The Sixth International Wood Sci-ence Symposium was held in Bali,Indonesia on August 29 to 31, 2005.This was the last symposium of theLIPI-JSPS Core University Program inthe field of Wood Science. The pro-gram will finish in March 2006. Thesymposium was organized by the R&DUnit for Biomaterials-Indonesian Insti-tute of Sciences (LIPI) and ResearchInstitute for a Sustainable Humanos-phere (RISH)-Kyoto University. Thetheme of this symposium was“Towards an Ecological and Economi-cal Harmonization of the use of Tropi-cal Forest Resources”. It is hoped thatharmonization of the utilization andproduction of tropical forest resourceswill become a reality. The purpose ofthe symposium was to provide a forumfor scientists from Japan, Indonesia andother Asian countries to exchangeinformation on progress with and plansfor research, as well as to strengthencooperation in wood science and tech-nology and environmental science.

The participants were 194researchers from Japan (77 scientists),Indonesia (109 scientists), Malaysia (2scientists), and Vietnam (1 scientist).The Japanese participants were from 20universities from Hokkaido to Kyushu,while the Indonesian participants werefrom 32 universities and institutionsfrom Aceh (Sumatra), Java, Kaliman-tan, Sulawesi to Papua. The 2Malaysian participants were from Uni-versity Putra Malaysia, and the partici-pant from Vietnam was from the Viet-nam Forestry University. Participantsfrom 3 Japanese companiesand 1 Indonesian companyalso joined the symposium.

The symposium beganwith an address from Dr.Endang Sukara (LIPI) fol-lowed by opening remarksfrom Prof. Hiroshi Mat-sumoto (RISH), Mr.Hiromichi Endo (JSPS)and Prof. Umar AnggaraJenie (Head of LIPI).

Presented were 2 keynotes, 79Introductory Papers and 55 Full Paperscovering 4 topics: Wood Material Sci-ence, Wood Biomass Science, WoodBioscience, and Environmental Sci-ence. The keynotes were given by Dr.Hadi Pasaribu (Director of ForestryResearch and Development Agency,Ministry of Forestry Indonesia) andProf. Gyosuke Meshitsuka (GraduateSchool of Agriculture and Life Science,The University of Tokyo). At a specialsession on Acacia mangium, 9 paperswere presented. All of the papers con-tained fruitful scientific results and alsoplans for research involving coopera-tion between Indonesian and Japaneseas well as Asian scientists through thisCore University program. All thepapers have been compiled in a pro-ceeding. In this symposium, a MOUbetween the Indonesian Institute of Sci-

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No. 17 September 2005

Report on the 6th International WoodScience Symposium

Dr. SubyaktoR&D Unit for Biomaterials, LIPI

Meeting attendees during the opening ceremony

On August 29-31, the 6th Interna-tional Wood Science Symposium(IWSS) was held at the Inna Grand BaliBeach Hotel in Indonesia. The IWSSwhich is a part of the JSPS-LIPI CoreUniversity Program started in 1996.The total number of participants of thissymposium was 194, including 77Japanese and 114 Indonesians. In addi-tion, 2 Malaysians and 1 Vietnameseattended. I had attended the second(Serpong, Indonesia, 1998) and fifth(Kyoto, Japan, 2004) symposiums, sothis was my third time. Presentationswere made in four sessions.Wood Material, Wood Biomass,Wood Bioscience & Environ-mental Science, and Acaciamangium. The number of presen-tations in each session was 75,29, 34 and 9, respectively. Thatis, most of the research was onwood material.

In this symposium, I noticedthat there were many femaleresearchers from Indonesia.Senior researcher of LIPI then

told me that of the 11 newcomersassigned to LIPI this yesr, 7 werewomen. He said that the newcomerswere from various fields other thanwood science.

After the presentation, meetings ofthe JSPS Core University Program andYoung Scientists-Professors were heldin the Bali Eka Karya Botanical garden.In the former meeting, there were inter-esting reports about research inprogress. Subsequently, it was reportedthat this is the last year of the JSPS-LIPI Core University Program, and an

explanation of a new program wasgiven. In the meeting of Young Scien-tists-Professors, which I attended as arepresentative of young Japanese scien-tists, I talked about the internationalexchange of young scientists and col-laborative research between Indonesiaand Japan. As some ideas, I introducedthe effective use of a satellite office ofRISH and artificial Acacia mangiumforests in Indonesia. We were able to

talk with young Indonesian sci-entists, and many opinions wereexchanged. I think that thismeeting was meaningful foryoung scientists of both coun-tries.

