Good morning everyone,
Welcome to TREPSEA2018

As a chairperson of the committee, I take the privilege to welcome all of you: our special guests and distinguished attendees: Professor Syamsu Qamar Badu, Rector of the State University of Gorontalo and our invited speakers: Professor Nelson Pomalingo, the Regent of Gorontalo Regency, Haji. Hamim Pou, the Regent of Bone Bolango Regency, Professor Mahludin H. Baruwadi, Vice Rector for Academic Affairs, State University of Gorontalo, and Ms. Kana Furusawa, Vice Secretary-General, the Japanese Geoparks Network, scientific committee members and local organizing committee members, members of the faculties, researchers, scientists, students, and participants from communities, companies and industries for your support and participation to this TREPSEA2018 international conference.

It had been the third time for this international conference under the name of TREPSEA, the Transdisciplinary Research on Environmental Problems in Southeast Asia and this year TREPSEA2018 is now holding in this beautiful city Gorontalo.

Our Earth, which is the most beautiful planet in our solar system with uncountable natural resources and artistic appeal of natural beauties and it can only support living organisms according to our acquired knowledge from the science. But our ideal idea for modern living style, industrialization, technology revolution, and improper usage and exploiting of natural resources have made our planet earth suffered from natural disasters: ozone layer depletion, global warming, sea level rising, etc. as well as man-made environmental problems: air pollution, water pollution, industrial wastewater contamination of the rivers, mercury pollution, excessive amount of chemicals and heavy metals in foods, etc. and these further lead to the health and social problems. Countries have been suffering from these issues nowadays but developing countries may suffer much higher due to the issue of poverty as the underlying background.

In order to solve this, the integrative approach to research on environmental problems and humanity is necessary. The transdisciplinary research is defined as research efforts conducted by researchers from different disciplines and non-academic stakeholders working cooperatively to create new conceptual, theoretical, methodological, and translational innovations in order to create the ideal solution for nature and humanity. The stakeholders are funders, governments, development organizations, business companies, industries, and civil societies, NGO/NPO, and media for completing of the problems in the environment.

The International Conference of the Transdisciplinary Research on Environmental Problems in Southeast Asia (TREPSEA) aims to conduct integrative research of interactions between natural environment and human-social systems in Southeast Asia to solve the environmental problems in Southeast Asia. Its scope thus includes topics of geoscience, environmental science, engineering, medicine, economy, culture, education, administration, etc. This is the place where the participants of this integrative research are having discussions every two years in the regularly held international conference where they create translational innovations to solve the environmental and social problems.

Over 200 members of scientists, researchers, students, and stakeholders from Indonesia, Japan, South Africa, Myanmar, and Vietnam attended the conference.

I would like to express my deep appreciation to the Research Institute for Humanity and Nature (RIHN), State University of Gorontalo (UNG), Ehime University, Bandung Institute of Technology (ITB) and Muhammadiyah University of Gorontalo (UMGo) for their sponsorship and organized cooperatively for this conference.

Again, I would like to thanks to committee member: Professor Fenty Usman Puluhulawa, State University of Gorontalo, and general committee members: Professor Emmy Suparka, Bandung Institute of Technology, and Professor Syamsu Qamar Badu, M.Pd. Rector of State University of Gorontalo, Scientific Committee (SC) members and Local Organizing Committee (LOC) members for their selfless and great efforts for all essential works of this conference. On the behalf of all committee members, I would like to thank the researchers and scientists, paper and poster presenters, students, stakeholders, and funders for their participation, sharing their concerns, their highlight topics, discussing their experience, expertise, and solving these environmental problem issues and all would have remained as priceless contributions for our new generations.

Thank you very much for participating and enjoy the conference

Prof. Masayuki Sakakibara
Chairman
Research Institute for Humanity and Nature (RIHN) and Ehime University