USU PUBLIC RELATIONS – The Mangrove Science and Technology Center of Excellence (PUI Mangrove) at Universitas Sumatera Utara (USU), in collaboration with the USU Faculty of Forestry, held The 8th International Conference on Natural Resources and Technology (ICONART) 2026 on Wednesday (September 23, 2026), at Hotel GranDhika Medan. Held in a hybrid format, the event carried the theme “Natural Resources and Technology for Achieving Sustainable Development Goals through Academic, Industry, and Community.”

USU Vice Rector for Research, Innovation, and Cooperation, Prof. Dr. Eng. Himsar Ambarita, S.T., M.T., stated in his remarks that ICONART serves as one of USU’s internationalization platforms, bringing together researchers in natural resources and technology from various countries.

“ICONART serves as a platform for researchers in natural resources and technology from USU, Indonesia, and the international community. This event is also part of Universitas Sumatera Utara’s internationalization efforts,” said Prof. Himsar.

(Photo: Muhammad Andriansyah)

Prof. Himsar noted that the conference is expected to maintain high standards of quality in its implementation and produce research outcomes that make a tangible impact on the development of sustainable technologies, particularly in natural resource management.

Meanwhile, Vice Dean for Research, Community Service, Cooperation, and Information at the USU Faculty of Forestry, Dr. Anita Zaitunah, S.Hut., M.Sc., stated that ICONART 2026 serves as an important forum for strengthening collaboration among academia, industry, and communities in addressing current environmental challenges.

“This year’s ICONART theme is highly relevant to the environmental challenges we face. Mangrove ecosystems play an important role in maintaining biodiversity, storing carbon, protecting communities, and supporting sustainable livelihoods,” said Dr. Anita.

(Photo: Muhammad Andriansyah)

Meanwhile, Chair of the ICONART 2026 Organizing Committee, Prof. Mohammad Basyuni, S.Hut., M.Si., Ph.D., explained that the conference serves not only as a scientific forum but also as a platform for building collaborative networks and generating innovations in natural resource management.

“ICONART is more than just a conference; it is a platform for knowledge exchange, innovation, and collaboration. We hope that the ideas and partnerships developed through this event will contribute to better natural resource management and support the achievement of sustainable development,” he said.

This year’s ICONART featured a number of international speakers, including Dr. Sheriza Mohd Razali from Universiti Putra Malaysia; Prof. Koji Takayama from Tokyo Metropolitan University, Japan; Prof. Minkyu Moon from Kangwon National University, South Korea; Dr. Erni Jumilawaty from Universitas Sumatera Utara; Dr. Chandra Sagaran from the Malaysia Green Technology Society; and Prof. Nabil Ibrahim Elsheery from Tanta University, Egypt.