Institute to hold research contest

JAKARTA (JP): The Indonesian Institute of Sciences will hold a research proposal contest for winners of its annual Young Scientist Contest.

John Pasaribu of the institute's science and technology department said here yesterday that 16 promising scientists will gather here on August 5 for interviews. Those who can convince the institute's team of judges of the feasibility of their proposal will receive a Rp 10 million (US$4,255) fund to carry out their research, Pasaribu said.

The team of judges comprises Roestamsyah, A.T. Karossi and Bambang Hadiwiharjo, all researchers at the institute.

"The contest aims at increasing young scientists' interest in doing research, as well as boosting the quality of local research," Roestamsyah said.

The Best Research Program is the first to be held by the institute. The organizing committee invited 54 contestants, all finalists of the Young Scientist contests between 1990 and 1995, but received replies from only eight people across the country. The institute announced the 16 finalists yesterday.

"Some of them have gone to study abroad, while the others' addresses cannot be traced," Pasaribu said.

Pasaribu said the institute hopes to pick 10 winners from the 16 contestants.

"We have Rp 100 million. However, if we could find more funds, we might increase the number of winning proposals," he said.

According to Pasaribu, no specific quotas are reserved for the field of natural science or social research.

"What we need to see is whether the research proposals would result in anything positive," he said.

The contestants would go through a series of interviews to determine whether their proposals would be accepted by Aug. 8.

Features to be evaluated, Roestamsjah said, include whether the proposed research would make a significant contribution to the development of science and technology. (14)