Scientific Oration : Prof. M. Barmawi's Platinum Album of Works

By Medhira Handinidevi

Editor Medhira Handinidevi


BANDUNG, itb.ac.id - Prof. M. Barmawi had involved in Physics for more than 20 years. Saturday (16/03/13) he gave his Scientific Oration at East CC Campus Centre Gallery. This oration on Physics of Electronic Material was organized by the Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences (FMIPA) and Indonesia's Academy of Sciences (Akademi Ilmu Pengetahuan Indonesia- AIPI). Students and colleagues of Barmawi attended the meeting and the room was full by audiences.
This occasion was opened by Prof. Irawati as the Deputy Rector of Organization and Resources. She congratulates this event that was held for celebrating Barmawi's 8th windus (period of eight years) birthday  and also for his inauguration to become AIPI honorable member. Afterwards, the event continue with an opening remarks from AIPI, Prof. Mien A. Rifai as the Head Commission of Basic Sciences. Mien recounted how Barmawi was always energetic and how his cold hands had led the Physics of Electronic Materials Research Division ITB (KK Fismatel excelled in the sciences world. A similar tone was also shown by Umar Fauzi, Dean of FMIPA. "Without his excellency,  this research group wouldn't be as we can see nowadays. it (Research Division) has improving number of journal publication and a splendid works or researches," said Umar.

After the opening and speeches, Prof. Mikrajudin Abdullah came forward to become the moderator in this oration. The oration began with Barmawi's school story. Later on, research and works from KK Fismatel such as PE-CVD reactor, solar cell, Sputtering reactor, and Pulsed Laser Ablation (PLA) was explained.



Basic Sciences Contributions in National Development

After explaining his works, Barmawi pointed out the role of basic sciences in the development of Indonesia. "To become a developed country, we have to build an endogenous development through science and technology," stated Barmawi. Indonesia, who has the lowest GDP than its neighbor countries must focused on science and technology if we want to race other country.

According to Schumpeter model, industry growth patterns for 2025-2031 was into nanotechnology. This technology was included in basic science. To boost economy, he said that the usage of this technology is really crucial. He explained that there are 2 ways to catch-up the development wave. First is to catch-up with the development trends and second is to maximize the recent technology. In Barmawi's opinion, what Indonesia must do is catch-up the development trends by optimizing nanotechnology on its industry. One of the step to catch-up is by opening the chance for Foreign Direct Investment (FDI). This scheme consist of selling patent rights, license contract, and established turnkey projects.

 

Nanotechnology
 
Nanotechnology aims to understand and to control nano-sized structure. Also this technology wants to use any device, structure, and system who has characteristics and new basic function that caused by nano-sized structure.

Application on this technology can solve 5 points of Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). Nanotechnology can hel to solve hunger and poverty, increase child health, increase maternity quality and decrease number of HIV/AIDS, and also established a sustainable environment.

Nanotechnology can be implemented on health service. Divided into active and passive technology, this nanotechnology can be applied in microorganism detection. The advantage is in the time needed, if using conventional technology usually it took hours or days, but using nanotechnology it only took minutes.

At this oration, a marvelous number of praise and compliment sent to Barmawi who has become the best role model as a counselor and a researcher. This show how much he don for the development of sciences in Indonesia. "Today we witness an album of platinum works by the nation's best people," said Umar Fauzi, Dean of FMIPA.