- Dr Daniel Murdiyarso, a Principal Scientist at CIFOR-ICRAF, will chair the prestigious Indonesia Academy of Sciences (AIPI) for a five-year term until 2028.
- Dr Murdiyarso is also a full professor of the Department of Geophysics and Meteorology at IPB University with a research focus including climate change mitigation and adaptation and land-use change and biogeochemical cycles.
- AIPI was founded by, among others, the then-president of Indonesia and established by law in 1990 to function as a platform for leading Indonesian scientists.
CIFOR-ICRAF Principal Scientist Dr Daniel Murdiyarso has been unanimously elected President of the Indonesia Academy of Sciences (AIPI).
“It is a great honour to lead the Indonesia Academy of Sciences over the next five years,” said Dr Murdiyarso, an academy member since 2002. “This is not an easy mandate, but I am confident that through the collegial fashion of the academy, we’ll realise our purpose in nurturing Indonesia’s scientific temper and supporting even greater impact,” he said in his brief acceptance speech.
Dr Murdiyarso has been a scientist at CIFOR-ICRAF, a global leader in action research on trees, forests and agroforestry landscapes, for 20 years. He has made significant contributions to building a global understanding of the importance of wetland ecosystems and has been involved in international collaborations and research projects to develop sustainable wetland management strategies.
“We are thrilled to congratulate Daniel on this remarkable achievement,” said CIFOR-ICRAF CEO Dr Éliane Ubalijoro. “Daniel’s commitment to excellence and improving the lives of people in Indonesia and globally through his work exemplifies the spirit of innovation and dedication that drives CIFOR-ICRAF forward.”
The decision, made during the AIPI Plenary Session on 27 June, garnered Dr Murdiyarso – currently the Head of Basic Science Commission at AIPI – the highest support from all members including former Indonesian Environment Minister and respected climate change authority Emil Salim.
Throughout his career, Dr Murdiyarso has significantly contributed to climate change research in Indonesia and internationally.
As former Deputy Minister of Environment in the government of Indonesia, he was the National Focal Point of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change and Convention on Biological Diversity.
He also played an extensive role in the Nobel Peace Prize-winning Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) as Convening Lead Author of the IPCC Third Assessment Report and the IPCC Special Report on Land-use, Land-use Change and Forestry.
Over the past two decades, he has published more than 100 research works on land-use change and biogeochemical cycles, climate change mitigation and adaptation. He has received global recognition for his work, including the Ahmad Bakrie Award (2010), the Sarwono-LIPI Award (2018), and the Habibie Prize (2020).
In 2022, Dr Murdiyarso received a prestigious doctorate from the Faculty of Agriculture and Forestry at the University of Helsinki, Finland, making him the first-ever Indonesian scientist to receive the honorary degree of Doctor Honorary Causa from the institution.
Prominent scientific figures, including the then-president of Indonesia BJ Habibie, founded AIPI and it was established by law in 1990. The academy functions as a platform for leading Indonesian scientists and is organised in five fields: basic science, medicine, engineering, culture and social sciences. It currently hosts 56 active members.
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