The National Research and Innovation Agency (BRIN), as the coordinator of talent management in the fields of research and innovation, continues to initiate various scientific collaboration programs to foster the emergence of outstanding researchers. One of its key initiatives is the Indonesia Research and Innovation Fair (IRIFair), a competitive platform designed to identify top research talents at the undergraduate and master’s levels.
The successful implementation of IRIFair in 2023 and 2024 has laid a strong foundation for IRIFair BRIN 2025. This competition not only serves as a venue for presenting and showcasing research work, but also as an important talent-scouting event that strengthens the national research and innovation ecosystem. This year, IRIFair features three main categories Scholar Research Competition (SRC), Research Poster Competition (RPC), and 3-Minute Research Pitch Competition (3MR). Targeting the best talents from universities across Indonesia.
The series of activities begins with registration, administrative screening based on participant data and research summaries, followed by a substance evaluation through online presentation and Q&A sessions. Participants also have the opportunity to join online workshops on effective short-presentation techniques and scientific poster development.
The competition is divided into four fields: Life and Nature Sciences, Technology and Engineering Sciences, Social Sciences and Humanities, and Earth, Space and Marine Sciences. In 2025, the final round is held in Yogyakarta, hosted by the Indonesian Nuclear Technology Polytechnic on 9–10 September 2025.
Rich Mikhael participation in IRIFair BRIN 2025 has been an immensely valuable experience. In addition to being his first visit to Yogyakarta, Rich also took part in all three competition categories. Throughout the event, he joined a tour of the nuclear laboratories at the Indonesian Nuclear Technology Polytechnic and attended various inspiring sessions, including a personal branding workshop, a young researchers’ talk show, and a sharing session with LPDP.
Although Rich participated as a finalist this year, the experience provided him a meaningful opportunity to meet and engage with young researchers from various universities across Indonesia at both undergraduate and graduate levels and from diverse scientific fields, ranging from technology and social humanities to earth sciences and natural sciences. The wide range of presentations and discussions further broadened Rich’s understanding of current developments in interdisciplinary research.
Through this competition, Rich not only showcased his research on improving the performance and durability of catalysts in PEMFC technology, but also represented the Department of Physics and Parahyangan Catholic University on a national research stage. As a result, more participants, visitors, and stakeholders became acquainted with UNPAR as an institution actively contributing to the advancement of scientific knowledge.