In June, Dr. Eleanor Slade was invited to lecture in the field course component of the Tropical Biodiversity and Sustainable Development’s 6th International Summer Course (ISC) at the University of Gadja Mada (UGM), Yogyakarta, Indonesia), Yogyakarta. The invitation was extended to her students, so Calvin Leong, Nicole Dorville, Ong Xin Rui and Zann Teoh joined in!
The course was trans-disciplinary, with the aim of integrating approaches across different scientific disciplines to balance tropical biodiversity conservation with sustainable and equitable business practices in the growing economies of Southeast Asia. The course had 3 parts: a set of online lectures pre-departure, in-person lectures on-site at the Faculty of Biology, and a field course. We spent a total of 6 amazing days in Yogyakarta for the in-person-part with 70 other students from Chiba University, Kasetsart University, Universiti Tun Hussein Onn Malaysia (UTHM), Universiti Tunku Abdul Rahman (UTAR), University of the Philippines Los Banos (UPLB) and UGM itself.
The online lectures were set in July in a hybrid format. The various cautionary case-studies addressed critical socio-environmental issues, but also gave inspiration by championing current successes. They also highlighted several emerging ideas in shifting towards greener practices in biomedical sciences, biochemical engineering and heavy industry.
Online lecture title slides from esteemed guest speakers across the world. Photos 2023 UGMFoB Media team
Upon our arrival, the in-person lectures that followed through to Tuesday were centered around the issues of biodiversity and society. These were very appropriate topics for the context of Southeast Asia where medicinal practices, rituals and local industries are so tightly intertwined with the local flora and fauna. The lectures rounded off with how we could use knowledge of AI and trackers to monitor biodiversity and was a fan-favourite with its interactive session. Dr. S Lopez-Marcano (Griffith U) pit the crowd of mostly amateur biologists against the computer AI counting fishes in murky waters, and the AI won most of the time! Another crowd favourite lecture was The Importance of Wildlife to Support Nature Sustainability, where Dr. M Abubakar Abdul-latif (UTHM) held the crowd’s attention with an interactive, provocative session that spoke about our treasure that is Southeast Asia's unique biodiversity.
The full cohort listening to the regional in-person guest speakers. Photos 2023 UGMFoB Media team
It wasn’t all work and study – in the evenings we were promptly whisked away to see the sights of Yogyakarta. There was Taman Sari, a previous water castle and bathing area of the Sultans and their wives between from 1765, before the buildings fell into ruin during the British occupation in 1812 and the earthquake in 1867. We also visited the recently refurbished Yogyakarta Museum, with a tour by the local docents and student liaison officers. The historical artifacts gathered over the last 500 years were filled with many familiar (and unfamiliar) sights and designs common to the different Malay, Hindu and Buddhist cultures, reminding us of Singapore’s roots to the region's cultures. We also visited the Candi Sojiwan Buddhist temple where Dr. Zuliyati Rohmah (UGM) and a team of student docents from the Cultural Preservation Centre led the tour. We were regaled with stories from the stone carvings of various folklore fables, and rested in the serenity of the cool, dim interior of the temple complex.
Taman Sri palace, Yogyakarta museum, Candi Sojiwan and Malioboro shopping district. Photos 2023 Nicole Dorville, Nur Liyana Binti Mohd Nasir (UTAR)
While we were working and playing hard, Eleanor, who had arrived on Tuesday, received the warmest of welcomes by the UGM Faculty of Biology staff. She attended a dinner to discuss building future collaborations between the UGM Faculty of Biology, UTHM, UPLB, NTU, and UTAR. She also received a gift of a UGM scarf which came in very handy on the cold nights up in the mountains during the field trip!
A warm welcome and a hot dinner by the UGM staff. Photos 2023 UGMFoB Media team
Midweek onwards was the field portion. Bright and early on Wednesday morning (6am!), we visited Pantai Porok, a marine reserve that UGM was allowed to use for research and teaching purposes. In the cool, clear waters of the rocky and grassy intertidal zone, we learnt to ID different marine invertebrates, algae and marine plants. Xin Rui and Zann were so engrossed by the experience that they got bowled over by a large incoming wave, but only sustained minor scratches.
A beautiful morning learning about rock pools (and the effects of falling onto them) Photos 2023 Nicole Dorville, UGMFoB Media team, Zann Teoh
We spent the rest of the week in Jatimulyo Village, starting with a lecture on the bird conservation efforts in Jatimuluyo; aninspirational history of how the Wildlife Rescue Centre in Yogyakarta transformed the area from a poaching to a protected area via eco-tourism. We also toured around Omah Kopi Sulingan, an area that practices sustainable agriculture, to view coffee honey and goat-milk production. Students got to try their hand at distilling the slow-pour coffee and to taste the stingless bee honey. Brave students got to feed and milk a goat, while even braver students got to try the (extremely fresh!) milk.
Apiaries of stingless bees Tetragonula laeviceps, coffee beans left to dry out, a staff member showing us how to milk a goat. Photos 2023 Nur Liyana Binti Mohd Nasir (UTAR), Wong Wai Hong (UTHM)
As for the main reason why we were here, Eleanor gave an inspiring lecture on Insect Diversity and Conservation, reminding everyone of the various important and overlooked roles that insects play in our various ecosystems. The lecture ended on a positive note, with advice on the various research gaps and positions that students could possibly fill should they aspire to contribute towards tropical or invertebrate biodiversity conservation and natural history. We also had a hands-on portion following this lecture, where the students got to hand-sample, preserve and examine the different specimens collected from traps that Eleanor, Xin Rui and friend of Eleanor’s Dr. Mukhlis Jamal Musa Holle (UGM) had set up earlier. Read more here!
Baited pitfall traps, butterfly traps and Flight Intercept Traps. Photos 2023 UGMFoB Media team, Wong Wai Hong (UTHM), Zann Teoh
Speaking of our lab, we would like to make special mention of our dear Calvin, who gave several very entertaining and educational trap demonstrations throughout the trip, won a suspended keropok-eating contest with his hands behind his back, and eventually (not to our surprise) won the “Most Active” participant during the closing ceremony! The reasoning the UGM team gave was that they were so impressed by his enthusiastic demonstrations and by him constantly rummaging in the bushes for invertebrates to photograph or examine. Several students also said that they felt less fear and disgust from insects just by listening to his talks!
Calvin’s various activities and acceptance speech. Photos 2023 Nicole Dorville, Zann Teoh
On the whole, this was an educational and valuable networking experience for all 5 of us, as we made many new friends (especially from our “next door” neighbours in UTHM and UTAR) and new “ento-lover” friends from around the region!
A picture of the “ento-lovers” of the 6th ISC with all our favourite insects! Photos 2023 Dianne Joy Aguilon (UPLB)
Here’s a photo dump of some of the various other memories that we did not have time to mention:
Photos 2023 Dianne Joy Aguilon (UPLB), Nicole Dorville, Ong Xin Rui, UGMFoB Media team
Written by Nicole Dorville and Eleanor Slade