ITS’ Professor Awarded Prestigious UK Grant

A groundbreaking achievement from the Institut Teknologi Sepuluh Nopember (ITS) has once again placed Indonesia on the international research map. Professor Dr. rer. pol. Heri Kuswanto, a leading expert from the Department of Statistics at ITS, has been awarded a prestigious research grant from the UK’s Advanced Research and Invention Agency (ARIA).

Out of around 120 global submissions, only 21 research proposals were selected by ARIA, and ITS stands proudly as the only institution from Indonesia to receive this honor. With a grant totaling £345,000, Prof. Heri now joins the ranks of researchers from world-renowned institutions such as the University of Oxford, the University of Cambridge, and Imperial College London.

His research project, titled "Towards Robust and Unbiased Validation of SAI Simulations (TRUSS): Advancing Ensemble Calibration for Reliable Geoengineering Impact Analysis", aims to tackle a major challenge in climate science, ensuring that simulations used in geoengineering, specifically Stratospheric Aerosol Injection (SAI), are reliable and free from bias. SAI is a form of Solar Radiation Management (SRM), an increasingly discussed technology that involves dispersing particles in the stratosphere to reflect sunlight and reduce global temperatures.

“Current climate models often rely on averaging data across multiple simulations, overlooking the significant variability between models. This leads to biased results and can jeopardize climate policy decisions,” Prof. Heri explained. To address this, the TRUSS project proposes an innovative approach by integrating Bayesian Model Averaging (BMA) with machine learning algorithms such as XGBoost. The goal: a more robust and scientifically valid framework for evaluating the impact of SRM. “This isn’t just a technical breakthrough; it will provide crucial scientific evidence to guide future global climate strategies,” he emphasized. The research will focus on Indonesia and Southeast Asia, analyzing how SRM might influence extreme droughts, rainfall patterns, and other regional climate indicators. Model validation will be performed by comparing simulations with historical climate data.

Prof. Heri, who recently participated in the Degrees Global Forum (DGF) 2025 in Cape Town, South Africa, is collaborating with international experts, including Dr. Daniela Visioni from Cornell University (USA) and Dr. Matthew Henry from the UK. The three-year project will also engage two fellow ITS Statistics lecturers and five students from statistics and informatics programs, ensuring strong local capacity building in data science and climate modeling.

Originally from Gresik, Prof. Heri views this grant not only as a personal achievement but also as a testament to Indonesia’s scientific capability on the world stage. “This recognition affirms ITS’ position as a global player in cutting-edge, fundamental research,” he said. The TRUSS project directly contributes to several Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)—most notably Goal 13: Climate Action, Goal 4: Quality Education, and Goal 17: Partnerships for the Goals. It strengthens the role of higher education in fostering innovation and global collaboration to safeguard the future of our planet. This achievement also reflects ITS’ growing impact as a world-class research university—a hub where local brilliance meets global challenges.