completed a nine-month leadership development program initiated by The Conversation Indonesia, the Science Leadership Collaborative (SLC). The SLC graduation ceremony took place in Ungasan, Bali, on 17 March 2023.

Prominent scientists such as Prof. Sangkot Marzuki, Former Chairman of the Indonesian Academy of Sciences (AIPI), and Prof. Jatna Supriatna, a professor from Universitas Indonesia, delivered inspiring and heartwarming speeches during the graduation.

“This cohort is the pioneer. I am hoping (they do) not only know how to collaborate but also mature as a scientist,” said Prof. Jatna Supriatna in his speech.

For nine months, the researchers participated in a series of learning activities designed using cutting-edge methods with leadership development experts from America, Europe, and Asia. The activities include seminars and workshops, 1-on-1 coaching, peer learning, and self-learning through a learning management system.

In addition, each of the 27 researchers is paired with a mentor who is a world-renowned scientist in their field. “I was so happy to participate in this program… I think the work that you guys are doing is so important, and I hope that you continue,” said Karen Osborn, one of the SLC mentors from the Smithsonian Institution, USA.

When asked about her feelings, Yosmina Tapilatu, a deep-sea researcher from the National Research and Innovation Agency (BRIN), expressed her gratitude for successfully completing the program. “However, there is a sense of sadness that the program has ended after nine months of learning together to become scientists who can become leaders in their communities and have an impact on Indonesian societies,” she added.

In the graduation ceremony, the researchers were first challenged to present the innovation projects they had developed at the end of the program. Prof. Sangkot Marzuki as the academic representative, Prodita Sabarini as the media representative, Rifa Atsari as the start-up representative, as well as an audience consisting of various stakeholders provided various feedback to help the researchers develop their projects further.

The graduation was then closed with dinner and inauguration. Ardiantiono, a researcher and conservationist who is currently pursuing his doctoral studies at the University of Kent, England, said that even though this program is of long duration, time flies so quickly. “It’s like a baby that’s been in the womb for nine months and is now ready to face the world with new insight, capacity, and enthusiasm,” he said.

The completion of the SLC program brings so much hope, one of which was related to the impact researchers could create after completing this program. Prodita Sabarini, the CEO/Publisher of The Conversation Indonesia, hopes that there will be many new collaborations, new initiatives, as well as a wider network among the researchers. “I am very proud of you”, she said to the 27 researchers graduating that night.

The 27 researchers are:

Ali Budhi Kusuma is a lecturer and the Dean of the Faculty of Life Sciences and Technology at Universitas Teknologi Sumbawa, West Nusa Tenggara. He received his doctorate degree from Newcastle University, UK, in 2020, with a specialization in microbiology of extremophiles. He established his own research group, the Indonesian Center for Extremophile Bioresources and Biotechnology (ICEBB), the only research center for extreme environmental microorganisms in Southeast Asia. In addition, he is also a manager at Sumbawa Technopark, an innovation area established to encourage sustainable research and development in Sumbawa.

Amalina Ghaisani Komarudin is a researcher at Eijkman Research Center for Molecular Biology, The National Research and Innovation Agency (BRIN). She was a postdoctoral research fellow at Dengue Research Unite, Eijkman Institute for Molecular Biology, after finishing her doctoral study at the University of Groningen, Netherlands. Her specialization in molecular biology led her to various collaboration projects, including collaboration between the Eijkman Institute for Molecular Biology with Edinburgh Napier University and the development of the Merah Putih Vaccine. 

Antonia Morita Iswari Saktiawati is a researcher and lecturer at the Faculty of Medicine, Public Health, and Nursing, Universitas Gadjah Mada, Yogyakarta. She received her doctorate from the University of Groningen, Netherlands, with her research on tuberculosis. She won multiple awards, including Faculty for The Future Award from Schlumberger Foundation in 2014, Excellent Academics Awards in Publication from Gadjah Mada University in 2019, and the Rising Star Award, a recognition from the 7th International Workshop on Lung Health in Prague in 2020 for her research on the diagnosis of tuberculosis using the “electronic nose”.

Ardiantiono is a researcher and conservationist who is also a doctoral student at the University of Kent, England. Previously, he served as Biodiversity Science Coordinator at the Wildlife Conservation Society-Indonesia Program (WCS-IP), an organization working in the field of wildlife conservation. His research is closely related to human-wildlife conflict, social conservation, statistical modeling, and population ecology. He is also active in the HarimauKita Forum, an organization that focuses on Sumatran tiger conservation.

Ayu Krishna Yuliawati is a lecturer and researcher at the Faculty of Business and Economics Education, Universitas Pendidikan Indonesia, Bandung. She received her doctorate degree from the same university in 2017. She also serves as a senior advisor and fellow at Resilience Development Initiative (RDI), a research institute that focuses on issues related to community resilience. Ayu’s current research focuses on topics around Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) and entrepreneurship, community empowerment, women and youth, management, marketing, and gender studies.

David Virya Chen is a specially appointed researcher at the Systems Immunology Department, Immunology Frontier Research Center (IFReC), Osaka University, Japan. He obtained his doctorate in 2021 from the same university with the Taniguchi Scholarship funded by the BIKEN Foundation and the Research Institute for Microbial Diseases (RIMD). David’s research is closely related to the molecular biology of cancer, aging, virology, and immunology. Currently, David is also conducting research on SARS-Cov-2.

Fajar Ajie Setiawan is a lecturer at the International Women University, Bandung, who is currently pursuing his doctoral studies at Kobe University, Japan, with the MEXT Scholarship from the Japanese Government. His specializations include international environmental law and global environmental politics. His research also deals with hazardous waste and plastic waste in the ocean. Fajar was one of 20 people selected to participate in ASEAN-Japan’s Future Leaders and Preamble Committee for Future Leaders’ Declaration on ASEAN-Japan Cooperation for International Marine Plastic Waste in Tokyo on March 15, 2021.

Firman Zulkifli Amin is a clinical doctor who currently serves as a director at PT. MFK Baraka Corpora. He specializes in dermatology, dermatologic surgery, and regenerative medicine. His current research studies Nigella Sativa’s (Habbatussauda) potential for COVID-19 treatment. He completed his doctoral study at the University of Tsukuba, Japan, in 2019. He also holds two patents in Indonesia, one of which is for the treatment of COVID-19. In 2019, Firman was selected as one of 21 candidates that contend for the Rector of the University of Indonesia position.

Flori Ratna Sari is a lecturer and the Vice Dean of Academics Affairs at the Faculty of Medicine at UIN Syarif Hidayatullah, Banten. She received her doctoral degree from the Niigata University of Pharmacy and Applied Sciences, Japan. Her research focuses on pharmacology, including molecular pharmacology, pharmacoepidemiology, and drug development. In 2019, Flori became one of the 25 best researchers at the Biannual Conference on Research Results (BCRR) organized by the Directorate of Islamic Higher Education, Directorate General of Islamic Education, Ministry of Religion of the Republic of Indonesia.

Habib Muhammad Shahib is the Chair of the Institute for Research and Community Service (LPPM) at Universitas Fajar, Makassar. He received his doctorate from Universitas Brawijaya, Malang, in 2020. His interests include environmental management and natural resource management. In addition, his background as an activist drives him to study the social and environmental impacts of the activities and policies of public and private institutions on local communities.

Indra Chandra is an assistant professor at the Faculty of Electrical Engineering, Universitas Telkom, Bandung. He is also a director at the Sandhy Putra Telecommunication Engineering Academy, Jakarta. He obtained his doctorate from Kanazawa University, Japan. His research is closely related to atmospheric science, environmental science and technology, air and water pollution, and the Internet of Things. Indra is the inventor of two patents in Indonesia, namely “Internet of Things-based Indoor Air Quality Monitoring Tool” and “Internet of Things-based Outdoor Air Quality Monitoring Tool”.

