Prof. Dr. Drs. Ricardi S. Adnan, M.Si. was inaugurated as a Permanent Professor in Sociology at the Faculty of Social and Political Sciences (FISIP), Universitas Indonesia (UI). The inauguration ceremony took place at the Makara Art Center, Universitas Indonesia, UI Depok Campus, on Saturday, December 21.
In his inaugural speech titled “Dispersi dan Konvergensi Sains: Peran Sosiologi di Era Nanoparticle Technology” (Dispersion and Convergence of Science: The Role of Sociology in the Era of Nanoparticle Technology), Prof. Ricardi emphasized the role of nanoparticles which have received less research attention from the Social Sciences and Humanities Cluster, compared to the Health Sciences Cluster and the Science and Technology Cluster which have massively developed research on this technology. Given the major impact on human civilization, sociology has the opportunity to play an active role in providing analysis and corridors that need to be considered in the development of nanoparticle technology so that it can provide major benefits for humans, especially in the social field.
Prof. Ricardi explained that nanoparticles are particles that are very small in size, usually ranging from 1 to 100 nanometers. This very small size provides unique properties that materials on a larger scale do not have, such as increased surface area, higher chemical reactivity, and the ability to interact with other molecules more deeply.
Some examples of the use of nanoparticle technology in the medical and scientific fields are for more efficient drug delivery systems, the manufacture of smaller and faster transistors and microcircuits, the use of nanoparticles in solar cells to increase energy conversion from sunlight, and the use of nanoparticles for filtering water or air from pollution. “One of the impacts of nanotechnology on social sciences is related to ethical implications and social impacts. The development of this technology has the potential to create social inequality or even conflict due to the resulting gap, which tends to benefit certain social groups that have access, namely the upper class,” said Prof. Ricardi.
Nanoparticles in Social Life Practices
Based on Kaku’s analysis (2008), the relevance of discussing nanoparticle technology from a sociological perspective includes ethics and technological developments, the influence of technology on social interactions, the influence of technology on economic structures, the influence of technology on culture, and social theory in dealing with futuristic technology. In everyday life, nanoparticle technology enables more personalized and effective treatments that have a major impact on future healthcare systems.
This development can lead to new inequalities, for example in access to advanced health technology. This is where sociology plays a role because it can help analyze how technology changes social class, wealth distribution, and inequality of access to advanced technology. However, the challenge that needs to be anticipated is how technological change will affect social structures.
There are also challenges in the use of nanoparticle technology, especially in terms of safety and health impacts because the effects of nanoparticles on the human body and the environment are not yet fully understood. “For the social challenges themselves, the use of nanoparticle technology can exacerbate social inequality in society, forming gaps in certain groups in having access to utilize technology, and nanotechnology that uses symbols of social identity (such as cosmetics, sophisticated clothing, or electronic devices) creates social status boundaries,” said Prof. Ricardi.
Prof. Ricadi offers a solution from a sociological perspective, that the most important thing to do is to encourage the involvement of the wider community in discussions about nanotechnology. This can be done through education and open dialogue forums to reduce concerns about limited access to technology and instead increase understanding. Therefore, it is necessary to prepare policies that ensure that nanotechnology can be used evenly and safely. “What is also important is the desire to formulate and apply technological ethics that provide ethical guidelines at the global level, especially in sensitive areas such as biomedicine and the environment. Developing countries need to collaborate between institutions to ensure a more equitable distribution of nanotechnology,” he added.
Officially, Prof. Ricardi became the 48th Professor of Universitas Indonesia in 2024. He completed his Bachelor of Sociology program at UI in 1992, Master of Business Administration Policy at UI in 2000, and Doctor of History at UI through the Sandwich-Like Program at Tokyo University in 2010. Currently, he is actively serving as the Chair of the Indonesian Population Coalition.
He continues to play an active role in various research, such as his research publication titled “Tourism’s Vitality After COVID-19 Pandemic: Embracing Healing as a Significant Concept in Tourism in a VUCA World and Managing the Future of Tourism” (2024), “The Dynamic Role of Moslem in Building Indonesia as a Nation-State in the Indonesian Journal of Religion and Society” (2023), and “Covid-19 Pandemic and Institutional Reconstruction Towards a New Normal Life” (2022).
The inauguration ceremony was also attended by the Rector of Universitas Paramadina, Prof. Didik J. Rachbini, M.Sc., Ph.D; Deputy Head of the National Innovation Research Agency (BRIN), Prof. Dr. Ir. Amarulla Octavian, M.Sc., ASEAN Eng; Head of ILUNI PSIA FTUI, Ir. Santoso Edy, M.Si; Regional Director of PLN,. Muchlis Chaniago, M.Eng; Owner of Rifa Jaya Group, Rinaldi Yusuf.
