Institut Teknologi Sepuluh Nopember (ITS) again achieved international recognition through excellent research conducted by Prof. Dr.rer.pol. Heri Kuswanto, S.Si., M.Si., from the Department of Statistics, Faculty of Science and Data Analytics ITS. He won the Hitachi Global Foundation Asia Innovation Award 2024 in the Encouragement Award category, thanks to his contribution in supporting global efforts to address climate change.

Ensemble Forecast: An Innovative Solution for Climate Resilience

The research titled “Promoting Climate Resilience through Improving the Weather Predictability in Indonesia Using Ensemble Forecast” focuses on improving climate resilience in Indonesia. The trick is to improve weather predictability using an ensemble forecast approach.

The results of this research have great potential to improve the accuracy of weather forecasts. This is very important in disaster mitigation and adaptation to climate change.

Accurate Weather Prediction for Climate Change Adaptation

Climate change causes weather uncertainty that can threaten the agricultural sector and the livelihoods of the Indonesian people. Therefore, ITS through its research has developed an ensemble-based drought monitoring and forecasting system, as well as an innovative calibration method that uses gamma and Fréchet distributions to improve the prediction of extreme events, such as heavy rains. One of the major breakthroughs in this research was the creation of an artificial ensemble forecast that is effective in predicting stable weather and has been used to design a more accurate planting calendar for farmers.

Social Impact: Empowering Local Communities

ITS strives to ensure that the social impact of this research is widely felt. The various tools developed are made easily accessible to the community, especially farmers in rural areas. This initiative is part of a broader climate change adaptation strategy.

The approach aims to empower communities. With access to these technologies, they can be better prepared for climate-related disaster risks. In addition, this innovation also helps to increase resilience to climate change, which is becoming increasingly evident.

As an expert in statistics, Prof. Heri Kuswanto has contributed a lot to data-driven research. He combines statistics and artificial intelligence for disaster mitigation and climate change. His work has had a huge impact, especially in dealing with extreme weather phenomena that are becoming more frequent due to global climate change.

International Recognition for ITS

The Encouragement Award from the Hitachi Global Foundation Asia Innovation Award 2024 received by Prof. Kuswanto further proves the international recognition of ITS efforts in advancing research that has a positive impact on society.

In addition, the award certificate and trophy have also been handed over directly to Prof. Kuswanto as a form of appreciation for his outstanding contribution in the field of climate resilience.

With this achievement, ITS further strengthens its commitment as a higher education institution that plays an active role in supporting sustainable development, both at the national and international levels.

Going forward, through the Hitachi Global Foundation Award 2024, it is hoped that the results of this research can continue to grow and provide wider benefits, not only for Indonesia but also for the world in facing the challenges of climate change.

Congratulations to Prof. Heri Kuswanto for this extraordinary achievement! Hopefully this achievement can inspire the ITS academic community to continue to innovate and contribute to a better future.