Krisna Puji Rahmayanti is an assistant professor in governance, policy, and public services for health, disaster, and public management at the Faculty of Administrative Sciences, Universitas Indonesia, Depok. She is also a doctoral student at the University of Birmingham, UK, with a research focus on disaster management. She co-founded the Center for Collaboration & Resilience, a community that encourages cross-sector collaboration forums, increased literacy in higher education, and disaster risk mitigation.

Laila Kholid Alfirdaus is a lecturer and Chair of the Political Science Masters Program at Universitas Diponegoro, Semarang. She received his doctorate from Universitas Gadjah Mada, Yogyakarta. Her research focuses on the areas of public policy, including planning and evaluation in public and non-profit institutions, gender analysis, environmental politics, and civil society research. In addition, Laila also has practical experience as a consultant to policy and government experts. Currently, Laila also serves on the editorial board of POLITIKA, a journal on political science issues published by Diponegoro University.

Mas Rizky A. A. Syamsunarno is a lecturer at the Faculty of Medicine, Universitas Padjadjaran, Bandung. He received the MEXT Monbukagakusho scholarship in 2010 to pursue his doctorate degree at the Graduate School of Medicine, Gunma University, Japan. He specializes in metabolism and cardiovascular disease. Among his achievements are the Dean’s Awards for Excellent Research from Gunma University, Japan, and the Young Investigator Award from the International Society for Heart Research – Japan Section.

Maya Puspita is the Head of the Research and Development Department at the Indonesian Seaweed Association. She was also appointed as a consultant by INDIKA Group for its Seaweed Business Feasibility Study Project in 2021. She received her doctorate from University Bretagne Sud, France, in 2014. Her research interests are in marine biotechnology and chemical ecology, valorization of seaweed, and seaweed aquaculture. Recently, Maya collaborated with the Ocean University of China (OUC) to conduct research on seaweed aquaculture.

Muh. Taufik is a hydrologist and lecturer at the Geophysics and Meteorology Department, Institut Pertanian Bogor. He received his doctoral degree from Wageningen University, Netherlands. His research revolves around hydrology, water resources, drought, fire, and tropical peatland fire warning systems. For the past four years, Taufik has collaborated with the Meteorology, Climatology, and Geophysics Agency (BKMG), the National Research and Innovation Agency (BRIN), and the Indonesian Peat Restoration Agency (BRGM) to develop an early warning system for fires on peatlands. He and his team at IPB then developed and patented the algorithm of a web-based peat fire hazard monitoring system called SIGambut.

Naimah Lutfi Abdullah Talib is a doctoral candidate at the University of Melbourne, Australia. Her doctoral research explores the social justice implications of mega-infrastructure projects taking place in coastal areas in Indonesia. Her research interests are in social development, natural resources management, and the resilience of coastal communities and small islands. Naimah also works as a consultant for the World Bank and a visiting researcher at the Research Center for Society and Culture, National Research and Innovation Agency, BRIN.

Ni Kadek Dita Cahyani is a lecturer at the Biology Department, Universitas Diponegoro, Semarang. She received a doctorate degree from the University of California, Los Angeles, and specializes in identifying species and measuring biodiversity with genetics and molecular approaches. Prior to joining Diponegoro University, Dita worked as a researcher at the Marine Education & Research Organisation (MERO) Foundation, an education and research center based in Bali, and the Indonesia Biodiversity Foundation (Bionesia), a non-profit organization working on education, research, and conservation of Indonesian biodiversity.

Nuraziz Handika is a lecturer and researcher at the Department of Civil Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Universitas Indonesia, Depok. He obtained his doctorate from INSA Toulouse, France. He is an expert in the field of structural engineering, especially in experimenting and modeling fracture mechanics of structures and materials. Nuraziz is also a member of the Bridge and Road Tunnel Safety Commission, a group of bridge experts from a variety of backgrounds in charge of ensuring the security of bridges and road tunnels meets applicable standards.

Rhesi Kristiana is a researcher and Chairwoman of the Marine Education & Research Organisation (MERO) Foundation, an education and research center based in Bali. She received her master’s and doctoral degree from Diponegoro University, Semarang. Her research is closely related to marine microbiology and the discovery of molecules from the sea for medicine. Rhesi is also involved in several collaborative research projects on marine molecules with scientists in Indonesia, the Netherlands, Germany, and Malaysia. She received Science & Technology Research Grant 2021, research funding assistance from the Indonesia Toray Science Foundation (ITSF) for young researchers at universities and research institutes.

Riska Ayu Purnamasari is a researcher at the Innovation Center for Tropical Sciences (ICTS), an organization that focuses on research, development, education, utilization, and empowerment in tropical science and technology. In addition to having a doctorate in multidisciplinary spatial science from the University of Tsukuba, Japan, Riska is also an expert in agriculture, biology, environment, plant pathology, remote sensing, and geographic information systems (GIS). Her research is closely related to the application of GIS and remote sensing in agriculture as well as studying the impact of climate change on agricultural productivity.

Suwarti is an infectious disease researcher who is a postdoctoral fellow at Eijkman-Oxford Clinical Research Unit (now Oxford University Clinical Research Unit in Indonesia). She first joined Eijkman-Oxford Clinical Research Unit (EOCRU) in 2019 as part of the team in the tuberculosis program. Prior to joining EOCRU, she was a postdoctoral fellow at Indonesia Medical Education and Research Institute (IMERI). She was also involved in the development of the tuberculosis vaccine at the National Institutes of Biomedical Innovation, Health and Nutrition, an organization focusing on research and technology development for medicines and medical devices in Japan. She has a doctorate degree from Hokkaido University, Japan, and has been involved in various research projects, especially in molecular diagnostics for tuberculosis, leptospirosis, and Covid-19.

Tunjung Mahatmanto is a lecturer at the Department of Food Science and Biotechnology, Universitas Brawijaya. His research focuses on molecular bioscience and industrial biotechnology. He received his doctorate degree from the University of Queensland, Australia, in 2015. From 2016 to 2018, he was a postdoctoral research fellow at Biodesign Institute, Arizona State University, USA, where he received an Aristotle Award for the most transdisciplinary approach in research. Recently, Tunjung was appointed as Lead Scientific Advisor for Product Development at PT. PG Rajawali I, a company that focuses on the sugarcane agroindustry.

Venticia Hukom is an aquaculture economist who currently serves as Agricultural Food System Manager at Inobu Foundation (now Kaleka), a research institute established to inform policy and design innovations that leads to the sustainable and equitable production of commodities and use of natural resources. She has a doctorate degree in food and resource economics from the University of Copenhagen, Denmark. With her expertise in agriculture management, Venticia also has experience working as a project manager and researcher at a private company in Malaysia, Global Satria Sdn. Bhd, Malaysia.

Watumesa Agustina Tan is an assistant professor at the Faculty of Biotechnology, Universitas Katolik Indonesia Atma Jaya, Jakarta. After earning her bachelor’s degree in 2007, she continued her doctoral study in 2010-2016 at the University of California Davis, USA, on a Fulbright scholarship. Her research centers on a sustainable environment through waste management, especially from the microbiological genetics and molecular aspects. She was awarded the Science and Technology Grant from the Indonesia Toray Science Foundation (ITSF) for her research on the application of bacteria in the decomposition of biodegradable plastics.

Yerik Afrianto Singgalen is a lecturer in the Tourism Department, Universitas Katolik Indonesia Atma Jaya, Jakarta. He received his doctorate degree from Satya Wacana Christian University, Salatiga, in 2019. His research focuses on tourism studies, information systems, and development studies. Yerik has the vision to design an integrated tourism destination management system in Indonesia that also empowers the community. Currently, Yerik is conducting research related to ecotourism management on Dodola Island in Morotai, North Maluku.