This symposium gave mevarious precious experiences,and I am deeply grateful to theorganizing committee and staff.Finally, I expect to further devel-opment by keeping in touch withIndonesian scientists.

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Impressions of the 6th IWSSin Bali, Indonesia

Dr. Kenji UmemuraRISH, Kyoto University

Researcher presenting paper in the conference

ences, Research Institute for a Sustain-able Humanosphere, and PT MusiHutan Persada was signed.

On day one, after the session hadended, a banquet was held where allparticipants enjoyed dinner whilewatching Balinese dances. After the

closing ceremony on day two, all theparticipants enjoyed another dinnerwith very attractive and exotic Balinesedances. The JSPS Core University Pro-gram meeting was held on day 3 at theEkakarya Botanical Garden. The prin-cipal investigators of each ongoing pro-

ject reported their progress. This wasfollowed by a Young Scientists andProfessors meeting, where discussionsbetween young Indonesian and Japan-ese scientists and Japanese professorswere held. The program ended with asunset dinner at Jimbaran beach.

I believe that this symposium hasmade a useful contribution to the devel-opment of wood science and technolo-gy for Indonesia, Japan and other Asiancountries. Even though this was the lastsymposium, hopefully we can proposenew ways of cooperating with Japanand other Asian countries (for example,through the Asian CORE Program) sowe can continue our joint research in awider field of studies.

Participants of the 6th IWSS conference

The 6th IWSS participants

The JSPS-LIPI Core UniversityProgram in the Field of Wood Sciencestarted in 1996 and has reached its finalyear. Here, in Bali, the 6th IWSS meet-ing was organized at the Inna BaliBeach Hotel, from August 29th to 31st in2005, with the theme of “Towards anEcological and Economical Harmo-nization of the use of Tropical ForestResources”. The conference had 194participants, primarily from Indonesia

(114) and Japan (77), but also fromMalaysia (2) and Vietnam (1). TheIndonesian participants came from 32universities and institutions from Acehto Papua, while the Japanese partici-pants came from 20 universities fromHokkaido to Kyushu. The Malaysianparticipants are from University PutraMalaysia, and a participant from Viet-nam came from the Vietnam ForestryUniversity. Participants from industriesare from three Japanese companies whosponsored a part of this symposium,and one from an Indonesian company.This statistics well represents the suc-cessful organization and continuationof collaborations over a decade.

The opening ceremony was very

informative regarding the background,development, and achievements of thecollaborative program. Welcomingtalks were given by Professor EndangSukara, Indonesian Coordinator,Deputy of Life Sciences LIPI, Profes-sor Hiroshi Matsumoto, Director of theResearch Institute for a SustainableHumanosphere, Kyoto University, andthe Japanese coordinator Professor YujiImamura from the same institute. Hon-

orable speeches werealso given by two dis-tinguished guests, Mr.Hiromichi Endo, Headof the Asian ProgramDivision, InternationalCooperation Project ofJSPS and Prof. UmarAnggara Jenie, theChairman of LIPI.

In view of the factthat this is the finaliz-ing year of the “10-year Core-Universityprogram”, as one offour new JSPS pro-jects, the “Asian Core

Project” was suggested as a possiblefuture framework. The project focuseson the establishment of an advancedcooperative network between experts inJapan and other Asian countries, whichis comparable and competitive withEuropean and American networks.With the establishment of sus-tainable societies, collaborationon the harmonization of econo-my and ecology in the manage-ment of tropical forest resourcesmay be achieved by setting upstrong cooperative networkssuch as between our instituteand BMI and LIPI, Indonesia.

During the conference, therewere presented 2 keynotes, 79

introductory papers, and 68 full paperscovering 4 topics: Wood Material Sci-ence (43 introductory/ 32 full papers),Wood Biomass Science (11/18), WoodBioscience (15/11), and EnvironmentalScience (6/2). Nine papers were devot-ed to a special Acacia mangium ses-sion, where novel approaches such asatmospheric and environmental fea-tures of the ecology and economy oflarge tropical industrial plantationswere presented.

