Oge, physics wizard from Papua

Oge, physics wizard from Papua

Nethy Dharma Somba, The Jakarta Post/Jayapura

The face of Septinus George Saa beamed with pride as Papua Governor JP Solossa handed him a check for Rp 20 million and a computer during a ceremony to mark National Education Day on May 2 at the governor's office in Jayapura.

All those around Oge, as Septinus is known, were touched when he said: "I'm very proud to be able to take my mom to see the governor."

On the occasion, Oge also received a prize of Rp 25 million from the national education minister.

Oge is a student at high school SMU Negeri 3 Buper Waena in Jayapura, Papua. He was honored by the governor and education minister after recently winning a gold medal at the 12th annual physics contest the First Step to a Nobel Prize in Physics, for his work called Infinite Triangle and Hexagonal Lattice Networks of Identical Resistor.

The work demonstrated a new method for calculating the resistance between two nodes in a hexagon.

Founded in Poland in 1991, First Step is a nonprofit organization aimed at stimulating the interest of high school students in physics. Winners of the contest will be invited to conduct further research at the Institute of Physics in Poland.

Indonesians are familiar faces at the contest, with several young researchers having taken part in past events.

Oge was born in Manokwari on Sep. 22, 1986, the youngest of five children of Silas Saa and Nolce Wafom, who originally came from Kumurkek village, Aifat district, South Sorong regency, Papua.

His parents describe him as an obedient and diligent son, and Oge has always excelled at school. But he still never imagined that he would win first prize at an international physics competition.

While Oge's family is not rich, he is satisfied with whatever comes to him in life. His father is the head of the forestry agency in South Sorong, a new regency in Papua. The family lives in a simply furnished official house.

Silas Saa has always encouraged his children to study hard, telling them that an education will give them a better future and make them more complete people.

Although not wealthy, Silas has struggled to send his children to the best schools in the province. Oge, for example, has attended local schools founded by a Catholic foundation, even though his parents are Protestant.

"Education is the most important thing for children to ensure that they will have a bright future. That is why I have sent my children to the best schools. In my opinion, the schools run by the Catholic education foundation are the best," he said.

Two of Oge's elder siblings are university graduates. Another brother is pursuing a postgraduate degree at state Cenderawasih University in Jayapura.

A third sibling is a medical student at Indonesian Christian University in Jakarta, and another is studying agriculture at Papua University in Manokwari.

When still young, Oge dreamed of becoming either a pilot or a physician. Now that he has won first prize at an international physics competition, he has made up his mind to pursue the life of a researcher.

"I hope to be a researcher. I don't think this ambition will be too difficult to achieve because I have won first prize in an international contest," he told The Jakarta Post.

In fact, he said, in school he has no special preference for physics, enjoying all of his subjects equally. His parents, he added, always told their children to work hard in all subjects.

At his high school, Oge has received a great deal of support in his pursuit of physics.

"I received help from many people in working for the physics contest. My teachers, my friends and the local government supported me in this program," he said.

Oge did not grow up wealthy. When he was born, his father, then an employee at the local forestry office, was still pursuing his undergraduate degree.

To support his family and his studies, Silas earned extra money by diving for prawns, which he later sold at the market.

Without much money, Oge's mother could only afford to buy tofu for the children. She would also make simple dishes from items that she picked from their garden.

"Oge only ate katuk (a spinach-like vegetable), tofu and prawns because we could not afford to buy more expensive foods," Nolce, Oge's mother, said.

Because their father was often transferred around to other regencies, Oge and his brothers and sisters had to learn very early on to take care of themselves.

When their parents moved to Biak, Merauke and Sorong, for example, Oge and his siblings remained in Jayapura and went to school there. And even though their parents were not there to watch them, all of the children remained diligent in their studies.

His parents are understandably proud of Oge's achievement, and all of the work it took to get to that point.

"Like a long and tiring journey, we have now safely reached our destination," Silas said.

Oge, simple, dynamic and creative, has given Indonesia's reputation a boost in the world, and has also showed the proud and modern face of Papua, which is often seen as a backward province.

"As long as they have the willingness and the perseverance, Papua's children will not be left behind in education. They have the potential to be better than students from other regions in Indonesia and even from other countries in the world," Oge said.