The city of Yogyakarta has once again reaffirmed its position as a national intellectual hub with the hosting of the S.T.E.I. Conference 2026. Held at the Auditorium of the Institut Français Indonesia (IFI) Yogyakarta, this conference serves as a crucial agenda in the 2026 UFO Festival series, bringing together academics, industry practitioners, and students from various regions.
Under the theme 'Bridging Science, Technology, Engineering and Innovation for Future Exploration', the event, initiated by the Indonesia Space Science Society (ISSS), aims to bridge cross-disciplinary collaboration. Its main focus is to strengthen the research ecosystem in Indonesia and formulate strategic innovations relevant to future technological challenges.
Lively discussions at the conference touched on various cutting-edge topics, ranging from Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence (SETI) research and rocket technology to the VMARS project, which is Southeast Asia's first Mars research simulation facility. Experts also presented advancements in advanced materials and bio-materials projected to withstand extreme conditions in outer space.
In addition to scientific presentations, the forum highlighted the synergy between technology and digital art as a form of creativity in modern engineering. Through panel discussion sessions and research presentations, young researchers had a golden opportunity to network and receive direct feedback from world-class experts.
Venzha Christ, Director of ISSS and chairperson of the committee, emphasized that this event proves Indonesia's readiness to compete on the global research stage. He hopes the conference will dispel the impression that science is a rigid field, making it a more dynamic and collaborative sector for developing future solutions.
All summaries of the discussions and innovations presented at the conference will be documented in scientific proceedings. It is hoped that this strategic step will serve as a useful academic reference and stimulate the spirit of sustainable research in Indonesia.