After the two-day scientific sympo-sium, a business meeting of the JSPSCore University Program was held atanother location, the Ekakarya Botani-cal Garden situated in the middle ofBali. There was also held a ceremonyof memorial tree-planting. Dissochaetareticulata Bl., a tree climber, was plant-ed in memory of the JSPS-LIPI CoreUniversity program. Four young shootswere planted with name plates by Mr.Endo from the JSPS, Professor Mat-sumoto and Professor Imamura fromthe RISH, and Mr. Okamoto, head ofthe International Academic Collabora-tion Division, Uji Campus of KyotoUniversity.

On the way back from the botanicalgarden, we gathered for a dinner on theshore, where we watched a beautifulsunset. It was indeed the “sunset” of themeeting in Indonesia and of the Core-University project spanning a decade,however, it impressed on us that thetime is right to start new advanced pro-jects. In this sense, it was a “sunrise”for our future. Last but not least, wewould like to congratulate again theorganizing team for this memorial sym-posium which was completed withgreat success.

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No. 17 September 2005

6th International Wood ScienceSymposium: A new sunrise from Bali

Dr. Junji Sugiyama and Ms. Yoko OkahisaRISH, Kyoto University

Excursion in the Ekakarya Botanical Garden

A ceremony of tree planting

This February when the openingceremony of our satellite office washeld in Cibinong, Professor Yuji Ima-mura, the Japanese coordinator of theCore University Program, met the LIPIChairman, Professor Umar AnggaraJenie, and invited him to Japan. Prof.Umar accepted the invitation and visit-ed Kyoto University and the JSPSheadquarters in Tokyo in the middle ofJuly together with Dr. Endang Sukara,the Indonesian coordinator of the CoreUniversity Program, and Dr. BambangSubiyanto, the Director of the Researchand Development Unit for Biomateri-als.

The LIPI chairman and his col-leagues arrived at Uji in the morning onJuly 10, 2005, and in the afternoon theyvisited RISH. First, they met professorsof RISH and discussed future collabo-rations under JSPS’s new Asian COREProgram based on the achievement ofthe on-going Core University Programin the Field of Wood Science. Theyalso made an inspection of several lab-oratories and facilities of RISH. Then,Prof. Umar Anggara Jenie and Dr.Endang Sukara gave talks about “LIPIand the National Agenda” and “Biodi-versity for Sustainable Development -the Case of Indonesia from LIPI’s Per-spective-”, respectively. More than 60people attended the seminar, includingalmost all the Indonesian students onthe Uji campus, including those notonly from RISH but also from otherInstitutes. Following the discussiontime, we had a welcome party for ourIndonesian friends. Pictures were takenat the end of the party, and we all had areally enjoyable time.

On July 13, they visited the head-quarters of Kyoto University and metProfessor Kojiro Irikura, the Vice Pres-ident of the university. The Indonesian

delegates and Prof. Irikura outlinedtheir international exchange policies,respectively. On this occasion, Prof.Umar Anggara Jenie proposed theexchange of a Memorandum of Under-standing (MOU) between LIPI andKyoto University. We, RISH, and theResearch and Development Unit forBiomaterials, LIPI, have alreadyexchanged a MOU at the faculty level,and the present proposal is to expandthis to the university level. Prof. Irikuraagreed with the proposal immediately,and the exchange of the Kyoto Univer-sity-LIPI MOU is under way.

Then, the LIPI chairman and hiscolleagues went to Tokyo and visitedthe JSPS headquarters. They met Mr.Isao Kiso (Executive Director of JSPS),Mr. Hiroshi Fukai (Director of theInternational Program Department,JSPS), Mr. Hiromichi Endo (Head ofthe Asian Program Division, JSPS),and Ms. Fumie Hara (Deputy Head ofthe Asian Program Division, JSPS).From RISH, Professor Yuji Imamuraand Dr. Toshiaki Umezawa attendedthe meeting together with Mr. TakeshiOkamoto (Head of the InternationalAcademic Collaboration Division,Kyoto University) and Mr. Kiyotaka

Tobita (Chief of the InternationalAffairs Section, Kyoto University).First, Professor Imamura outlined theon-going JSPS-LIPI Core UniversityProgram in the Field of Wood Science,while Mr. Kiso explained the new JSPSAsian Programs, especially importantdifferences between the new AsianCORE Program and the on-going bilat-eral Core University Program. Then,Professor Umar Anggara Jenieexpressed that LIPI will do their best tosupport future collaborations betweenRDUB and RISH, especially in termsof the application of the Asian COREProgram under the principle of an equalpartnership. I believe that the meetingwas successful and fruitful in terms ofour future collaboration.

