Prabowo encourages Nobel laureates to collaborate with Indonesian researchers
President Prabowo Subianto has encouraged Nobel laureates to collaborate with Indonesian researchers and academics to strengthen the national research ecosystem and scientific talent development.
Head of the National Research and Innovation Agency (BRIN) Arif Satria said this was conveyed by Prabowo when receiving Timor-Leste President José Ramos-Horta together with a number of Nobel laureates at the State Palace in Jakarta on Friday.
“The President also conveyed to the Nobel laureates that they should be able to collaborate with researchers and academics in Indonesia,” Arif said after the meeting.
According to Arif, President Prabowo considers the involvement of Nobel laureates important to provide inspiration as well as to strengthen the research talent ecosystem in Indonesia.
He said Prabowo hopes that collaboration between Nobel laureates and Indonesian researchers and academics can be realised soon.
Arif said BRIN has established cooperation with a number of Nobel laureates, one of them with Japanese Nobel laureate in Chemistry Susumu Kitagawa, in the development of Metal Organic Framework (MOF) technology for the utilisation of natural gas in Indonesia.
“This Japanese Nobel laureate then built a sister lab in Indonesia, and this sister lab in Indonesia is now preparing how to produce natural gas at lower pressure using the findings of the Nobel laureate,” he said.
In the meeting, Prabowo also affirmed the Good Neighbor Policy as one of the government’s priorities to maintain and strengthen relations with neighbouring countries.
Arif said the policy includes strengthening cooperation with ASEAN countries and the Southeast Asian region, including in the fields of science and technology.
“The President also conveyed that the Good Neighbor Policy is a priority for the President to continue maintaining cooperative relations with ASEAN countries, Southeast Asia, and neighbouring countries,” he said.
Arif said President Prabowo has a commitment to strengthening the protection of Indonesia’s flora and fauna.
This was conveyed after the Nobel laureates previously visited a conservation area in Lampung to see first-hand the richness of Indonesia’s flora and fauna.
“The President also has a very strong commitment so that the protection of flora and fauna in Indonesia can be further strengthened,” Arif said.
A number of Nobel laureates who attended the meeting included Frances H. Arnold and Benjamin List, recipients of the Nobel Prize in Chemistry, Kailash Satyarthi, recipient of the Nobel Peace Prize, and Tim Hunt, recipient of the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine.
Also present were Robert C. Merton and James A. Robinson, recipients of the Nobel Prize in Economic Sciences, as well as Konstantin Novoselov and Brian P. Schmidt, recipients of the Nobel Prize in Physics.
In addition, Nobel laureate in Astrophysics Sara Seager also attended the meeting.