The Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences (FMIPA) at Gadjah Mada University (UGM) organized a discussion forum on the future outlook of mathematics, information technology, and natural sciences, featuring three distinguished speakers.
Who are these distinguished speakers? Let’s find out more.
On July 24th, FMIPA UGM held a discussion forum focusing on the future outlook of mathematics, information technology, and natural sciences. The event took place at the 7th-floor Auditorium of the FMIPA UGM Lecture Building. During this event, three outstanding speakers, namely Prof. Dr. Jiangbang Deng from Tamkang University, Prof. Markus S. Schulz from The International Sociological Association, and Prof. Dr. Phil. Hermin Indah Wahyuni from Gadjah Mada University, were invited to share their thoughts.
The event started at 10:00 AM local time with the national anthem of Indonesia, “Indonesia Raya.” Following that, Prof. Dr. Eng. Kuwat Triyana, M.Si., the Dean of FMIPA UGM, delivered his welcome remarks. To facilitate the discussion, Prof. Drs. Sri Juari Santosa, M.Eng., Ph.D., acted as the moderator.
Future Studies 101
The first topic, “Future Studies 101,” was presented by Prof. Jiangbang. He discussed 10 principles related to the future: the future is plural, the future is rational, the future is open, the future is fuzzy or unclear, the future is surprising, the future can be predicted, the future moves fast, the future also moves slowly, the future is general, and the future is both inbound and outbound. Prof. Jiangbang emphasized the importance of learning about the future, as it plays a crucial role in determining the actions to be taken in the present. Through an understanding of the future, we can be better prepared and wiser in facing the changes and challenges that lie ahead.
The Importance of Knowledge About Human Survival
The forum continued with Prof. Markus in the second session. In his presentation, Prof. Markus emphasized the importance of knowledge for the survival of humanity. He mentioned that discoveries like GeNose and studies on Mount Merapi are evidence of how crucial science is in facing life’s challenges. Similarly, the exploration of the future is also important and worthy of in-depth study.
Indonesia Digital Transformation
The third session was presented by Prof. Hermin, who talked more about the digital transformation in the world, especially in Indonesia. She emphasized that, just like technology, society as a whole needs to continually evolve and adapt. Humans play a role in responding to environmental changes, accompanied by the increasingly comprehensive use of technology. Prof. Hermin also mentioned that humans, communication, and technology are the resolution to the global crisis currently facing the world.
After the presentations by the speakers, an interactive question and answer session followed. Participants had the opportunity to ask questions about the discussion topics, which were enthusiastically answered by the speakers. Following the Q&A session, the event concluded with the Dean of FMIPA UGM presenting souvenirs to the speakers as a token of appreciation. The discussion forum ended with a group photo session between the participants and speakers as a memento.
