Research on Peatland Management Presented Internationally

Flooding is a common natural disaster in Indonesia, causing damage to property and sometimes loss of life. Determined to make a difference, Adibtya Asyahri decide to study a Master’s of Water Science abroad.

After earning a Water Engineering bachelor’s degree from Brawijaya University in Malang, East Java, Indonesia in 2015, Adib got a scholarship from the European Union through the Erasmus Mundus Joint Master Degrees program on Flood Risk Management.

It was a unique program that gave him the chance to study towards a double Master’s degree which integrated science, engineering, and socioeconomic topics through a range of courses taught by leading experts at four European universities: the IHE Delft Institute for Water Education in Delft, The Netherlands; Technical University of Dresden in Dresden, Germany; the Polytechnic University of Catalonia in Barcelona, Spain; and the University of Ljubljana in Slovenia. He finished the thesis during a research internship at the Danish Hydraulic Institute in Horsholm, Denmark.

At the end of his studies Adib came back to Indonesia to implement his knowledge. This was when he saw big opportunities to contribute more with APRIL.

The first time Adib heard about APRIL was from his college mate in the Netherlands, who had gone on to work at the company. His friend told him that APRIL granted him the opportunity to study hydrology and hydraulics with full financial support, and that it was seeking new experts with the relevant educational background.

"At that time, I was amazed by the company's commitment to implementing sustainability in every aspect of its operations. That commitment was proven by APRIL's significant investment in people development, research development, and peatland management," Adib said, adding that after joining the company in 2018, his opinion was proven to be right.

As a Hydro Informatics at APRIL, there are two kinds of projects that he has to handle at work: science projects and operational-related projects.

The science projects require him to focus on doing research on tropical peatland ecosystems. Tropical peatland has a vital carbon-water storage function and is host to a huge diversity of plant and animal species. Peatland ecosystems are extremely vulnerable to climate change and the impact of human activities.

Thus, his research is aimed at providing deeper science-based understanding for responsible peatland management to ensure sustainable fiber plantations. He also evaluates the impact of land-use change on peatland hydrology.

His first task was to help the operational team to identify water management problems in several areas around the company's operational zone. He analyzed the hydrologic and hydraulic aspects to provide the best mitigation solutions.

Adib even got the chance to publish his research in international journals and present it at various scientific forums, such as the European Geosciences Union Meeting and the American Geophysical Union Meeting. He also got a chance to work together with experts on peatland management from renowned universities and institutions.

APRIL does not only support professional growth, but also supports each employee's personal development by establishing numerous activity clubs.

Adib chose to be actively involved in Toastmaster International, a club for employees who are keen to develop their communication and leadership skills.

As part of APRIL, Adib still sees many opportunities to be explored which may enhance both his career and personal skills. He believes that with APRIL, he can do many more things that are good for the community, country, climate, customer, and company.