Degrees-funded scientists from across Southeast Asia came together in Singapore on 16 – 17 January 2024 to showcase their work and discuss ideas for a regional collaboration network on SRM research.
Fifteen scientists from Degrees-funded teams in Indonesia (2018), Indonesia (2023), Malaysia, the Philippines and Thailand attended the two-day workshop run by the Degrees Initiative. Degrees research collaborators Govindasamy Bala, who also leads a Degrees-funded team in India, and Lili Xia attended to help facilitate discussion, provide ideas and share feedback.
Day one of the workshop kicked off with the teams presenting their research plans and sharing feedback. The teams showcased their research on topics ranging from modelling the impact of SRM on agriculture in the Philippines to understanding its implications for temperature and precipitation in lowland Thailand. In the afternoon, conversations shifted towards the regionalisation of research, what it might look like and its feasibility.
Participants noted the importance of continued SRM research funding in Southeast Asia, with a specific focus on flooding and drought, a topic of significant importance to local policy makers. Others also underlined the need for similar regionalisation meetings on an annual basis to build collaboration networks. A number of scientists said that poor access to country-specific modelling data was a key obstacle to expanded research collaboration.
On the second day, the participants considered practical measures for future regional collaboration in Southeast Asia. This included identifying the characteristics of valuable regional research and assessing the feasibility of different research ideas. A regional centre of excellence, regional representatives and evolving research networks were all posed as potential options. There were also lively discussions over the best processes and structures for ensuring practical and feasible regional research collaboration.
The workshop successfully brought together Degrees-funded scientists, research collaborators and local government officials to discuss SRM, share modelling feedback and identify future pathways for collaboration. We look forward to continuing to work with these teams to advance the regionalisation of SRM modelling in Southeast Asia.
“Grateful for the insights and connections made in the past two days. Heading home with a mind full of inspiration and a heart full of motivation. Ready to understand more about SRM.”
Prof. Mou Leong Tan
Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM)
“Data is a common issue with everyone. If you really want the data from the individual countries it is extremely difficult to access.”
Dr Hong Do
Nong Lam University, Ho Chi Minh City
“This marks the start of a new phase for Degrees – empowering collaborative research initiatives in developing regions, adding depth to the breadth that we have already achieved.”
Andy Parker
CEO, The Degrees Initiative
List of participants:
Degrees-funded scientists
- Dr Patricia Ann Jaranilla-Sanchez – University of the Philippines Los Baños (Philippines 2021)
- Catherine Gigantone - University of the Philippines Los Baños (Philippines 2021)
- Dr Heri Kuswanto - Institut Teknologi Sepuluh Nopember (Indonesia 2018)
- Dr Hong Do - Nong Lam University – Ho Chi Minh City (Indonesia 2018)
- Dr Fatkhurakhman Fauzi - Muhammadiyah University Semarang (Indonesia 2018)
- Dr Rahmat Gernowo - Diponegoro University (Indonesia 2023)
- Dr Hendri Hendri - University of Papua (Indonesia 2023)
- Dr Akhmad Faqih - IPB University (Indonesia 2023)
- Sorja Koesuma - Sebelas-Maret University (Indonesia 2023)
- Dr Pornampai (Ping-Ping) Narenpitak - National Science and Technology Development Agency (Thailand 2023)
- Siriwat Kongkulsiri - National Science and Technology Development Agency (Thailand 2023)
- Dr Mou Leong Tan - Universiti Sains Malaysia (Malaysia 2023)
- Dr Ju neng Liew - Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (Malaysia 2023)
- Dr Chun Kiat Chang - Universiti Sains Malaysia (Malaysia 2023)
- Yi Lin Tew – Universiti Sains Malaysia (Malaysia 2023)
Research collaborators
- Prof. Govindasamy Bala - Indian Institute of Science, Bengaluru (India 2023)
- Dr Lili Xia - Rutgers University
Degrees staff
- Andy Parker, CEO – The Degrees Initiative
- Anna Baldwin, Programmes Officer – The Degrees Initiative
