The conference took the theme, “Natural Resources and Technology for Industry and Community” with the sub-theme “Adaptation and Innovation Research on Sustainable Natural Resources and Technology during the Covid-19 Pandemic”/ Topics covered include natural science and natural products, natural resource technology, information systems, tropical resources, tropical biodiversity, food science and food technology, and ethno-botany and ethno-zoology.

The conference began with remarks from the Chairman of the Committee Prof. Muhammad Basyuni, PhD, and was officially opened by the Rector of USU, Dr. Muryanto Amin, S.Sos., M.Si. On this occasion, the Rector expressed his appreciation to the committee that has organized the 3rd ICONART 2021. The activity is in line with USU’s vision as an international standard university characterized by local excellence and supports the spirit of “Transformation Towards the Ultimate” to position USU at an international level. The transformation is in accordance with USU’s vision and mission and Strategic Plan. The vision can also be implemented in real terms through academic activities in the form of teaching, research, and community service and is integrated into TALENTA’s academic excellence (Tropical Science and Medicine, Agroindustry, Local Wisdom, Energy (sustainable), Natrual Resources (biodiversity, forest, marine, mine, tourism, Technology (appropriate), and Arts (ethnic).

Through his remarks, the Rector also hoped that 3rd ICONART 2021 would be the right place for scientists, practitioners and academics to exchange and share experiences in the field of natural resources and technology.

ICONART 2021 is expected to provide an interdisciplinary platform for all participants ro present and discuss trends, current issues, and innovations in the field of natural resources technology.

At the 3rd ICONART 2021 activity, 5 (five) keynote speakers were presented, namely Prof. Dr. Valerio Causin (University of Padova, Italy), Dr. Thorsten Balke (University of Glasgow, UK), Dr. Alison KS Wee (Univerisity of Nottingham, Malaysia), Dr. Severino Salmo III, (University of the Philippines, Philippines), and Dr. Arida Susilowati (Universitas Sumatera Utara). Representatives at the conference were not only keynote speakers representing 5 different countries, but also seminar participants attended by spreakers from South Africa, Mexico, Japan, Malaysia and Indonesia. The conference committee received 134 papers from various institutions and went through a fairly rigorous review in terms of content, format and plagiarism (maximum 24% similarity). The committee has determined 108 papers that are eligible to be presented. The selected papers will be published in the IOP Conference Series: Earth and Environmental Science, indexed by Scopus and Web of Science (WoS). The two best presenters at the 3rd ICONART 2021 in a row are Muhammad Ikhwan (morning session) and Mimi Nurminah (afternoon session).

The conference was closed by the Dean of the USU Faculty of Forestry, Dr. Rudi Hartono, S.Hut, M.Si. On the occasion he also gave a fairly high appreciation for the implementation of the 3rd ICONART 2021. The Dean hopes that a similar event can be held again in 2022 through the 4th ICONART event in 2022.

On the second day, a virtual tour was carried out via zoom, which began with a trip to the city of Medan and continued with several potential tourist destinations in North Sumatra, including Gunung Leuser National Park, Lake Toba, Tangkahan, Bukit Lawang, Lubuk Kertang and Pulau Sembilan. Although it was done virtually, the tour attracted enough participants’ attention and hoped to be able to visit some of these locations directly after the Covid pandemic ended.(©ULC)

Author: Renny Julia Harahap - Humas

Interviewee: - - -

Photographer: The ICONART - -