Satryo Leaves Without Message for Brian

JAKARTA, KOMPAS - Satryo Soematri Brodjonegoro did not leave any special message for Brian Yuliantoro. He only hopes that Brian can continue the work he left behind as Minister of Higher Education, Science, and Technology. After stepping down from his position, Satryo will return to his career outside the government as an academic.

Satryo believes that Brian does not require any special messages because they share more or less the same values as fellow graduates of the Bandung Institute of Technology (ITB). He hopes that Brian can work more optimally as the Minister of Higher Education, Science, and Technology (Mendiktisaintek).

"Regarding that, I am 60-70 years old while he is only 49. (Brian) is very (junior). He is the same age as my child. He already knows all my knowledge. This is connected, there is no problem," said Satryo after the handover ceremony of the ministerial position at the Ministry of Education, Culture, Research, and Technology office, Jakarta, Wednesday (19/2/2025).

The former Chairman of the Indonesian Science Association revealed that there have been no further offers from President Prabowo Subianto for a position in the government after this. He has chosen to return to the field of education as an academic.

Satryo also emphasized that he was not dismissed but rather resigned as a minister. He had prepared his resignation letter on Tuesday night (18/2/2025) and submitted it to the Minister of State Secretary Prasetyo Hadi on Wednesday afternoon (19/2/2025), a few hours before Brian was inaugurated as a minister at the Presidential Palace, Jakarta.

"The main reason is that I have worked hard for the past four months. However, since it may not meet the expectations of the government, I would rather resign than be dismissed," he said.

The General Chairperson of the Muhammadiyah Central Leadership, Haedar Nashir, hopes that Brian can advance and develop higher education.

Since Wednesday morning, Satryo has been at the Ministry of Higher Education and Science Office. In the afternoon, he left to avoid reporters who were waiting for his statement regarding the issue of a reshuffle or cabinet member change by using a car with the plate RI 25.

Then, at around 3:00 PM Western Indonesia Time, Satryo returned to the office of the Ministry of Education, Culture, Research, and Technology. He had just returned after submitting his resignation letter to the State Secretariat Ministry.

"Scientists' work is never finished. Scientists have many tasks. Academics, scientists. Basically, if we have the knowledge, have the will, we can definitely work. It doesn't have to be in office," said Satryo.

Meanwhile, Brian Yuliantoro revealed that he had just received news on Wednesday (19/2/2025) morning from Cabinet Secretary (Seskab) Teddy Indra Wijaya to be inaugurated in the afternoon to replace Satryo as Mendiktisaintek. He was assigned by Prabowo to ensure that the government's strategic programs in the Diktisaintek sector run smoothly.

"Diktisaintek is strategic for creating industry, conducting research, innovation. So we are carrying a heavy burden, but I am sure that with the togetherness of campuses throughout Indonesia, state and private, we can help support the priority programs of Astacita," said Brian.

Brian is known as a scientist in the field of nanomaterials for biosensors, energy, and solar panels (Solar PV). He currently serves as Vice Chancellor for Research and Innovation at ITB (2025-2029) and is committed to encouraging ITB to become a center of excellence for global research and innovation.

Born in Jakarta on July 27, 1975, Brian completed his undergraduate studies at the Bandung Institute of Technology (ITB) in 1999, then earned a master's degree in engineering in 2002 and completed his doctoral degree in 2005 from The University of Tokyo, Japan. He then became a post-doctoral researcher at AIST, Japan, before returning to Indonesia as a lecturer and researcher at ITB since 2006.

He is also the recipient of the 2024 Habibie Prize. The award was given in the engineering science category because he was considered to have developed nanomaterial-based sensor technology that is useful for detecting hazardous gases and pollutants, diagnosing cancer and hepatitis, and developing medical biosensor technology.

Throughout his career, Brian has served as Head of the ITB Physics Engineering Study Program, Head of the ITB Nanoscience and Nanotechnology Research Center (2018-2020), and Dean of the ITB Faculty of Industrial Technology (2020-2025). As a Visiting Professor at UC Berkeley, Queensland University, Nagoya University, KAUST, and the University of Tsukuba, he is also active in international collaborations.

Outside of academics, Brian is also active as the Chair of the Strategic Cooperation Study Institute of the West Java Muhammadiyah Regional Leadership Council (2023-2027) and Chair of the Cibeunying Kaler Muhammadiyah PC (2023-2027).

Separately, Muhammadiyah Central Leadership General Chairman Haedar Nashir hopes Brian can advance and develop higher education. He admitted to knowing Brian as a brilliant, accomplished, and progressive scientist.

Haedar asked Brian to implement a Higher Education Policy that strengthens character education and significantly increases the capabilities of superior and highly competitive Human Resources.

"I believe that the person concerned will be able to carry out the mandate from the President as well as possible," said Haedar.

The Public Relations Officer of the Young Expert and Household Officer of the Ministry of Education and Science and Technology, Neni Herlina, who had a feud with Satryo to the point that ASN of the Ministry of Education and Science and Technology protested last January, hopes that this change of minister will make the Ministry of Education and Science and Technology free from acts of violence, both between ASN and officials.

"The change of ministers is the president's authority. So, in principle, we, the association, only hope that arbitrary and violent incidents will no longer occur in Diktisaintek, carried out by anyone from employees or leaders," said Neni.

In addition to Brian, President Prabowo also inaugurated several other officials on Wednesday (2/19/2025). They are the Head of the Financial and Development Supervisory Agency (BPKP), the Head of the National Cyber and Crypto Agency (BSSN), and the Head of the Central Statistics Agency (BPS).