Yosmina Tapilatu is a researcher who currently serves as an Acting Director of the Deep Sea Research Center, Badan Riset dan Inovasi Nasional (BRIN). She has a doctorate degree from Universite Aix-Marseille II (now Aix-Marseille University), France. Her research focuses on marine ecology and deep sea studies. In 2011, she became one of the female researchers who received the L’Oreal-UNESCO Indonesia For Women in Science, a prestigious recognition and award for young female scientists who have contributed to the world of science. She also received a postdoctoral grant from DAAD, a funding organization for the international exchange of students and researchers from Germany, in 2020.

Happy Holidays and ahoy, science leaders! Plenty had happened in Science Leadership Collaborative, ending with the third breath and moving forward to the fourth, ending on high energy and maintaining our energy. What’s been cooking inside of the SLC Lab? The Fifth Newsletter, Insight Science Leadership Collaborative, got you covered. Find out more about it here:

Learning and unlearning from our last module!

The underlining idea for the third breath is to know how to perceive and influence the system—acknowledging that there is a system with networks of actors and roles intended to achieve the objectives. This awareness guides us to sense our position better within the system. More importantly, noticing the kind of shift needed for the betterment of the system and how to initiate that shift. 

For this period, SLC participants underwent the Organizational Workshop (OW), a three-dimensional systems mapping to notice patterns of interactions.  The workshop emphasized how to lead themselves and the systems they are a part of. Furthermore, OW recognized the importance of empathy for others as it will extend their capacity to effectively partner and collaborate with various stakeholders.

Highlights from Kongres Ilmuwan Muda Indonesia & SLC Network Gathering

Working with Akademi Ilmuwan Muda Indonesia, one of the SLC collaborative partners is a privilege for the SLC cohort to be invited and participate in Kongres Ilmuwan Indonesia (KIMI). The 2022 KIMI focused on “Strengthening Future Scientific Architecture for Young Indonesian Scientists.” The event was held in Jakarta on 3-4 December 2022. The prestigious congress entailed a series of workshops, keynote speakers, and a chance for scientists from various disciplines and backgrounds to engage and expand their minds. 

Following the congress, the SLC team organized SLC Network Gathering. An event for the SLC network to meet and get to know the extent of our networks. SLC facilitators, partners, and cohort attended the event that took place on Sunday evening, the 4th of December. The SLC network gathering allowed us to explore our minds collectively, putting our learnings into practice while having a joyous time together. 

This gathering was insightful and warm. Moving forward, let this gathering be a memorable shared experience together, ensuring that the closeness in SLC made it through the scrutiny of space and time. 

To catch some of the excitement, check out our video here! 

Women in science: being a scientist and a mom

Being a woman in science is very challenging, don’t you think? Having to juggle between taking care of the family and handling a lot of work. So much to do and so little time; the existing structures are not in women’s favor. 

So what can we do? Sri Fatmawati, the former chairwoman of Akademi Ilmuwan Muda Indonesia, gives three tips to help you navigate this situation:

Who is your #ScienceHero?

Every November 10, we Indonesians celebrate National Heroes Day. While commemorating those who fought for the country’s independence, we would also like to honor those whose contributions to science have significantly impacted us—both as a person and as a nation.

We asked our Instagram audience who their #ScienceHero is, and these are some of their answers:

Prof. Adi Utarini
Prof. Adi Utarini was on TIME’s 100 Most Influential People of 2021 list. She is known for her relentless work in fighting dengue fever, injecting harmless bacteria into mosquitos to prevent them from transmitting the deadly disease. Quoting Melinda Gates’ piece on her, “Utarini herself has survived Dengue twice. Dengue, however, may not survive her”. Oh, and Prof. Uut is a great pianist! Read more about her here.

Prof. Premana Premadi
Who doesn’t know Prof. Premana Premadi? Somewhere between Jupiter and Mars, an asteroid named after her floats: Asteroid 12937 Premadi. She is the first female astronomer from Indonesia! In 2010, she was diagnosed with ​​Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) and later founded Yayasan ALS Indonesia to build a support system for ALS patients and families. Learn more about her here.

Prof. Antonius Suwanto
Do you like tempe? If yes, good because Prof. Antonius Suwanto found that Indonesian tempeh is rich in Klebsiella pneuminae, an important microbe that produces vitamin B12! The Jember-born scientist was appointed as an honorary member of Akademi Ilmu Pengetahuan Indonesia (AIPI) in 2013. His message to everyone is never to stop asking “why”! Find out more about him here.

What about you? Who is your #ScienceHero?

Introducing Langit ‘Sky’ Rinesti and the Science Communication and Social Media Module for SLC

Langit Rinesti is a project specialist working at the intersection of communication, science, and journalism. She has worked with multinational institutions, including French Institute Indonesia and Climate Tracker Asia. Langit loves learning new things, traveling, and storytelling. 

Why do you think science communication is essential for Indonesian scientists?
In the face of challenging situations, such as the worsening of climate change and global pandemics, how often do we turn to our scientists for answers? Having worked with some of them, I know that many Indonesian scientists have been and are doing great work in different fields of expertise. However, their impacts become far muted when the lay public, including decision-makers and the general population. Effective science communication is the key to spreading public awareness about science’ vital role in society, which in turn helps the public decision-making process to be more scientific and well-informed.

What are your dreams/hopes for working on the module and with SLC?
I genuinely wish that the collaboration with SLC and other partners will produce a comprehensive module highly applicable to cohorts’ needs. This would allow cohorts to practice the knowledge immediately, especially in growing cooperation with other Indonesian science communication ecosystem actors. 

Media Highlights: Spreading the SLC Collaborative Spirit

We have been in touch with our cohort’s institutions to ensure their achievement is celebrated! This time, we are celebrating two of our cohort, Antonia Morita Iswari Saktiawati and Tunjung Mahatmanto, who have been selected as members of Akademi Ilmuwan Muda Indonesia (2022-2027):

Dosen FK-KMK UGM Terpilih Menjadi Anggota Akademi Ilmuwan Muda Indonesia

Dosen FTP Terpilih Menjadi Anggota Akademi Ilmuwan Muda Indonesia

Science Leaders’ Contribution to Science

Again, we believe in celebrating the contribution our network’s making to science. We wanted to highlight our network’s work in science and share it with you!

Once again thank you for being a treasured part of the SLC network. Happy holidays to you and your loved ones!

Insight SLC is brought to you by Beeba, Dewi, Fryda, and Nana. Our newsletter laboratory runs bi-monthly and is open for ideas; feel free to contact us.

It is not an everyday occasion to have prominent young scientists from all over Indonesia meet in one place. But this was what happened when some of Indonesia’s best young scientists attended the inaugural edition of Kongres Ilmuwan Muda Indonesia (KIMI) 2022 in Jakarta, 3-4 December 2022. Among them are the Science Leadership Collaborative participants. 

Organized by Asosiasi Ilmuwan Muda Indonesia (ALMI), KIMI 2022 focuses on the theme Memperkuat Arsitektur Sains Masa Depan Oleh Ilmuwan Muda Indonesia (Strengthening Future Science Architecture by Young Indonesian Scientists).

During her opening remarks, Sri Fatmawati, now former Chairwoman of ALMI, shared the purposes of organizing KIMI. She said, “We hope young scientists will have a more influential position, be able to face challenges and problems, and continuously move forward and bring changes.”

The young scientists then proceeded to engage in focus group discussions about emerging issues and development in their respective research clusters: identity, diversity, and culture; archipelago, marine, and bioresources; life, health, and nutrition; water, food, and energy; earth, climate, and the universe; disasters and community resilience; materials and computational science; economy and society; and law and democratic governance.

The insights from this discussion will be crystallized to update SAINS45, a book published by Akademi Ilmu Pengetahuan Indonesia (AIPI) that acts as a reference to the direction of Indonesia’s research and scientific development 100 years after its independence.

“This is the first time I can be part of our National Academy of Science. We formulated or gave our view on how science should be formed related to our topics,” said David Virya Chen, one of the SLC participants who also participated in KIMI. “It’s a very exciting moment to see how we can make something for Indonesia’s science,” added him.

