Bogor, 20 and 27 February 2026 – In an effort to strengthen science communication skills in public media, SEAMEO BIOTROP organized an Opinion Writing Workshop for Mass Media. The workshop was held in Ruang Jati over two sessions, on 20 and 27 February 2026.

In his opening remarks, the Director of SEAMEO BIOTROP, Prof. Edi Santosa, emphasized that publishing articles in mass media is an effective strategy to accelerate promotion and broaden the dissemination of research findings to the public. “Biodiversity can serve as a strategic diplomatic tool. Therefore, researchers need to have clarity of message and clear guidance when presenting their research so that scientific substance is conveyed accurately and communicatively,” he stated.

The Deputy Director of the SEAMEO BIOTROP Program, Dr. Doni Yusri, stated that this activity is a continuation of the previous year's focus on popular scientific articles, while this year's activity has expanded to include popular opinion articles. According to him, this activity serves as a bridge between researchers and the wider community, and in the future, it can be developed into a bootcamp to be more focused and deepen participants' understanding of writing structure.

Haritz Cahya Nugraha, the workshop coordinator, explained that the program was designed to enhance participants’ understanding and skills in writing science-based opinion articles in accordance with mass media standards, enabling them to produce communicative, contextual, and publishable pieces. He added that the activity also serves as a strategic effort to strengthen collaboration between researchers and journalists while increasing SEAMEO BIOTROP’s public visibility.

A total of 21 participants attended the workshop, consisting of management representatives, staff members, and interns of SEAMEO BIOTROP. All participants actively engaged in each stage of the training, from idea formulation and outlining to drafting science-based opinion articles. Through this process, participants are expected to improve their competence in transforming scientific issues into popular narratives suitable for publication in various mass media outlets.

The workshop featured experienced speakers in media and public communication: (1) Andi Jauhari, former Ombudsman of LKBN Antara, who delivered a session on the anatomy of opinion writing and strategies for identifying the “hook” to elevate biodiversity research into public and policy issues; (2) Dr. Akhmad Edhy Aruman, Editor of SWA, who explained the L–S–C structure technique and strategies for translating scientific jargon to maintain popularity without losing substance; and (3) Dr. Erwin Kustiman, former Chief Editor of Pikiran Rakyat and member of the West Java Provincial Information Commission, who discussed strategies for approaching editorial boards and the ethics of pitching to editors. The workshop also included a coaching clinic session guided by the speakers to provide direct feedback on participants’ article drafts.

Through this workshop, SEAMEO BIOTROP hopes that more ideas and research findings on tropical biodiversity will gain presence in the public sphere through mass media. In the future, similar activities are expected to be conducted continuously to strengthen the culture of science communication within the institution and to encourage active contributions from researchers and staff in building credible and impactful public discourse based on scientific knowledge.