This is the last fiscal year of the on-going Core University Program, and itwas really timely to have the Chairmanof LIPI and his colleagues visit early inthe fiscal year, so that we could deepenour mutual understanding. In addition,this was a very important opportunityto start preparations for the new JSPSACORE Program.

4

The meeting with Prof. Irikura, the vice president of Kyoto University

The LIPI Chairman visited Kyoto University and JSPS this July

Prof. Toshiaki UmezawaRISH, Kyoto University

The welcome party for the LIPI Chairman of RISH

The sustainable management offorests is becaming more and moreimportant especially in South-East Asiawhere it supports a harmonization ofthe ecology and economy of countries.In Indonesia, Acacia mangium is a veryimportant fast growing tree, plantationsof which cover around one millionhectares(ha). Although the planting ofAcacia mangium was intended to pro-vide a resource for the pulp industry,due to the cost of processing pulp, anew approach to the effective utiliza-tion of Acacia mangium is needed. Inconsideration of the increasing socialdemand for sustainable forest manage-ment, solution that achieves a harmo-

nization of ecology and economy isrequired.

RISH, LIPI, and MHP haveexchanged a Memorandum of Under-standing (MOU) concerning researchon the Sustainable Management ofForests and their Products on Planta-tions of ACACIA MANGIUM. RISH,the Research Institute for a SustainableHumanosphere, will contribute toestablishing a solar energy-dependentsustainable society amenable to theenvironment since it is engaged in theinnovation of a new field, humanos-pheric science. This interdisciplinaryfield is centered in the concept of ahumanosphere, which is composed of

four vertical regions ofthe planet: the humanhabitat, the forest sphere,the atmosphere, and outerspace, in which humanactivities take place. LIPI,the Indonesian Institute ofScience, is responsiblefor organizing researchand development and pro-viding guidance, servicesand advice to the govern-ment on national scienceand technology policies.M.H.P., PT. Musi HutanPersada, is an Indonesian

enterprise special-izing in timberestates in SouthSumatra and act-ing to developand manage for-est plantations asthe ultimate cen-ter of Indonesianforestry, which meets all the criteriaand standards of international forestrypractices.

The MOU was made on the 1st ofApril, 2005. The objective of this coop-eration is to promote collaborativeresearch projects in the area of Sustain-able Management of Forests and theirProducts on Plantations of Acaciamangium. The activities to be conduct-ed under the MOU shall include - butare not limited to- such areas of mutualinterest as follows:1. Collaborative research projects2. Joint seminars3. Exchanges of expertise and personnel4. Collaborative scientific projects5. Other activities mutually agreed

upon by the three partiesAt the end of the Acacia Session of

the 6th International Wood ScienceSymposium, Bali, Indonesia, on behalfof each party, Prof. Hiroshi Matsumoto,Director of RISH, Prof. BambangSubiyanto, Head of the Research andDevelopment Unit for Biomaterials andMr. Joedarso Djojosoebroto, PresidentDirector of M.H.P. met and claspedhands in front of the participants (fromleft to right: Prof. Subiyanto, Prof. Mat-sumoto and Mr. Djojosoebroto).

No. 17 September 2005

5

Research as part of the LIPI-JSPSCore University Program in the Field ofWood Science for fiscal year 2003-2006 is going on. This project was

started in April 2003 with the goals ofproviding new ways to prevent globalwarming.

Forests in Indonesia have been esti-

mated to fix 2 million tons of CO2

every year. Fast-growing trees play animportant role in the fixing of CO2.Therefore, an increase in the capacityof these trees is considered an effectivemeasure against global warming.

