LIPI researchers win international awards

LIPI researchers win international awards

Tertiani ZB Simanjuntak, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

Three researchers from the National Institute of Sciences (LIPI)
have been recognized not only for their contribution to the world
of science, but also to the business world.

Wuryaningsih from the Chemistry Research Center received the
best female inventor award from the World Intellectual Property
Organization (WIPO) for her team's discovery of an easy process
to produce catalysts for the oleochemistry industry, which
derives from such natural resources as stones and minerals.

The team used a nickel catalyst, or kieselguhr, to stabilize
the palm oil used as a raw material for cosmetic products.

LIPI researchers cooperated with researchers from the Korean
Institute of Science and Technology (KIST) on the project.

"LIPI and Korean catalyst producer Core Tech are now
cooperating to produce the catalyst. And we are still expecting
some cooperation with the oleochemistry industry in Jakarta and
Medan to carry out tests on catalysts for the industry,"
Wuryaningsih said here on Tuesday.

The award was presented on April 26, in conjunction with World
Intellectual Property Rights Day.

Meanwhile, Wuryaningsih's colleague and biotechnology expert
Inez H. Slamet-Loedin was a grant as part of the International
Outstanding Integrated Research 2002 program, which finances
research on molecular breeding to create a variety of dry rices.

"We are using genetic engineering to cultivate Agrobacterium
rumefaciens to create a breed that can endure drought and is
resistant to blast disease caused by fungi. This breed will
increase production because it will allow us to grow rice on dry
land, as not much fertile land is available," she said.

Meanwhile, Tutang, who is also a biotechnology researcher, was
named a Microsoft Most Valuable Professional (MVP) for his
contributions in disseminating information about Microsoft's
software and operational system.

Tutang will represent Asia at Microsoft's MVP Awards 2002 in
the U.S. next November.

LIPI chairman Taufik Abdullah said the three researchers
reflected the institute's new paradigm of working more closely
with industry and users of science.