Two IPB University Food Science and Technology Professors Win PATPI Award 2025
Two professors from the Department of Food Science and Technology at IPB University, Prof Eko Hari Purnomo and Prof C. Hanny Wijaya, won awards from the Indonesian Food Technology Association (PATPI) in 2025. The PATPI Award 2025 was presented on (9/30) in Samarinda, East Kalimantan.
Prof Eko Hari Purnomo was selected as the first winner in the Academic Achievement category, while Prof Hanny Wijaya was the first winner in the Invention and Innovation category. The PATPI Award is given to academics who demonstrate high dedication to the development of food science and technology in Indonesia.
“I view this award as a form of recognition for collective work, not merely personal achievement. This academic achievement is the result of the joint efforts of students, colleagues, and industry or business partners,” said Prof Eko.
He added that the assessment aspects include publication performance and contributions to the business world and industry. According to him, these assessment aspects cannot be achieved without the support of many parties.
“His hope is that this award will not be the peak, but rather a starting point for broader contributions in education, research, and service in the field of food. This award can also encourage younger people that things like this are not impossible to achieve,” he said.
Prof Hanny Wijaya is delighted with the award he received in Indonesia, after previously gaining much international recognition. “I feel more confident and motivated because this award from PATPI makes me feel accepted in my own country,” she said.
At this event, Prof Hanny presented several innovative works such as Cajuput® Candy, Quick Tempe, and natural suji pandan coloring. She acknowledged that the innovation process is not easy because it requires public acceptance of the invention, which is the result of hard work and research from various parties, until it is ready for production.
“Invention can be done individually, but innovation requires the involvement of other parties. Innovation only truly happens when our work is genuinely utilized by society, and that requires a long struggle. I am proud that the innovative products my team and I have created have been commercialized and have even achieved significant success in their commercialization,” said Prof Hanny.
As an innovator, Prof Hanny feels proud when his work enters the market and is well received by consumers. According to her, the market is the most honest evaluator of inventions that become innovations, because consumers are generally willing to pay if the product is truly useful.
“This acceptance makes me more enthusiastic about innovating. Oh, it turns out that our work can be accepted, not just become a pile of publications, or just patents, or material for promotion,” concluded Prof Hanny. (MHT) (IAAS/AVM)
