Congress on biology to be held

JAKARTA (JP): The Indonesian Biology Association will hold both a national congress and a seminar next week with the aim of "raising the profile of Indonesian biologists in science and technology," the chairman of the organizing committee, Somadikarta, said yesterday.

Subjects to be discussed at the one-day seminar, which will take place on July 26, include biotechnology, gerontology and geriatrics, biology education in colleges, "bioprospecting" (the search for new materials for biology to further the interests of industry and others), fund-raising for biological research, biodiversity, and national networks.

The purpose of the congress, to be held on July 24 and 25, is to promote the scientific writings of Indonesian biologists.

Jatna Supriatna, a committee member, said the congress would be attended by 660 participants from 16 provinces.

He said the expected attendance represented a 52 percent increase over the previous congress, while the number of papers to be presented represented an increase of 30 percent.

Jatna said the committee had selected a number of papers for publication.

He said the congress would be opened by Minister of Education and Culture Wardiman Djojonegoro.

State Minister of Environment Sarwono Kusumaatmadja, Forestry Minister Djamaloedin Soeryohadikoesoemo and the director of Eijkman Molecular Biology Institute, Rangkot Marzuki, will speak at the congress.

There will also be a biology exhibition, participated in by several educational institutions and companies. The exhibition will seek to demonstrate the progress that has been achieved in biology, particularly in the field of biotechnology. (05)