Name: I Nyoman Candra
Current Positions:
- Lecturer and Researcher, Chemistry Education Study Program, University of Bengkulu, Indonesia
- Visiting Researcher, BOKU University, Vienna, Austria
Education:
- Bachelor’s Degree, Universitas Gadjah Mada, Indonesia
- Master’s Degree, TU Braunschweig, Germany
- Doctoral Studies, BOKU University, Vienna, Austria
- OeAD Scholarship: Indonesia-Austria Scholarship Programme (November 2017 to October 2021)
My name is I Nyoman Candra, and I am a lecturer and researcher in the Chemistry Education Study Program at the University of Bengkulu, Indonesia. Throughout my academic and professional journey, I have had the opportunity to study and conduct research in different countries, including Germany, Austria, and the United States. These experiences have not only shaped my academic career but have also influenced my perspective on education, research, collaboration, and the importance of giving back to society.
As a lecturer at the University of Bengkulu, I teach several courses for undergraduate students, including Environmental Chemistry, Analytical Chemistry, Statistics for Chemistry, and Soil Chemistry. In addition to teaching, I conduct academic research and supervise students as they complete their final assignments. The results of my research and academic activities are generally published in scientific journals or presented at national and international conferences.
I am also actively involved in community service activities, where I try to apply my academic knowledge to address real-world challenges. One example was a community service programme for farmers in Sinar Mulya Village, Kaur Regency, Bengkulu Province. During this programme, I introduced farmers to biochar and explained its functions, characteristics, and production methods. Experiences such as this remind me that knowledge becomes truly meaningful when it can be shared and applied to improve people's lives.
Researching Climate Solutions at BOKU University
Alongside my position at the University of Bengkulu, I am currently serving as a Visiting Researcher at BOKU University in Vienna, Austria. I received this opportunity through the highly competitive and merit-based Joint Excellence in Science and Humanities (JESH) Programme 2025, funded by the Austrian Academy of Sciences (OeAW).
My current research focuses on enhanced rock weathering (ERW) as a carbon removal strategy. I investigate how ERW affects soil properties and its potential for carbon sequestration.
Enhanced rock weathering involves applying finely ground rock powder to agricultural soils to accelerate natural weathering processes. Because the rock is ground into fine particles, its surface area increases, allowing weathering to occur more rapidly. During this process, carbon dioxide (CO₂) is consumed and transformed through natural geochemical reactions.
This research is particularly relevant in the context of climate change. Atmospheric CO₂ concentrations continue to rise, largely as a result of human activities such as fossil fuel combustion, deforestation and forest fires, and certain agricultural practices. Therefore, ERW has the potential to contribute to climate-change mitigation by removing CO₂ from the atmosphere.
At the same time, enhanced rock weathering may provide benefits beyond carbon removal. The weathering process can release essential minerals into the soil, potentially improving soil fertility and supporting plant growth. This combination of environmental and agricultural benefits makes ERW an exciting area of research for me.
Learning Across Continents
My academic journey has also taken me to the United States. From September 2024 to March 2025, I was a Visiting Scholar at the University of Wisconsin–Madison, supported by a Fulbright Scholarship. During my time in the United States, I conducted research on the factors controlling soil organic carbon in volcanic soils in Indonesia.
Before taking up my current position as a Visiting Researcher at BOKU University, I served as Head of the Chemistry Education Study Program at the University of Bengkulu from May 2025 to June 2026. Since 2021, I have also been a member of the Indonesian Chemical Society.
These different academic experiences have allowed me to build international networks, exchange knowledge with researchers from different backgrounds, and develop a broader perspective on scientific research and higher education.
My Vienna Experience: More Than Academic Knowledge
My time studying in Vienna had a profound influence on both my personal and professional development. Living and studying abroad taught me much more than what I learned in the laboratory or classroom.
On a personal level, my experience in Vienna improved my ability to manage time effectively, strengthened my capacity to think strategically about the future, and developed my skills in communication and collaboration. Living in a different cultural environment also encouraged me to become more independent, adaptable, and open-minded.
Professionally, the experience continues to influence the way I approach my responsibilities as a lecturer and researcher, particularly in teaching, research, and collaboration. Completing my doctoral studies in Vienna with an OeAD scholarship was an important milestone in my career and opened many new opportunities.
Since completing my studies, I have been invited to serve as an examiner for interviews in several scholarship programmes. I have also worked as a reviewer for several peer-reviewed international journals. These opportunities have allowed me to contribute to academic and scholarship communities while sharing some of the knowledge and experience I gained during my own journey.
Of course, my memories of Vienna are not limited to academic achievements. I still remember visiting MA 35 every year to apply for or renew my residence permit, going to the OeAD office for monthly reports, participating in guided tours organised by OeAD, and experiencing many other everyday moments that became meaningful memories.
Each of these experiences taught me something. Some were challenging, some were enjoyable, and others were simply part of everyday life. Looking back, however, I realise that all of them contributed to the person I have become today.
Even after completing my studies, I have remained in contact with my former academic advisors in Vienna. We continue to collaborate, including through joint research and publications. I am very grateful that the relationships developed during my studies have continued to grow beyond the university and beyond the scholarship period.
Turning Challenges into Opportunities
Throughout my professional career, I have encountered many challenges. However, I try to see challenges not as obstacles but as opportunities to learn, adapt, and improve.
One example comes from my experience as a lecturer. I realised that some of my students had difficulties understanding certain topics during my lectures. Instead of simply accepting this as a problem, I looked for another way to support them.
I began creating video-based learning materials and uploading them to a YouTube channel so that students could review the lessons at their own pace. This approach gave students the flexibility to revisit difficult topics whenever necessary.
The experience taught me an important lesson: effective education requires us to understand the needs of our students and to be willing to adapt our teaching methods. It also helped me develop new skills in educational content creation and online teaching.
For me, being a lecturer is not only about delivering knowledge. It is also about finding ways to make that knowledge accessible, meaningful, and useful to students.
Knowledge Has Greater Value When It Is Shared
What motivates me most throughout my personal and professional journey is the desire to be useful to others and to contribute positively to society and the environment.
I believe that true success should not be measured only by academic titles, publications, scholarships, or professional achievements. These accomplishments are important, but their greater value lies in what we do with the knowledge, experience, and opportunities we receive.
This belief has guided me throughout my career. Whether through teaching students, conducting research, supporting communities, collaborating with international colleagues, or sharing knowledge with others, I want my work to have a positive impact.
My current goal is to continue developing professionally while working towards my long-term aspiration of becoming a person who contributes meaningfully to others, society, and the environment.
A Message to OeAD Scholarship Holders
To fellow and future OeAD scholarship holders, I would like to share a simple message:
“Whatever knowledge and experience you gain, do not keep it to yourself. Share it with others and use it to benefit your community.”
A scholarship is not only an opportunity to study at a prestigious institution or to advance one's career. It is also an opportunity to meet people, experience different cultures, develop new perspectives, build international networks, and gain knowledge that can later be shared with others.
Therefore, I encourage fellow OeAD scholarship holders to make the best possible use of their time and to take every opportunity to learn, develop their skills, and successfully complete their studies.
Time is one of the most valuable resources we have. Once it has passed, it can never be recovered. Make every moment count, remain open to new experiences, and remember that the knowledge and opportunities you receive can become even more valuable when you use them to help others.
My journey from Indonesia to Germany, Austria, and the United States has taught me that education is not simply a path to personal achievement. It is a responsibility—a responsibility to share what we learn, to contribute to our communities, and to use our knowledge to create a better future for society and the environment.
Profiles of I Nyoman Candra:
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