Musriyadi Nabiu

When I joined SMERU, Indonesia was in a period of economic crisis. As a lecturer, of course, I wanted to have research experience and I thought SMERU was one of the places where I could gain research experience on a larger scale.

The first experience was during the recruitment process, where I was probably the only applicant from outside Java. When I was accepted and later joined the other researchers, I gained a lot of experience, including the following.

• I gained the experience of collaborating with SMERU researchers from various disciplines.
• Due to SMERU's teamwork pattern, each researcher is allowed to lead a team for a particular study. Here each researcher is given the opportunity to become a team leader, and this was a very valuable experience.
• The research activities require researchers to see a problem from various perspectives and gain information from the research locations, compelling them to learn a lot.
• The technique of preparing reports that is tiered up to the final report, which is then distributed to stakeholders, requires accurate and accountable information because with this report, we also provide opportunities for stakeholders to discuss the research findings in more detail.
• There is pride when the recommended findings are adopted by the stakeholders (e.g., the government) in policymaking.
• Being a part of SMERU allowed me to get to know many parties, including government agencies, NGOs, and other parties which I may not be able to find in my current workplace.