This project is being pursued to: 1)produce transgenic trees highly capableof fixing CO2 using fast-growingspecies including Mangium (Acaciamangium Wild.) and Sengon (Paraseri-anthes falcataria (L.) Nielsen) and theirhybrids, 2) micropropagate these trees

Tissue Culture and Molecular Breedingof Fast-Growing Tropical Trees

Prof. Nobuo YoshizawaFaculty of Agriculture, Utsunomiya University

= Research Project No. 23 =

Clasping of hands by Prof. Hiroshi Matsumoto, Prof. Bambang Subiyanto, and Mr. Joedarso

Djojosoebroto at the end of 6th IWSS conference

MOU between RISH, LIPI and M.H.PProf. Hiroyuki Yano

RISH, Kyoto University

in vitro, 3) examine their wood anato-my and quality, and 4) analyze geneti-cally the new natural products fromleaves of conifer trees.

In December 2004, a group inIndonesia led by Dr. Hayashi producedtransgenic trees of Mangium and Sen-gon, which overexpressed the xyloglu-canase and cellulose genes, by usingthe Agrobacterium method. Some ofthe transgenic trees grew very wellpotentially as a result of acceleratedloosening in their cell walls. Next,hybrids of Acacia mangium and A.auriculiformis wereproduced in Malaysia.A protein analysis ofthe structural expres-sion of the genes intro-duced in these trees isin progress.

Research groups inboth Indonesia andJapan carried out the invitro micropropagationof both species usingseveral explants (seeds,stem cuttings, and shoot

tips) and media with vari-ous combinations of PGR.As a result, 750 Mangiumand 400 Sengon plantingmaterials were obtained.Some 130 Mangium and30 Sengon trees are beingkept at the SerpongBotanical Garden. Theproliferation of transgenictrees is also beingattempted. Calli were alsoinduced successfully

using petioles, hypocotyls, cotyledons,and embryo axisis, but are still in cul-ture maintenance.

For a genetic analysis of themonoterpene compounds in conifertrees, leaf samples were collected fromthe Serpong Botanical Garden. Headspace monoterpenes from needles weredetected in Agathis dammara, Pinusmerkusii and Podocarpus neriifolius,but not in Araucaria excelsa. Monoter-pene compounds such as myrcene,limonene, α-pinene and 3-carene weredetected. The development of new nat-

ural products for drugs is in progress.In September 2005, Japanese

researchers visited the 13-year-old Sen-gon plantation in the Serpong BotanicalGarden to study growth characteristics,and measure MOE using tapping andstress-wave velocity methods. Woodanatomy and mechanical properties arenow under investigation.

Staff of Research Project No. 23(Japanese side)Nobuo Yoshizawa* (Utsunomiya Univ.):

Tissue culture of tropical trees

Shinso Yokota (Utsunomiya Univ.):

Tissue culture of tropical trees

Takahisa Hayashi (RISH, Kyoto Univ.):

Genetic engineering

Toshiaki Umezawa (RISH, Kyoto Univ.):

Heart wood formation in tropical trees

Keiichi Baba (RISH, Kyoto Unv.):

Tension wood formation in transgenic trees

Hiroyuki Yamamoto (Nagoya Univ.):

Characterization of growth between wild-

type and transgenic trees

Ryo Funada (Tokyo Univ. Agri. Technol.):

Growth and wood quality in tropical trees

Takeshi Furuno (Shimane Univ.):

Genetic analysis of monoterpenes in tropical

conifer trees

Sadanobu Kato (Shimane Univ.):

Genetic analysis of monoterpenes in tropical

conifer trees

(Indonesian side)Nurul Sumiasuri** (RC for Biotechnol., LIPI):

In vitro regeneration

Dody Priadi (RC for Biotechnol., LIPI):

In vitro regeneration

Enny Sudarmonowati (RC for Biotechnol., LIPI):

Genetic engineering

Sri N. Hartati (RC for Biotechnol., LIPI):

Genetic engineering

(Malaysian side)Nor Aini Ab Shukor (Putra Univ.):

Molecular breeding

6

Research in the Sengon plantation in Serpong Botanical Garden

Group photo of the Research team from Japan and Indonesia in Sengon plantation

Development of Structural LVL fromTropical Wood and Evaluation of its

Performance as the StructuralComponents of Wooden Houses

Mr. Maryoko HadiResearch Institute of Human Settlements Technology

In Indonesia, the use of woods forbuilding materials has been growingrapidly, dominated by a demand forsawn timbers produced by very oldwood species from natural forests. As aconsequence, the resources for lumberare decreasing rapidly due to the verylong time needed to grow trees forsawn timbers.

