Indonesian BMKG Delegation Visits NC State to Strengthen Collaboration on Graduate Education
On December 13, 2024, a delegation from the Indonesian Meteorology, Climatology and Geophysical Agency (BMKG) visited NC State. The agency plays a role equivalent to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration in the United States. The BMKG delegation included Nelly Florida Riama and Setyoajie Prayoedhie.
The visit marked a significant milestone in the growing collaboration between NC State and BMKG. This partnership began with collaborative efforts by Roy He in the Department of Marine, Earth and Atmospheric Sciences during a visit to Indonesia. The relationship was further developed through a presentation by Dean Peter Harries of NC State’s Graduate School and a subsequent visit by Graduate School Assistant Dean David Shafer to BMKG.
BMKG has over 5,000 employees, but currently only about 1% of them hold a Ph.D. Recognizing the critical need to enhance scientific expertise, the Indonesian government has committed to increasing this percentage to 10% by 2030. To achieve this goal, BMKG has been actively sending its staff to pursue graduate education overseas, supported by government funding and scholarships, including Fulbright awards. NC State has emerged as a key partner, offering programs tailored to BMKG’s educational goals and the agency’s research foci.
During the visit, the delegation engaged in productive discussions with senior NC State leaders, including Vice Provost Amy Conger; College of Sciences Dean Lewis Owen; College of Sciences Associate Dean for Academic Affairs Alun Lloyd; Department of Marine, Earth and Atmospheric Sciences Head Gary Lackmann, Graduate School Assistant Dean David Shafer; College of Engineering Associate Dean Kara Peters; and Department of Civil, Construction and Environmental Engineering Associate Head and Director of Graduate Programs Moe Pour-Ghaz. These meetings focused on strengthening existing collaborations and exploring new opportunities for academic and research partnerships.
The delegation’s visit underscores NC State’s commitment to fostering international partnerships and advancing global education initiatives. With Indonesia investing heavily in building its scientific workforce, collaborations like this hold tremendous potential for mutual growth and global engagement.
For more information, contact Roy He in the Department of Marine, Earth and Atmospheric Sciences at rhe@ncsu.edu or Peter Harries at the Graduate School at pjharrie@ncsu.edu.
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