For the SLC participants, the event did not end there. The Conversation Indonesia also prepared the SLC Network Gathering for its SLC cohort, team, and facilitators. So, on Sunday afternoon (04/12/2022), the SLC cohort finally met face-to-face after six months of attending online sessions.

The gathering itself was deliberately designed with various somatic exercises to help the participants ease off after months of online sessions. It was led by Beth mAcDonald, Louie Angsico, and Sahala Harahap, SLC consultants and facilitators who are also leadership development experts from the United States, Philippines, and Indonesia.

“It’s a nice feeling because finally, we met. Almost six or seven months we only do Zoom, now we see the person,” told Venticia Hukom after the gathering. “When we do the exercise about yes, no, and avoid that’s also fun,” added her, referring to the session where SLC facilitators used Randori to train them to think more systematically and be more assertive and constructive in responding to something.

When asked about the gathering, Fito Rahdianto, the SLC Project Manager, said he hoped this could be an opportunity for the participants to expand their network within Indonesia’s scientific community. “I hope this gathering could foster our relationship, not just internally within the cohort but also with other networks,” explained Fito Rahdianto.

The overflowing enthusiasm and positive energy throughout the two-day event can reflect one thing: the young scientists’ passion and ambition to contribute to this nation. And these occasions will hopefully create camaraderie among them in navigating Indonesia’s science ecosystem. 

Watch this video to find out more about the Science Leadership Collaborative Network Gathering!

The Conversation Indonesia (TCID) would like to extend our heartfelt congratulations to Antonia Morita Iswari Saktiawati and Tunjung Mahatmanto for being selected as members of Akademi Ilmuwan Muda Indonesia (ALMI). Morita and Tunjung are part of The Science Leadership Collaborative (SLC) 2022/2023 cohort, and we are proud that the two exceptional scientists will be involved in ALMI’s mission to work toward scientific excellence in Indonesia.

Morita is a researcher and lecturer at the Faculty of Medicine, Public Health, and Nursing, Universitas Gadjah Mada, Yogyakarta. Her research focuses on tuberculosis disease. She has won multiple awards, among them the Rising Star Award—a recognition from the 7th International Workshop on Lung Health in Prague in 2020 for her research on the diagnosis of tuberculosis using the “electronic nose”.

While Tunjung is a lecturer at the Food Science and Technology Department, Universitas Brawijaya, Malang. His research focuses on molecular bioscience and industrial biotechnology. From 2016 to 2018, he was a postdoctoral research fellow at Biodesign Institute, Arizona State University, USA, where he received an Aristotle Award for the most transdisciplinary approach in research. 

The inauguration took place on 4 December 2022 in Jakarta—a day after Kongres Ilmuwan Muda Indonesia 2022, and they will serve for five years until 2027. Both Morita and Tunjung went through a rigorous selection process before being selected as one of the 20 new members of ALMI. The congress also highlighted the appointment of dr. Gunadi, this marks the end of Dr. Sri Fatmawati’s tenure, the now former Chairwoman of ALMI who has been supporting and providing SLC with valuable advice.

ALMI is a forum for Indonesia’s leading young scientists, established after President Joko Widodo signed Presidential Decree No. RI. 9 of 2016. It is under the auspices of the Indonesian Academy of Sciences (AIPI), which was founded by B. J. Habibie, Samaun Samadikun, and Fuad Hasan in 1991.

Fito Rahdianto, the SLC Project Manager, celebrates Morita’s and Tunjung’s achievements. “I wish Morita and Tunjung the best of luck in their new role at ALMI. I sincerely hope the experience, skills, knowledge, and network that they gain in the next five years will help them pave their way to becoming Indonesia’s future science leaders,” he said.

Ahoy, science leaders! Plenty had happened in Science Leadership Collaborative, and the program’s first period (we call them: breath) came to an end with plenty of reflective and learning sessions. Eagerness and enthusiasm were high in the air as we embarked on this journey together. Find out more about it here.

SLC ship has fully launched!

The launch was designed for all of us to open our minds and hearts, laying the foundation for leadership and, most importantly, making sense of what they wanted to achieve.

While the sessions were fascinating, we wish to share a recap of such excitement that we experienced together here:

“I am feeling very grateful for the first breath of the SLC program which touches upon various core elements of being an innovative leader. These insights were also tailored to fit our needs, both as a group and individually, allowing us to use these insights in our own career”.

Fajar Ajie Setiawan, SLC 2022/2023 Cohort

“I am most looking forward to seeing the result of the leadership questionnaire that we filled out before and getting more insights about leadership!”

Venticia Hukom, SLC 2022/2023 Cohort

To conclude the end of the first breath, hearts and minds are open. Let’s get on with this journey!

Preparing for the Leading Self Module

“Don’t let life randomly kick you into becoming a person (adult) you do not want to become.“- Astronaut Chris Hadfield, Commander Expedition 35 

Hadfield emphasized the importance of knowing and understanding ourselves while simultaneously sculpting who we are into becoming that person, the person we wish to become, instead of mere reactive actions towards our surroundings. Interestingly, this shares the same spirit with the leading self module. 

As one of the modules in the leading self, we explore the wonders of learning to recognize systemic contexts in human behavior, increase our awareness and interplay between the self and the system, expand our perspectives, and practice bringing together different stakeholders.

And now we are in this part of the program:

What does it mean to be part of the SLC community?

Last August, the SLC team had the privilege of attending the Indonesian-American Kavli Frontiers of Science Symposium, which signified our organization’s role in making science more inclusive and accessible. We were warmly welcomed by the scientific communities from Indonesia and the United States. 

We noticed the importance of building and maintaining a community through the Kavli symposium. Each of us carries the torch of collaborative work and a strong sense of community, working together for the betterment of science. Just like SLC, we begin with Indonesia. Furthermore, these torchbearers will bring their light all over the world. When we say toward a collaborative future, it is not just a saying; it is the future we create together. It is what we do. 

Meeting our partners, mentors, board members, and cohorts, we had a beautiful time exchanging experiences, learning from each other, and, most importantly, receiving feedback on how to deliver our program better. It was a learning opportunity. 

With that being said, stay tuned for more community gatherings and meet up in your town!  

Why peer learning, and what can we learn from our peers?

One of the methods that are being conducted in Science Leadership Collaborative; is called peer learning. We had a short conversation with the peer learning sessions designer and one of the facilitators of the peer learning sessions in SLC, Rainer von Leoprechting, to share with us the fruits of peer learning.

In short; the peer learning session invited SLC participants to meet in small peer learning groups of 5-6 people, accompanied by an experienced Action Learning coach. In each session, one of the participants presents an important unsolved issue, which all explore with open-ended questions and sharing from their own experiences, insights, and speculative answers. The goal of the inquiry is not to “solve” the problem immediately, but rather to uncover underlying assumptions, deeper connections, the more relevant questions, or insights – “eureka” moments.

From this, ways of dealing with the situations become apparent through the shared inquiry. Each session ends with a moment of reflection and learning, and resolutions from the presenter on how they are going to deal with the situation moving forward.

Furthermore, what and how can we learn from our peers; according to Rainer, through peer learning, peer learning created opportunities to explore the islands of human connection and open, mindful intelligence in a context where people normally felt they could only share what was known and politically acceptable or would avoid any fundamental critique of the status quo. 

Since then, peer learning has become an integral part of Rainer’s professional life, where he has learned to openly address what is important for him and receive help from others, mainly through their questions and connecting to the issue with their own life experiences.

Storytelling and communicating science

The term “science communication” has become more and more popular. One might ask: why is it so important? Toss Gascoigne and Joan Leach share key takeaways from their book Communicating Science: A Global Perspective:

First, science communication equips community with knowledge and possible solutions to their problems. In rural Kenya, for instance, local science communication practices have helped the community address high morality in delivering babies. Second, science communication can enhance the integration of science with other beliefs. Last but not least, science communication has made science more accessible, and public opinions and responses more likely to be sought. Read more about it here.

