YOGYAKARTA – Currently, the regional government has the challenge to find optimal solution for making natural resources as source of income whilst not forgetting the need to strengthen environmental support capacity. Strengthening environmental support capacity is an important issue in line with the more frequent natural disasters, such as earthquakes, tsunamis, droughts, floods, and landslides. The latest and ongoing case is the eruption of Mount Merapi.
The weak environmental support capacity will impact on the weakness of local development capacity to generate natural and society potential in order to achieve prosperity. This inspired the young doctors of UGM who joined the Unit for the Acceleration of Achievement of Strategic Planning (UP2R) Universitas Gadjah Mada, to hold a short training (seminar) entitled Optimal Solution to Utilize the Natural Resources toward Prosperous and Independent Society, Study Case of Merapi. The workshop will be held from 24 to 27 November 2010 at the Multimedia Room, UGM central building.
UGM Rector, Prof. Ir. Sudjarwadi, M. Eng., Ph.D., in the seminar opening speech said that the involvement of young doctors of UGM is expected to combine knowledge at universities and science in the field, especially related to disaster issues. "In this workshop, it is hoped there will be a combination of knowledge belonging to the young doctors and science that has developed in the field, especially regarding the issue of disaster," said Prof. Sudjarwadi on Wednesday (24/11).
The Rector hoped that after this seminar, which is attended mostly by volunteers of Mount Merapi, participants will have new knowledge and understanding about disaster management. Thus, the new science will become the provisions to help people in times of disaster. "It is hoped the new science gained in the workshop will become the provisions for the participants to help the community," said the Rector.
Similarly, Coordinator of the 15 young doctors, Drs. Muhammad Edhie Purnawan, MA, Ph.D., said that in principle, they want to share their scientific knowledge. This step is also to support the values and philosophy of UGM in dedicating their knowledge to the public. "The young doctors want to share the knowledge they gained by studying up to the S-3 level to the public. One of the implementations is done through seminars/workshops which involve many volunteers of Mount Merapi," said Edhie.
The activities also involve some competent resource speakers, among others, Prof. Ir. Sudjarwadi, M. Eng., Ph.D., Prof. Ahmad Syafii Ma’arif, Ph.D., and Dean of the Faculty of Engineering, Ir. Tumiran, M. Eng., Ph.D. At the end of the workshop, participants will be invited to conduct field visits in several locations at IDP shelters, such as Gelanggang UGM, Maguwoharjo Stadium, Klaten and Magelang.