We took a flight to Bandung on the morning of 11th and reached after the opening of the conference and thus missed the group photo session. Over there, we met Prof. Maman Djauhari who had just returned to Bandung. He was the one responsible to lend his chauffeur, Ricky, to drive us around during the conference period. Our place of stay there was the Beehive Boutique Hotel, which is nearby the ITB campus (it is said that the hotel is renovated from one of the colonial houses there). So we were picked up to and fro to the conference venue (in the campus) from the hotel by Ricky. It is only much later I know how to get to the conference venue by walking.
The day we arrived was a Friday and I made an attempt to pray at the mosque nearby (Masjid Salman, I was told). It was already late and the mosque was already full. I saw some people giving newspaper away and was initially puzzled. Later I realized, it was to spread the paper on the lawn so that one can pray on it outside the mosque."Bought" some and prayed with many others outside (see photo below).
Later in the afternoon, after Prof. Maman's plenary lecture, we decided to go back to the hotel to complete our check-in and rest. Before coming down to Bandung, I've contacted Prof. Freddy Zen, asking whether I can see him while I am there. He replied positively. I met Prof. Zen years back when I attended KOSEF-JSPS Winter School way back in February 1996. Shared room with him then and it was also there that I've met Kwek. Since then we were in contact and I've invited Zen a few times to UPM while I was in ITMA. It was during the period when he took up the role of a high-rank official and later Deputy Minister, that I've lost touch with him. So we finally met in the cafe of the hotel. He came with his wife. He appeared thinner than how I remembered him. We chatted for more than an hour on personal matters and the progress of science in our countries. He asked me to come again to Bandung for holidays the next time and I really hope I will have the opportunity. Here are some pictures with him and his wife.
The next morning, we went to an interesting talk by keynote speaker Prof. Motoko Kotani, who applied geometrical and topological techniques to materials science. She is the Director of Advanced Institute for Mathematical Research (whose aim is to put mathematics in strong use for materials science) and also the President of Mathematical Society of Japan. Interacted with her a little (particular on her idea of using persistent homology to describe glass systems) and expressed the intent of inviting her to INSPEM one day. Here are some pics (sorry, low quality ones).
Later in the evening, I made it a point to attend Aqilah's presentation in one of the parallel sessions. During her presentation, there was a rock band playing outside and I told her, it must be a tribute to Bob (given that her work was based on papers of Bob's group). Hera again are some low quality pics.
Later that evening was the conference dinner, for which I persuaded Aqilah to attend as well (her hotel was in a different place and I asked Ricky's help to fetch her). Prof. Baskoro again took the lead of the conference dinner night entertaining us. He told me that the musicians there were professional musicians. You can see some pics below.
There were some award presentations for the speakers and coorganizers (see below).
Of course, as expected, Prof. Baskoro called up representatives from each country for a sing-song session. I was almost pulled by Prof. Baskoro to the stage but luckily a guy and two ladies from UTM represented Malaysia. Secretly, I did prepare to sing a song by Samsons, if it was necessary (thank God, it is not). Finally, there was this final sing-together. Some pics.
Some clearer pics courtesy of Dr. Rosnaini:
At the end of the dinner, it was announced that Vietnam will be the next host of ICREM. We were told that Philippines may joined us soon.
On the final day, was INSPEM's representative plenary speaker, Prof. Aida giving her talk.
Right after that, we quickly packed our bags and headed home. Here is Ricky sending us off.
ICREM is a nice opportunity for us (being the parent) to build up ties with our regional partners. Personally, I felt that this tie needs to gel up (at the conference, I only got to chat with Prof. Baskoro and of course Prof. Maman) and this can be done by having a proper standing committee whom (the majority) will be at each ICREM events. We need to strategise this matter for us to remain relevant.
Conferences are meant to serve the (relevant) scientific community. But it is unfortunate, these days, that conferences are held with a prime purpose of generating income. There is nothing wrong with generating income if one can do it but this purpose must remain subservient to the real purpose of the conference, which is the scientific community gathered together for whatever synergistic purposes. Because of monetary purposes which are further tied up with the KPIs, today one finds too many conferences. For Malaysia, with its relative smaller mathematical sciences community, one must be careful not to overdo it since our resources are limited.
It was then last week, I was told that I was appointed as a Deputy Chairman of an upcoming conference International Quantitative Research and Applications 2018 (IQRAC 2018). This is a conference mooted by the President of the Academy of Malaysian Mathematical Scientists Emeritus Professor Dato' Kamel Ariffin (our previous Director) and to be organised jointly with the Institute. Again it is important to identify the community which the conference wishes to address. I hope also this will be a biannual event so as not to coincide or cross path with ICREM itself. In that way, we have ICREM and IQRAC alternately each year. Let us hope for the best.
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