Now, how do we measure good science communication? 

QUEST, a project funded by the European Union, gathered a multidisciplinary team of researchers and experts from six countries to define, measure, and support quality in science communication Let’s take a look at the 12 Quality Indicators for Science Communication that they recently launched! 

A fascinating conversation with Prof. Adi Utarini and David Irianto, a colleague from TEDxJakarta, also led us to conclude that storytelling is an important part of science communication. In communicating research findings and scientific concepts and ideas, we wanted to be able to ensure that we got our message delivered without reducing the quality of our research. Storytelling has been a way to create meaningful interactions and engagement, exchange and tell stories, and nurture that engagement that scientists and society must have. In a world where, more than ever, science-based policies are needed, people must be able to connect with our scientists. Why not begin with exchanging stories through storytelling? 
 
Stay tuned as we will explore more about this in our upcoming social media training! In the meantime, share your most memorable experience related to science communication here. We will include some of the stories in the next newsletter.

Messages for the young scientists

On a balmy Friday morning, the SLC team sat in an office overlooking Universitas Indonesia’s old library. It was Prof. Jatna Supriatna’s office at the Multidisciplinary Research Laboratorium where we talked about thinking beyond our disciplines, building networks, and many more.

We have crafted some important messages that the eminent conservation biologist has for Indonesian young scientists!

Expand our thinking and think beyond your disciplines
The world is filled with complex problems that will require complex solutions, and complex solutions require complex deliberations! Prof. Jatna underlined this by saying, “Climate change, for example, cannot be tackled by natural scientists only. There must be social scientists, economists, engineers, and more joining hands together.” He urges young scientists to think beyond their disciplines and start multidisciplinary, interdisciplinary, and transdisciplinary initiatives. 

Involve the community
Involving the community will not only make your initiative more inclusive and impactful but also more sustainable. It is even better if we involve them from the beginning. Start by posing these questions: What are their problems? How do they wish to solve it? How can we, as a scientist, help? Prof. Jatna reminds us again, “Without involving the community, we will build another ivory tower”.

Don’t burn the bridges
“The most important thing to keep in mind is never to burn the bridges,” Prof. Jatna said. He explained to us how keeping in touch with old friends and making new ones has impacted his journey. “It is easier (to achieve something together) than to walk alone.” He also reminds the young scientists to appreciate being part of the scientific community and to be patient in building networks. “It takes time, but it’s worth it.” 

Take your time and find your competitive advantages
Look into yourself. What strength/uniqueness do you have? What is your competitive advantage? More than often, we misjudge ourselves and miss out on our great qualities, “it is easier for other people to notice that,” Prof. Jatna invites young scientists to start looking into themselves, find their competitive advantage and make the best of it. When you know who you are, you can thrive.

Keep on going, keep doing it
“Don’t get discouraged because of one problem. Just keep going, keep doing it,” he said. Prof. Jatna practices consistency, with 40 years of dedication to conservation that have led him to where he is now. “Failure is normal,” he continued, “… it will make you learn and understand the meaning of success better.”

Prof. Jatna has been here, serving on the SLC advisory board. We hope you find his messages inspiring as much as we do!

What’s next in SLC?

Sprinting towards the Innovation Sprint
According to Jaroslav, what we can expect from this 4-week Innovation Sprint, commencing next January 2023, is that this module will provide a guided innovation process to help you take an idea, project, or initiative rapidly forward using selected cutting-edge innovation tools and frameworks. 

The SLC cohort, with Jaroslav’s guidance, will work on a regular weekly rhythm, meeting several times each week. Everyone will be assisted through the exploration, ideation, prototyping, stakeholder engagement, and presentation of your final idea.

It will be fast-paced, fun, and an exciting way to accelerate the cohort’s work as an innovator and leaders of change in their environment.

Media Highlights: Spreading the SLC Collaborative Spirit

Tempo.co – 29 Ilmuwan Internasional Ini Menjadi Mentor Peneliti Muda Indonesia

Detik.com – 29 Ilmuwan Internasional Jadi Mentor Peneliti Muda, Ada Guru Besar UGM

Medcom.id – Keren! Guru Besar UNS Masuk Dalam 29 Ilmuwan Internasional yang Jadi Mentor Peneliti Muda Indonesia

Science Leaders’ Contribution to Science

We believe in celebrating the contribution our cohort’s making to science. We wanted to highlight our cohort’s work in science and share it with our network!

Once again thank you for being a treasured part of the SLC network, the work here has been exciting and we can’t wait to share more of it with you in our next newsletter!

Insight SLC is brought to you by Beeba, Dewi, Fryda, and Nana. Our newsletter laboratory runs bi-monthly and is open for ideas; feel free to contact us.

JAKARTA, 12 AUGUST 2022 — 29 international scientists from diverse fields of study and expertise have joined the Science Leadership Collaborative as mentors. This mentoring program is designed to nurture Indonesian researchers to become future world-class science leaders.

Dr. Sastia Putri, one of the mentors who is currently serving as the Chair of Ikatan Ilmuwan Indonesia Internasional (I-4) and associate professor at Osaka University, Japan, said, “This program will positively impact our efforts to welcome Golden Indonesia in 2045.”

The mentors come from various countries and are affiliated with globally reputable institutions such as AstraZeneca, Institut Teknologi Bandung, Anjani Mashelkar Foundation, Universitas Gadjah Mada, and the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History.

Through this program, they will share their experience and knowledge and engage in various collaborative activities with the researchers they mentor.

“I’m really honored to have been asked to be one of the mentors,” said Prof. Brian King, a professor at Pennsylvania State University, USA.

Prof. Fitria Rahmawati, a professor at Universitas Sebelas Maret (UNS) who is also a mentor for this program, said a similar response. She added, “As a mentor, I should contribute to keeping up my mentee’s passion for science and research.”

The Conversation Indonesia, the program’s organizer, said that mentoring has an important role in enhancing the personal and professional development of the participants.

“Based on the findings from our scoping study, mentoring is an important part of the capacity development for researchers to become future leaders,” said Fito Rahdianto, the Program Manager of Science Leadership Collaborative.

The scoping study, which was led by Dr. Mizan Bisri, an Assistant Professor at Kobe University, Japan, also found that Indonesian researchers still have difficulty accessing mentoring. The Science Leadership Collaborative is designed to contribute to solving that problem.

In addition to sharing knowledge and experience, mentoring is also expected to help participants expand their international network so they can initiate collaborative research across countries, disciplines, and institutions in the future.

29 Science Leadership Collaborative Mentors

Agus Pramusinto

Agus Pramusinto is a professor at Universitas Gadjah Mada (UGM), Yogyakarta. His research has contributed to decentralization, local governance, and public sector reform and innovation in Indonesia. Currently, he also serves as chairman of the State Civil Apparatus Commission (KASN) 2019-2024 and Chair of the Indonesian Association For Public Administration (IAPA) 2019-2022.

Beben Benyamin

Beben Benyamin is an associate professor and lecturer at the University of South Australia. He also works as a senior research fellow at the South Australian Health and Medical Research Institute. He has led a genetic research consortium involving 70 researchers from several countries. One of his current research topics is genomics and its statistical applications to understanding human traits and diseases, particularly neuropsychiatric diseases.

Benny Tjahjono

Benny Tjahjono is an engineer by education and a professor of sustainability and supply chain management at Coventry University, England. He has won several research grants from the European Union, InnovateUK, and Engineering & Physical Research Council (EPSRC), among others. He has also been actively involved in the research-enriched learning initiatives and nurturing early career researchers at his institution. 

Bramasta Nugraha

Bramasta Nugara is an Indonesian scientist who works as an associate principal scientist at the Cardiovascular, Renal & Metabolism Department, AstraZeneca. His current research interests are high-content imaging, biomaterials, tissue engineering, stem cells, and cardiovascular. Prior to joining AstraZeneca, he was a researcher (2016-2019) and project manager (2019-2021) at the University of Zurich, Switzerland.

