ITS Lecturer Sri Fatmawati SSi MSc PhD is appointed as the chair-woman of ALMI for the 2020-2022 period

ITS Campus, ITS News – Being trusted to be a leader in a national scale organization is an achievement to be proud of. One of the lecturers of the Institut Teknologi Sepuluh Nopember (ITS) was successfully elected as chairman in the organization of the Akademi Ilmuwan Muda Indonesia (ALMI) for the 2020-2022 period.

She is Sri Fatmawati SSi MSc PhD, a lecturer at the Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science and Data Analytics ITS. It all started with members of the Akademi Ilmu Pengetahuan Indonesia (AIPI), ALMI members, and the rector who nominated her to join the ALMI membership. Not only being nominated, but she also had to take part in the ALMI selection series. “In December 2017 I was successfully elected as a member of ALMI in the frontline science working group,” she said.

The lecturer who is often called Fatma said that in the process of selecting the head of the ALMI, all prospective candidates were people nominated by ALMI members. This candidate was chosen in the plenary session last year. Of the several prospective candidates, they were elected again into two candidates. “One of them is me,” said the lecturer who currently also serves as President of the Organization for Women in Science for the Developing World (OWSD) Indonesia.

Fatma added that with 75 percent of the votes, she was successfully elected as the chairwoman of ALMI for the 2020-2022 period. This was officially carried out by Alan Frendy Koropitan PhD as chairman of the ALMI for the 2018-2020 period who handed over his position to Fatma in the 2020 plenary session, a few days ago. “That being said, my responsibility is getting bigger,” said the Deputy Head of the ITS Agripangan and Biotechnology Research Center when contacted via online message.

In her inaugural speech, the wife of Adi Setyo Purnomo SSi MSc PhD conveyed some of the visions and missions that will be brought with ALMI. Among them are emphasizing the importance of ALMI’s role as a catalyst for the advancement of avant-garde science in Indonesia, being committed to contributing to policy and science communication for society, and being able to improve education in Indonesia. “Contribution at the global level is also an important thing,” explained the mother of Fahira Yumiko Azzahra and Filza Michiko Farzama.

Sri Fatmawati SSi MSc PhD (top) with the ALMI members for the period of 2020-2022

In order to make this happen, that one of the best female researchers in the world has carried out a management overhaul such as changing the management of the Secretary-General. In addition, she was also supported by other high-ranking officials such as the Program Director, the Director of Communications, and the Director of Grants and Partnerships during his tenure.

“ALMI activities will rely on four working groups, such as Front Guard Science, Science and Society, Science and Policy, and Science and Education,” said the international award winner from the cosmetics giant from France, L’Oreal with the UN educational organization, UNESCO.

This Madurese lecturer realizes that being the head of ALMI is not an easy thing. This is a mandate that must be carried out responsibly. She tried to make the scientists who are members of ALMI really able to contribute and benefit Indonesia.

In the next two years, Fatma hopes to bring ALMI into an organization that has a positive impact on education both inside and outside Indonesia. This is because ALMI is part of the Global Young Academy (GYA). “With other scientists who are members of ALMI, I am optimistic that I can make it happen,” said the only new member of GYA 2020 who came from Indonesia optimistically. (dil/nadh/ITS Public Relations)