University of Indonesia (UI) inaugurated Prof. Dr. Ir. Soemantri Brodjonegoro Hall located in the Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences (FMIPA) UI, on Tuesday, July 30. This inauguration was done by the Dean of FMIPA UI, Prof. Dede Djuhana, Ph.D, and Prof. Bambang Permadi Soemantri Brodjonegoro, S.E., M.U.P., Ph.D., as representative of Prof. Dr. Ir. Soemantri Brodjonegoro’s family, who is also the Minister of Research and Technology/National Research and Innovation Agency of the Republic of Indonesia for the 2019–2021 period.
The Prof. Dr. Ir. Soemantri Brodjonegoro Hall is a renovated meeting hall with a bigger capacity (accommodates 250 people) and is ready to be used for the New Academic Year 2024/2025. This hall appears more representative, complete with modern furniture, as well as better audio and lighting.
Prof. Dede said that the hall is a symbol of FMIPA UI’s commitment to creating a more innovative and collaborative academic environment, as well as a symbol of high dedication to the advancement of science and education. “In this hall, we are ready to greet new students of the New Academic Year 2024/2025 with new enthusiasm, and release FMIPA UI graduates at the Pre-Graduation event in August,” he said.
According to Prof. Dede, the affixing of Prof. Soemantri’s great name to the hall is a form of UI’s appreciation to the Dean of FMIPA of the 1964–1968 period who has donated his contribution in the early days of FMIPA which was still called the Faculty of Exact Sciences and Natural Sciences (FIPIA). During his leadership, in 1965, FIPIA opened a Pharmacy major, and in 1967, the Geography Department of FIPPA Unpad, whose educational activities are at the Directorate of Topography of the Indonesian Army in Jakarta, merged to become the Geography Department of FIPIA UI.
For this achievement, Prof. Bambang Permadi, who is the son of Prof. Soemantri, expressed his thanks to FMIPA UI who has immortalized his father’s name as the name of a hall at FMIPA UI. “This hall is hoped to not only bring benefits for UI’s academic community, but also positively contribute to the development of science at the national and international levels. Hopefully, this hall supports the implementation of learning and is used for other academic activities, such as seminars, workshops, conferences, general assemblies, and social activities,” said Prof. Bambang.
He also mentioned that support towards the implementation of learning is needed because FMIPA UI plays an important role in the development of research and innovation in Indonesia. “This support is obtained through pentahelix collaboration to create innovations that have a big impact on the wider community. For that, FMIPA is expected to contribute to Indonesia’s efforts to optimize the potential of human resources and technology, as well as create a strong foundation to achieve a developed country by 2045,” he said.