Brian King

Brian King is a geographer and professor who also chairs the Department of Geography at Pennsylvania State University, United States. His research and teaching activities focus on issues of livelihoods, conservation and development, environmental change, and human health. He has been conducting research in southern Africa since 1999 and is an honorary research associate with the African Climate and Development Initiative at the University of Cape Town, South Africa.

Brian Yuliarto

Brian Yuliarto is a scientist and a professor at the Institut Teknologi Bandung (ITB). He is an expert in nanomaterials development for energy and environmental application. At ITB, he has an important role in bridging and fostering research collaboration between ITB and many universities or research institutions, including UC Berkeley USA, NIMS Japan, and KAIST South Korea.

Dave Little

Dave Little has more than 35 years of experience in interdisciplinary research and education. He is a professor at the University of Stirling, Scotland, and one of the foremost scientists in the field of aquaculture. He has contributed significantly to fostering collaborative relationships between producers and knowledge centers to advance sustainable aquaculture through the Global Aquaculture Alliance (GAA).

David Large

David Large is a professor at the University of Nottingham, England. Previously he also served as chairman of the Department for Chemical and Environmental Engineering at the same university. One of his main research topics is studying peat conditions using satellite measures. Currently, he is leading a groundbreaking study to evaluate peatland sensitivity to global climate change.

Deden Rukmana

Deden Rukmana is a professor and chair of the Department of Community and Regional Planning at Alabama A&M University, United States. His research revolves around spatial planning and development challenges in Indonesia, as well as homelessness and health disparities in the United States. He also has experience as an urban planner in Indonesia and a planning analyst with the Florida Department of Community Affairs, United States.

Delvac Oceandy

Delvac Oceandy is an Indonesian scientist, lecturer, and reader in cardiovascular sciences at the University of Manchester, England. The lab he manages focuses on understanding the molecular aspects of cardiac remodeling and heart regeneration. He has led many noteworthy research projects funded by the British Heart Foundation (BHF), Medical Research Council (MRC), and Heart Research UK (HRUK), among others.

Dionysius M. Siringoringo

Dionysius M. Siringoringo is an Indonesian scientist in structural health monitoring, bridge engineering, and wind engineering. He is an associate professor at Yohokama National University, Japan. He has received several awards for his research and work, including the Takuji Kobori Award 2018 from the International Association of Structural Control and Monitoring (IASCM) and the Best Research in 2016 from the Japan Association of Wind Engineering (JAWE).

Fitria Rahmawati

Fitria Rahmawati is a professor at Universitas Sebelas Maret (UNS), Solo. She is also a lecturer in the chemical study program and a scientist in the field of electrochemical energy conversion. At UNS, she leads the Solid State Chemistry and Catalysis Research Group and serves as the head of the Chemistry Masters Program. 

I Nyoman Darma Putra

I Nyoman Darma Putra is a professor and lecturer in literature, culture, and tourism at Universitas Udayana, Bali. Prior to working in academics, he worked as a journalist and researcher fellow at KITLV Leiden (2010), The Cross-Cultural Center Ascona, Switzerland (2012), and the University of Melbourne, Australia (2015).

Ifty Ahmed

Ifty Ahmed is an associate professor at the University of Nottingham, England. He is an expert in biomaterials, bioengineering, advanced materials for tissue engineering and regenerative medicine applications, and wastewater treatment. Dr. Ahmed has experience working closely with the industrial sector to manufacture his research findings.

Ines Atmosukarto

Ines Atmosukarto is a biologist who runs Australian start-up biotech, Lipotek, which focuses on vaccine research and development, and sees science and technology as a diplomacy tool to bridge countries. She was the first Indonesian recipient of the UNESCO-L’Oreal Fellowship for Women in Science in 2004 and is actively contributing to stimulating an interest in the world of science in the general public and young female students in particular. 

Jacob Phelps

Aside from being a senior lecturer at Lancaster University, England, Jacob Phelps also lead the Conservation Governance Lab, where he coordinates conservation-litigation.org, a network of scientists, lawyers, economists, and activists focused on using the law to remedy harm to nature. His research also addresses issues related to conservation, including policy, legal, and governance dimensions of tropical biodiversity conservation and sustainable resource management. 

Karen Osborn

Karen Osborn is a research zoologist and curator of Annelids and Peracarids at the National Museum of Natural History, USA. She specializes in the evolution of pelagic invertebrates that live up off the sea floor in the open ocean. Before coming to the Smithsonian in 2011, she completed her postdoc at the Scripps Institution of Oceanography. She is also an alumnus of Kavli Frontiers of Science.

Manuel Boissière

Manuel Boissière is a scientist at the French Agricultural Research Center for International Development (CIRAD). He is also leading the participatory approach to measuring, reporting, and verifying (PMRV) of carbon stocks in Indonesia at the Center for International Forestry Research (CIFOR). His other research focuses on local communities’ participation in sustainable forest and natural resource management.

Megan Huggett

Megan Hugget is a senior lecturer at the University of Newcastle, Australia. One of her main research focus is on biodiversity, particularly in the function and diversity of marine microbes. She has contributed to microbiome-related initiatives in Australia and developed a research program in microbial ecology at Edith Cowan University, Australia.

Mohammad Basyuni

Mohammad Basyuni is a professor of forestry at the University of North Sumatra whose current research seeks to understand the importance of plant lipids and mangrove pioneer species in North Sumatra. He has been involved in several initiatives with scientists from various countries, including the e-Asia JRP in 2021 and the Japanese Society for the Promotion of Science Core to Core 2020-2023.

Monica Medina

Monica Medina is a biologist and professor from Pennsylvania State University, United States. She is interested in studying ecology and evolution of marine organisms as well as coral symbiosis and interactions. Recently, she was named a fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) for her contributions to marine ecology and her dedication to mentoring diverse young scientists.

Muhammad Azizul Islam

Muhammad Azizul Islam is one of the leading sustainability accounting researchers and has investigated issues on corporate human rights measures, climate change accounting, social audit, and corporate anti-bribery measures. He is also a professor and chair in Accountancy at the University of Aberdeen Business School, England.

Peter Mayer

Peter Mayer is a professor at the Osnabrück University of Applied Sciences, Germany. His research interests center on international economics and higher education management. He is also actively managing various programs related to higher education management, one of which is the DIES International Dean’s Course, a program funded by the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD).

Raghunath Anant Mashelkar

Raghunath Anant Mashelkar is one of India’s prominent scientists and has served as chairman of the Indian National Science Academy. He has also been instrumental in reforming India’s Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), leading various ‘Mashelkar Committees,’ and campaigning against foreign patents on Indian traditional knowledge.

Rodd Myers

Rodd Myers is a practitioner and transdisciplinary researcher examining power relations and policy implications for people and the environment. He has extensive project design, management, monitoring, and evaluation experience and has worked with a wide range of international clients. He is also the co-founder and managing director of the Dala Institute, which provides research, monitoring, evaluation, learning, and technical assistance.

Sastia Prama Putri

Sastia Prama Putri is an associate professor at the Graduate School of Engineering, Osaka University, Japan. Her research centers on metabolomics applications for improving food quality and its relation to human health. She received the L’Oreal Award For Women in Science in 2015 and recently the Saito Award from the Society for Biotechnology, Japan. She currently serves as the President of Ikatan Ilmuwan Indonesia Internasional (I-4).

Stuart Green

Stuart Green has more than 30 years of experience working as a marine science and policy practitioner in Asia-Pacific. He leads the Blue-Green Advisors, where he has contributed to advising on collaborations and strategies around the nexus of conservation, biodiversity, and livelihoods. His work has catalyzed impactful partnerships between donors, implementers, and communities to preserve marine resources.

