The program aims to facilitate researchers to use BRIN’s research vessels to conduct various marine research activities.Jakarta (ANTARA) - The National Research and Innovation Agency (BRIN) determined three marine research expeditions to be funded for the first batch of the 2022 Sailing Day Program regarding actinomycetes diversity, ocean-atmospheric interaction, and marine biodiversity mapping.
Recipients of the assistance were the teams of Dr Ali Budhi Kusuma from Sumbawa University of Technology, Dr Erma Yulihastin from BRIN’s Aeronautics and Space Research Organization, as well as Dr Hawis Madduppa from the Bogor Agricultural University (IPB).
"The program aims to facilitate researchers to use BRIN’s research vessels to conduct various marine research activities," Head of BRIN Laksana Tri Handoko stated during a webinar regarding the first batch of the 2022 Sailing Day Program here on Wednesday.
Earlier, the BRIN had opened submissions for research proposals on December 21-27, 2021, for the first batch of the 2022 Sailing Day Program.
The selected research submitted by Kusuma’s team aims to study the diversity of extremophilic actinomycetes in a part of the Indian Ocean in the southern area of West Nusa Tenggara Province, and their potential as biodegradation agents for plastic waste.
Furthermore, Yulihastin received the funding for her team's research on the ocean-atmospheric interaction that triggers the occurrence of extreme storms in the southern waters of Indonesia.
Meanwhile, Madduppa’s research was titled "Marine Biodiversity Mapping using the Next Generation eDNA Biomonitoring and Its Relations to Environmental Pollution in Malacca Strait."
The research expeditions will be conducted using BRIN’s Research Vessels (KR) Baruna Jaya I, KR Baruna Jaya III, and KR Baruna Jaya VIII.
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The Sailing Day Program covers the cost of the cruise, the research teams’ on-board accommodation and meals, as well as technical and operational services of the research equipment provided by the research vessel.
The program provides open and inclusive access for researchers, lecturers, and students to utilize BRIN's research ships to conduct data acquisition and/or specimen collections.
The submission and selection of research proposals for other expedition batches of the 2022 Sailing Day Program will be opened throughout 2022, so the public still has the opportunity to apply for the program.
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Translator: Martha Simanjuntak, Uyu Liman
Editor: Rahmad Nasution
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