To overcome the problems arisingfrom loss of lumber resources, theJapan Society for the Promotion of Sci-

= Research Project No. 19 =

ence (JSPS) organized for Japanese,Indonesian and Malaysian scientists toconduct a joint research program tostudy the utilization of engineeredwood as an alternative to sawn woodsfor structural components of woodenhouses.

Participation in research into the,“Development of Structural LVL fromTropical Wood and Evaluation of theirPerformance as Structural Componentsof Wooden Houses”, has involved fiveJapanese, six Indonesian, and threeMalaysian researchers and one Japan-ese Cooperator/LVL producer. Since2003, activities have comprised fiveResearch projects conducted in Japanand two in Indonesia, producing fivepublished papers and one in prepara-tion.

Laminated Veneer Lumber (LVL)is gaining a reputation as a newly engi-neered wood product in Malaysia andIndonesia. There is already plenty ofinformation available regarding pro-duction techniques for LVL, butresearch info how to utilize LVL hasonly just started. As a structural com-ponent, LVL must meet certain stan-dards. LVL can be utilized as a build-ing material for housing construction,to replace solid woods produced fromnatural forests.

Tests of the physical and mechani-cal properties of LVL have been con-ducted in Japan and Indonesia, and pro-

duced almost the same results. Testingof Falcata’s Laminated Veneer Board(LVB) was performed in Japan by com-paring two different plywoods. Theoverall results showed that LVL andLVB, the basic materials of which areRubber and Falcata wood, were suit-able as structural components, providedthat the design matched the material’sbehavior.

Investigation of the struc-tural system in Japan involvedthe Fink-type roof trusses test,which yielded good results,although steel bolts which cancreate slip were used as fasten-ers. The floor system was alsotested and showed goodbehavior due to lateral load.

Howe type roof trussestests with several types of con-nectors were conducted inIndonesia. The nailed plywoodgusset connection has a small deforma-tion, having more strength than the loaddesign, but is brittle, whereas bamboodwelled plywood gusset behaved wellas ductile and was able to surpass thedesigned load limit. The two-dimensionframe test showed fair ductile behavior,but revealed fairly great displacement.

The result of the structural systeminvestigation showed that as a system,LVL and LVB are reliable as structuralcomponents and elements in the con-struction of wooden buildings.

Although some problems concern-ing the parameters needed to design awooden building were only partiallysolved, the overall results could be uti-lized in the implementation of woodenbuilding construction.

From all the tests which have beendone, the researchers obtained goodtheoretical information as well as engi-

neering techniques, which were directlyapplicable. However, investigations ofthe reliability of LVL have not beencompleted. Some testing and evaluationof the structural system are still to beconducted.

Joint research activities involvingseveral countries has led to theexchange of ideas and experiences, andnetworking for manpower develop-ment. For these reasons, such activitiesshould be not only continued butexpanded on.

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No. 17 September 2005

One day in October 1991 on theShinkansen platform of Kyoto Station,I was looking around for the personwho was to pick me and saw quite a tallJapanese gentleman who gave me awarm smile. “Are you Anita? And areyou Imamura-sensei?” That was ourfirst conversation. Prof. Imamura wasthe person who introduced me to the

Wood Research Institute. Attracted bythe research environment in Japan, Iapplied for a scholarship fromMobusho with the full support ofTokyo University. Although I passedthe examinations I could not go, as oneof my legs was gripped. In late 1992,AUSAID announced that I was one ofthe candidates for a PhD degree at Mel-

bourne University. At that time, Ithought that Japan was the reason whymy leg was gripped, but again I couldnot go. I had to bury my dream.

Obtaining a PhD degree has beenmy dream since childhood and I havenever given up on it. In 1994 I took amaster’s course at the Bandung Insti-tute of Technology in the Program witha major in timber grading. I chose tim-ber grading because Indonesia had hun-dreds of species of trees for buildingmaterials in the market without anyparameters to predict the strength of thetimber. Fortunately, I had a chance tovisit Japan in 1995 and met some pro-fessors at the Wood Research Institute.

