What are you working on? Each month Page 4 asks a member of the TU’s foreign legion to share their thoughts with us. This week we meet Kosasih Prijatna (40), from Bandung, Indonesia. After studying and working at universities in Indonesia, the United States, Japan, Australia and Norway, he’s now a PhD student at Physical, Geometrical and Space Geodesy of Geodetic Engineering in Delft.
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I’m determining the gravitational field for the Indonesian region. Oceanographers and geophysicists need this information to be able to relate to something, for example, while defining heights.
What’s special about the TU Delft?
The system and organisation here is a bit strange, compared to other universities I’ve been at. Usually faculty departments are run by managers, who lead several professors. Here, research groups are much more important and professors are the bosses. They have to manage everything and have a lot of power.
And Institut Teknologi Bandung?
Indonesian society is changing, including the entire education system. Suharto, our former leader, controlled everything. Now we’re in a transition phase, moving towards a fully autonomous university with more freedom. I hope we’re heading in the right direction.
Is life in Delft much different?
It’s difficult to find housing. I live at the Roland Holstlaan, which is okay, because I’ve at least got my privacy, which is very important to me. Although living alone is also the most difficult thing to do. I miss my wife and ten-year-old daughter. Getting Indonesian food here is no problem. I’ve also tried Dutch food, like stamppot. It’s funny, the Dutch really eat everything. Some of my Indonesian colleagues prefer Indonesian food, but the Dutch eat all kinds of cooking.
Where’s your favourite place in Delft?
The Beestenmarkt. I sometimes go there with colleagues.
Your greatest achievement?
Ah, a tough question, there are so many! But I think getting my BSc. in Geodetic Engineering at Bandung University, because my father was still alive then to witness it.
Which famous person would you like to meet?
A tough choice, but I’ll say Stephen Hawkings, the famous astronomer who wrote ‘A Brief History of Time’ about black holes. I want to hear his views, how he interprets physics.
What’s the greatest challenge facing Indonesia?
We’ve got to learn how to live together. We’re currently goingthrough a very violent phase. That’s inevitable, and will continue until people get fed up with it, sadly to say for all the victims. The same applies to mankind in general, having to learn how to live together.
What are your hopes for the future?
I’m not ambitious. I want a good life. And that’s not possible if people around me haven’t got it too.
Each month Page 4 asks a member of the TU’s foreign legion to share their thoughts with us. This week we meet Kosasih Prijatna (40), from Bandung, Indonesia. After studying and working at universities in Indonesia, the United States, Japan, Australia and Norway, he’s now a PhD student at Physical, Geometrical and Space Geodesy of Geodetic Engineering in Delft.
I’m determining the gravitational field for the Indonesian region. Oceanographers and geophysicists need this information to be able to relate to something, for example, while defining heights.
What’s special about the TU Delft?
The system and organisation here is a bit strange, compared to other universities I’ve been at. Usually faculty departments are run by managers, who lead several professors. Here, research groups are much more important and professors are the bosses. They have to manage everything and have a lot of power.
And Institut Teknologi Bandung?
Indonesian society is changing, including the entire education system. Suharto, our former leader, controlled everything. Now we’re in a transition phase, moving towards a fully autonomous university with more freedom. I hope we’re heading in the right direction.
Is life in Delft much different?
It’s difficult to find housing. I live at the Roland Holstlaan, which is okay, because I’ve at least got my privacy, which is very important to me. Although living alone is also the most difficult thing to do. I miss my wife and ten-year-old daughter. Getting Indonesian food here is no problem. I’ve also tried Dutch food, like stamppot. It’s funny, the Dutch really eat everything. Some of my Indonesian colleagues prefer Indonesian food, but the Dutch eat all kinds of cooking.
Where’s your favourite place in Delft?
The Beestenmarkt. I sometimes go there with colleagues.
Your greatest achievement?
Ah, a tough question, there are so many! But I think getting my BSc. in Geodetic Engineering at Bandung University, because my father was still alive then to witness it.
Which famous person would you like to meet?
A tough choice, but I’ll say Stephen Hawkings, the famous astronomer who wrote ‘A Brief History of Time’ about black holes. I want to hear his views, how he interprets physics.
What’s the greatest challenge facing Indonesia?
We’ve got to learn how to live together. We’re currently goingthrough a very violent phase. That’s inevitable, and will continue until people get fed up with it, sadly to say for all the victims. The same applies to mankind in general, having to learn how to live together.
What are your hopes for the future?
I’m not ambitious. I want a good life. And that’s not possible if people around me haven’t got it too.
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