Congress on biology to be held

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)