Tatas Brotosudarmo

Tatas Brotosudarmo is an associate professor and a lecturer at Universitas Ciputra, Surabaya. As a scientist, he has initiated various research, one of them being research on photosynthetic pigments in 2011. He has also received various prestigious awards, including Kavli Frontiers of Science in 2012 and 2016 and Alexander von Humboldt Stiftung/Foundation fellow in 2020-2021.

Teruna Siahaan

Teruna Siahaan is a professor with a distinguished career as a chemist and lecturer in pharmaceutical chemistry at the University of Kansas, United States. His research focuses on developing novel methods to improve drug delivery to the brain and immune cells for treating brain and autoimmune diseases.

Greetings! A lot has happened in SLC: our network expanded, and more importantly, we welcome exceptional scientists as part of our cohort. More about that in this volume newsletter. Read more to find out.

Orientation Session: Welcoming the SLC 2022/2023 Cohort

“One small step for humans, one (hopefully) leap forward for science!”

The orientation session took place on 9 June 2022. Like any other program, this was the initial meeting for all faculty members and the cohort. We wanted to share our spirit and excitement of the event with you, click here to see the highlight of our orientation session!

“Strong researchers are not only individuals who can do analysis and publish scientific journals, but researchers who are capable to lead complex projects involving various stakeholders, able to articulately communicate research to the general public, and influence the system and policy for a lasting impact. SLC is important in equipping Indonesian researchers with those skillsets.”

Januar Putra
Advisor, The David and Lucile Packard Foundation

Who are the scientists in the cohort? 
Exceptional, but who indeed? We are more than happy to announce the 30 scientists who have joined us and will be part of this program in the next nine months:

Not only specialized in different fields of study, they also come from various regions in Indonesia. Some of them are affiliated with universities and research institutions, while the others are researchers from civil society organizations and private institutions.

“I sincerely hope that the rich background and experiences in the cohort will enhance their learning experience as science leaders. To quote Beth MacDonald, our learning and development advisor, “the leading edge of science is in the intersections between disciplines, sectors, and technology.”

Prodita Sabarini
Executive Editor, The Conversation Indonesia

In Memoriam: Ricardo F. Tapilatu

We are deeply saddened by the sudden passing of one of our cohorts, Ricardo F. Tapilatu. Ricardo or “Rick” was an exceptional researcher and educator, and on behalf of all the SLC team, we believe that his passion and legacy in marine biodiversity conservation shall live on.

Rick developed the nickname “Rick” when he was pursuing his Ph.D. in the United States. The leatherback turtle is the subject of his doctoral dissertation. He was also actively advocating against leatherback turtle hunting, his research disproves the false information related to the trend of consuming leatherback turtles.

His love for leatherback turtles did not end in just doing research and conservation but through the amount of time spent in the ocean. Ever since he was a kid, growing up in Manokwari, playing around the Doberai Penisula, Rick would always invite everyone to the sea to dive and join him, witnessing the wonder and beauty he fought hard to preserve.

Just like the leatherback turtle, the ocean is the core of Rick. He believed that it is our responsibility to take our part in preserving nature and conserving the rich marine biodiversity in Papua.

You are missed, Rick.

Warm Data Sessions

Warm Data is the cutting-edge work of Nora Bateson at The International Bateson Institute. Core to this work is the idea that to understand living and complex systems, there is a need to have information that encompasses a broad field of relationships and interdependencies. 

The Warm Data sessions, which took place on 14, 16, 21, 23, and 28 June 2022, were designed to help the participants achieve that through transcontextual learning. More than 170 people from diverse backgrounds participated across the 5 sessions of Warm Data. Not only full of warmth, the sessions were also full of takeaways!

“As a researcher, building a national and global network is a must to achieve the best performance, considering that the task of a researcher is not only to advance science and technology but also to provide enlightenment and be able to provide solutions to the user community, as well as provide evidence-based policy recommendations. The idea from The Conversation Indonesia and SLC should be intensified so that the multi-actor network in cross/multidisciplinary fields is formed. Through this kind of interaction, it can be strengthened and developed. In the future, we hope there will be a follow-up to this session. I believe that some kind of Action Learning Project from one of the two networks formed through these Warm Data sessions talking together about this specific topic so all of us can work together and ensure that the network and connectivity among us will be sustainable.” 
Rahmi Lestari
Senior Researcher,  Badan Riset dan Inovasi Nasional (BRIN)

“The Warm Data session was a fascinating experience for me; I got to train many things, aside from my personal reasons, such as practising my English and conveying my idea; the idea of interacting with people who come from different ages and backgrounds, and they provided me with many exciting points of view that I might not encounter in my daily life. The varying stories coming from everyone were very invigorating. 

This kind of interaction is pertinent for us to open up our thinking capacity and broaden our perspective on how we see certain things, especially how one topic could be interpreted in many ways by different individuals and how they see things also matters.” 

Abdullah Yusuf Hermanadi
Fine Arts Student, Institut Seni Yogyakarta

“I think it was quite enjoyable. I loved the deep talk and interesting questions that we discussed in the sessions.”

Adiwena Amanda
Middle School Student

Get a glimpse of the sessions here.

SLC Launch Program: Future Possibilities

The Science Leadership Collaborative was officially launched on 18 July 2022!

The event is titled SLC Launch Program: Future Possibilities. The theme Future Possibilities was chosen as part of the launch because we believe in creating distance from worldview and beliefs to consider other possibilities.

On our first launch day, the event was attended by several international speakers, including a Professor from Universitas Gadjah Mada (UGM). She also serves on the Steering Committee of the National Research and Innovation Agency (BRIN), Prof. Adi Utarini. Followed by a remarkable scientist known for his contribution to developing research and innovation in India, Dr. R. A. Mashelkar. In addition, global permaculture ambassador Morag Gamble and leadership development expert Jaroslav Dokoupil also delivered keynote speeches at the launch.

This launch marked the beginning of the SLC cohort’s learning journey for the next nine months.

Who are our mentors?

SLC mentors come from various backgrounds and fields of expertise; many are exceptional scientists of their own who are willing to share their wisdom in navigating the trial and turbulence of becoming scientists. As of now, we have 29 remarkable scientists from all over the world who have joined the SLC network to accompany their mentees in this nine-month program. Two of them shared their takeaways related to the mentorship program in SLC: 

“The role of scientists is very strategic in contributing to the development of a nation. This mentoring program (in SLC)  will strengthen the role of scientists not only in producing scientific works but also with alternative solutions that can be adopted into public policy.”

Agus Pramusinto
Professor, Universitas Gadjah Mada 

“The program (SLC) is refreshing and much needed for scientists. If there were a similar program made during my time, I would definitely apply and attend the program.” 

Ines Atmosukarto
CEO/CSO, Lipotek Pty Ltd 

Click here to see the full lineup of our mentors. 

Media Highlights: Spreading the SLC Collaborative Spirit

Kompas.com – Sebanyak 30 Peneliti Indonesia Jalani Program Kepemimpinan Ilmuwan, Siapa Saja?

Suara.com – Ilmuwan Diaspora dan Domestik Kolaborasi Dukung Peneliti Muda Indonesia

Tempo.co – 30 Peneliti Terpilih Jalani Program Kepemimpinan Ilmuwan Kelas Dunia

What’s Next in SLC?

Leadership Circle for Leadership Development 
We have partnered with the Leadership Circle, which will assist us in leadership assessment and development throughout the program. The Universal Model of Leadership (UML) is an integrated practice and research-based leadership. With that, SLC’s cohort will have access to see an integrated lens of leaders’ vertical leadership development. This report contains a 360 Assessment that measures two primary leadership domains – Creative Competencies and Reactive Tendencies – and integrates this information for opportunities to transform leadership. 

Our cohort is working on this assessment by the Leadership Circle alongside an external evaluation from their colleagues. SLC cohort and their evaluators will have to take part in the survey at the beginning and later on by the end of the program.

