Professor Muhammad Farchani Rosyid, a lecturer from the Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences at Universitas Gadjah Mada (FMIPA UGM), was formally inaugurated as a professor of geometrical formulation and functional analysis in theoretical physics.
The ceremony took place on Tuesday (May 27) in the UGM Senate Hall. During the inauguration, Professor Rosyid delivered a speech titled “The Unreasonable Effectiveness of Mathematics in Capturing and Understanding Physical Reality.”
Professor Rosyid elaborated on the historical development of Physics, noting that progress in experimental and observational physics occurred when physicists successfully built extreme and phenomenal experimental and observational facilities.
Theoretical Physics, conversely, has always been linked to shifts in paradigms and required advanced mathematics for its formulation, sometimes even needing mathematics that mathematicians had not yet created.
He explained the mysterious utility of mathematics in science, stating that there is no rational explanation for it.
“Abstract mathematical structures, developed independently from physical or cosmic reality, are often able to explain natural phenomena with remarkable precision and accuracy,” he revealed.
According to him, the issue of the unreasonable effectiveness of mathematics in natural sciences, especially physics, will continue as human understanding of natural phenomena deepens.
“If we stand in the position of scientific realism, believing that the physical reality we perceive is a scientific reality, then the effort to capture and understand physical reality will never be complete, as our efforts to deepen our understanding of the universe will never cease. The physical reality we capture and understand constantly evolves,” he explained.
A Passion for Painting
Following his professorial inauguration, Professor Rosyid hosted a thanksgiving gathering and an exhibition featuring 18 paintings he had created over the past two years. The professor revealed he has enjoyed painting since childhood.
“I once won a painting competition in elementary school, drawing trucks and cars, not landscapes like most children,” he reminisced.
His love for painting continued through high school. He even aspired to study at the Academy of Fine Arts.
However, during high school, he met a physics teacher known for being strict, which sparked his interest in the subject.
“In junior high, I met a strict physics teacher, but I was genuinely interested in physics and eventually leaned towards it,” he said.
After becoming a university student and then a lecturer, Professor Rosyid admitted he had almost stopped painting for 30 years. It wasn’t until one of his children was accepted into ISI Yogyakarta (Indonesian Institute of the Arts) and also developed a love for painting that his passion for art was rekindled.
“Coincidentally, one of my children enjoys painting and got into ISI Jogja, so I started getting back into painting these last two years,” he shared.
Professor Rosyid stated that he chose the surrealism style because it has a considerable following in Indonesia.
His 18 paintings depict nature, ranging from seascapes and boats to crashing waves and mountains, as well as forests.
“We have three lecturers who enjoy painting; we will collaborate to exhibit our works. A lecturer’s duty is not just to teach but also to pursue their hobbies,” said the Dean of FMIPA UGM, Professor Kuwat Triyana.
Author: Kezia Dwina Nathania
Editor: Gusti Grehenson
Post-editor: Afifudin Baliya
Photographers: Donnie and Leony