The story of how a long-helddream came true

Dr. Anita FirmantiResearch Institute for Human Settlements Technology

Researcher testing the structural system

I joined the LIPI-JSPS Core UniversityProgram in 1996 and have since hadseveral chances to come to Japan forcooperative research. Prof. Ishiharafirst gave me the idea to conductresearch on the fire resistance of wood-based materials, which I did. In the sec-ond IWSS in Serpong, Prof. Sasakigave me the brilliant idea of conductingresearch related to fire resistance andmechanical properties. I finished mymaster’ degree study while I didresearch in Indonesia and sometimes inJapan.

Gradually the dream that I hadburied deep inside was fulfilled. Forsome years I had the opportunity toconduct cooperative research withKyoto University as part of the LIPI-JSPS Core University Program. In thebeginning Prof. Ishihara and then Prof.Kawai gave me the chance to carry outa long-term cooperative research pro-gram in his laboratory. He also gave methe chance to apply for the Ronpaku

Scholarship. I realized that I had verylimited knowledge and capabilities, butwho can deny God is will? In the mostdifficult time of my private life, myapplication for the Ronpaku Scholar-ship was accepted. For me, Prof. Kawaihad the power to make it possible.

Adjusting from a visiting researcherto a student was not easy for me and inthe first year of the program I was veryconfused. Then, my first paper wasrejected by an international journal. Iwas frustrated and almost gave-up, fac-ing the fact that my private life was a

mess and my studying was no goodeither. In the second year, I was inJapan for almost two weeks when mylate son was diagnosed with cancer.Prof. Kawai and Prof. Yano kindlyallowed me to be were him until hisdeath. My spirit was broken by hispassing. Although I tried hard, healingtook quite a long time for me. In thethird year, my spirits were raised by theacceptance of my second paper. In thefourth year, I finished three papers, one

of which was directly accept-ed. My private life was upand down, getting better withmy re-marriage but gettingworst with the tumor in myeye. In the fifth year, I wasblessed with the acceptanceof my fifth paper and finish-ing the dissertation.

Just like a roller coaster,during the hardest times withthe full-stress of graduatingor not graduating, doctorssuspected I had endrometrialcancer. Having lost the per-

son closest to me to cancer, the newsalmost drove me crazy. Maybe affectedby the news that Kyoto University gaveme a PhD degree, the tumors disap-peared. What a miracle, the doctorcould not believe his eyes and checkedme many times. I am sure that Godloves me in many ways. Finally, mydream of obtaining a PhD degree hascome true. I was formally graduated onMarch 23rd, 2005. I would like to con-vey my sincere gratitude to all of theprofessors and everyone at JSPS andLIPI who supported me, I could not

possibly mention them all here. I amafraid to be too joyful because I alwaysremember what Kahlil Gibran said in“The Prophet”: Together joy and sor-row come, and when one sits alonewith you at your board, remember thatthe other is asleep upon your bed.

I wrote this story with the hope thatjunior students can learn somethingfrom this, at least not to give-up easilyand work harder than me because theyhave the opportunity to make theirdreams come true while they areyoung. The degree gave me moreresponsibility to share something withmy country. Maybe my efforts are likedust in the wind but I will do my best.The earthquake disasters in Indonesiahave made our people realize theimportance of applying timber housesin the earthquake zones our ancientancestors did. But, with the limitedsupply of high-quality timber recently,the results of my long-term studiesneed to be applied. What hard workawaits me. I am happy that in the laststages of my studying I had the oppor-tunity to enjoy the precious Fuji-sanand beautiful Sakura as symbols ofJapan. I tried many I foods even someJapanese could not eat like natto anduni and wore a kimono. Japan is mysecond home, the place where I couldmake my dream come true.

Title Back:Illustrated by Tadayoshi Yamamoto, Mem-ber of Japan Contemporary Arts and CraftsAssociation

8

Published by H. Matsumoto(Director of RISH)Edited by Y. Imamura (Coordinatorof JSPS-LIPI Core University Pro-gram in the Field of Wood Science)T. Umezawa and T. Hata

Research Institute forSustainable Humanosphere (RISH)Kyoto UniversityGokasho, Uji, Kyoto 611-0011, JapanTel: +81-774-38-3601/3801Fax: +81-774-38-3600http://www.rish.kyoto-u.ac.jp/

Researcher showing the certificate of degree

Researcher testing samples in the laboratory