Knowing about the Organizational Workshop (Barry Oshry)
We believe that professionally or personally, we need to understand the systemic nature of people in an organization.  Thus the upcoming work we will have in the Organizational Workshop is scheduled to happen in November 2022. 

This particular workshop is based on the work of Barry Oshry. It will be a unique experiential program that gives participants a new lens to see and understand an organization from different points of view. They are dropped into roles as top executives, middle managers, workers, and customers, as close as what they experienced in today’s fast-paced and ever-changing world. It aims to help people see new possibilities for increasing their effectiveness, ability to work strategically and constructively across organizational lines, and eventually growing the success of their organization.

Science Leaders’ Contribution to Science

We believe in celebrating the contribution our cohort’s making to science. We wanted to highlight our cohort’s work in science and share it with you!

The work here has been exciting and we can’t wait to share more of it with you in our next newsletter!

JAKARTA, 19 JULY 2022 — After selecting 30 researchers from hundreds of potential young researchers across various regions, the first world-class science leader capacity-building program in Indonesia “Science Leadership Collaborative” was officially launched on 18-19 July 2022.

Indonesian local and diaspora scientists are expressing their support for the launch of the program. The program itself is designed by The Conversation Indonesia in collaboration with several international experts.

Dr. Sastia Putri, Chair of Ikatan Ilmuwan Indonesia Internasional (I-4) and an associate professor at Osaka University, Japan, said that this program is a great initiative to develop Indonesian human resources. She added, “This program will positively impact our efforts to welcome Golden Indonesia in 2045.”

A senior Indonesian scientist, who is also the founder of the Eijkman Institute and former Chair of the Indonesian Academy of Sciences (AIPI), Prof. Sangkot Marzuki, also conveyed a similar thing. He considered this program, which focuses on the leadership aspect of researchers, as a breakthrough that should be supported.

“The key to building a healthy research ecosystem is to build a generation that not only excels in their research and scientific abilities but also has the capacity as leaders, who can attract the best scientists around them, initiate interdisciplinary and international collaborations, and attract funding for their research,” said Prof. Sangkot.

Support from scientists can also be seen in the design of this program. Both scientists in Indonesia and diaspora scientists in various countries such as England, the USA, and Japan will be involved as mentors for 30 selected researchers.

Program Launch

With the launch of this program, 30 selected researchers have officially started their journey for the next nine months. Aside from mentoring, they will also engage in a series of workshops, from transformational leadership workshops to science communication workshops, as well as various other collaborative activities.

The launch of the program, which was held on 18 July 2022, was attended by several international speakers, including a Professor from Gadjah Mada University (UGM) who also serves as the Steering Committee of the National Research and Innovation Agency (BRIN) Prof. Adi Utarini, and a scientist who is known for his contribution in developing research and innovation in India, Dr. R. A. Mashelkar. In addition, global permaculture ambassador Morag Gamble and leadership development expert Jaroslav Dokoupil also delivered keynote speeches at the Future Possibilities event.

This program launch aims to provide thought-provoking ideas to expand the researchers’ thinking beyond their current role and environment, the first step to nurturing future science leaders who are able to generate new ideas and innovations and lead collaborative research projects in the future.

Furthermore, Prodita Sabarini as Executive Editor of The Conversation Indonesia, and Habibah Hermanadi as Program Officer of the Science Leadership Collaborative hope that this program can answer the need for comprehensive capacity building for Indonesian researchers.

Dr. Mizan Bisri, the program consultant and an assistant professor at Kobe University, Japan, added, “This is the beginning of a long journey for all of us to collaborate to be able to improve the existing research ecosystem in the country.”

The Conversation Indonesia is an independent source of news and analysis from the academic and research community channeled directly to the public. Since its launch in 2017, The Conversation Indonesia has continued to collaborate with researchers from across the country to continue to disseminate knowledge and strengthen policies in Indonesia.

Science Leadership Collaborative is a program developed by The Conversation Indonesia to transform Indonesian researchers into future science leaders. This program is funded by The David & Lucile Packard Foundation, designed collaboratively with CARI!, CommonThread, Fraendi, and RQ Genesis, and supported by Ikatan Ilmuwan Indonesia International (I-4), Akademi Ilmuwan Muda Indonesia (ALMI), and UK-Indonesia Consortium for Interdisciplinary Sciences (UKICIS).

Contact Person:
Dewi Setiawan
dewi.setiawan@theconversation.com
082210981998

30 Indonesian researchers from various fields of study, institutions, and regions have been selected to participate in the Science Leadership Collaborative. To kick off the program, we will host the SLC Launch Program: Future Possibilities to expand the participants’ thinking and ideas beyond their existing roles and environments.

You are invited to join us as Dr. R. A. Mashelkar, Prof. Adi Utarini, Morag Gamble, and Jaroslav Dokoupil share their inspiring stories and thought-provoking ideas on:

Monday, 18 July 2022
14.30-16.00 GMT+7
Live on The Conversation Indonesia’s YouTube channel

Get to know the speakers

Dr. Raghunath Anant Mashelkar
System and Organizational Change in Science and Research

Dr. Raghunath Anant Mashelkar is one of India’s most eminent scientists. He is a former Director General of the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) and former President of the Indian National Science Academy. Dr. Mashelkar is known for his contributions to India’s National Chemical Laboratory and CSIR, multiple highly empowered ‘Mashelkar Committees’, and a successful campaign against foreign patents on Indian traditional knowledge.

Dr. Mashelkar played a critical role in shaping India’s science and technology. He is deeply connected with the innovation policies and served as the Chairperson of the National Innovation Foundation of India and the President of the Global Research Alliance. He is also known for promoting grassroots innovation and is an ambassador for innovation and R&D across the world.

Prof. dr. Adi Utarini, MSc., MPH, PhD
The Role of Science and Research in Policymaking

Prof. Utarini is one of Indonesia’s leading scientists and researchers in the field of health care and disease control. She was awarded as a professor in Public Health in 2011 and currently teaches at the Faculty of Medicine, Public Health, and Nursing, Universitas Gadjah Mada. She leads the development of national quality policy and standard of health care in Indonesia in collaboration with the Ministry of Health.

Prof. Utarini is also the Project Leader of the World Mosquito Program (WMP) Yogyakarta, a pioneering trial that applies Wolbachia Aedes Aegypti intervention to reduce dengue cases in Yogyakarta. Due to her relentless work and effort in fighting dengue fever, she was named as one of Nature’s 10 people who played important parts in science development in 2020 and one of the 100 most influential people in the world in 2021 by Time magazine.

Morag Gamble
Sustainability and Regeneration

Morag Gamble is a Global Permaculture Ambassador and has been leading the permaculture movement for more than 25 years. She works with local communities and educators in 22 countries to raise awareness of permaculture, especially with communities whose daily lives are impacted by climate change.

Morag founded the Permaculture Education Institute, which offers comprehensive online permaculture design and permaculture teacher education programs that are firmly based on the permaculture ethics of earth care, people care, and future care. She has a strong social media presence through her YouTube channel, Our Permaculture Life, her blogging website Our Permaculture Life, and the Podcast series Sense-making in a Changing World.

Jaroslav Dokoupil
Innovation and Disruption

Jaroslav Dokoupil is a futurist, speaker, facilitator, consultant, and learning designer working at the intersection of leadership, sustainability, innovation, and technology. He has coached and trained thousands of entrepreneurs, consultants, thought-leaders, and change-makers in more than 35 countries for more than 15 years. 

Jaroslav manages RQ Genesis, a UK-based boutique consultancy firm helping innovative business leaders create sustainable value in a rapidly changing world. For over 10 years, he’s been a senior associate at the leadership consultancy Future Considerations and has been involved in one of the largest culture change programs in history, touching 200,000 people worldwide. Since 2016, Jaroslav has worked with Salim Ismail to build OpenExO, a global movement of entrepreneurs, consultants, and thought leaders helping society adapt to the rapid pace of technological and business disruption.