Dr. Sulmin Gumiri, a visiting scholar from Indonesia, will travel to St. Bonaventure University to discuss his research in the field of limnology and preservation of aquatic resources.
Gumiri is a lecturer in the Department of Aquatic Resource Management at the University of Palangka Raya, located in the Central Kalimantan 
province of Indonesia.
His visit will be highlighted by two lecture presentations. The first is at 4:30 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 16, in the Walsh Amphitheater and will focus on the University of Palangka Raya and its international collaboration programs.
His second lecture, at 7 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 18, in De La Roche Hall, Room 221, will focus on the long-term limnological study conducted at his university for students and professors interested in a more scientific approach.
Dr. Latifah Troncelliti, assistant professor of Modern Languages, said a memorandum of understanding was signed last January between both schools for cooperation in academic and research-related activities.
She said Gumiri’s visit to campus is just the first step toward an active faculty and student exchange program between St. Bonaventure University and the University of Palangka Raya.
“The exchange program we intend to create has the goal to increase awareness among students about Indonesian culture, educating them to appreciate ancient civilizations, whose customs and beliefs are very different, if not opposite from the American lifestyle,” she said.
Troncelliti said she was able to find out about this exchange program with the University of Palangka Raya when she visited the university after the agreement became official last January.
Dr. Peggy Burke, associate provost and dean of St. Bonaventure University’s School of Graduate Studies, said Gumiri’s visit will also educate the university community about global issues both the United States and Indonesia face.
“Indonesia is a rapidly developing and growing nation that is facing challenges to environmental issues that are similar to the challenges we face or have faced here,” she said. “We need to talk with and work with people of like mind all across the world in order to be truly engaged in a global initiative to preserve Earth’s supply of fresh water.”
St. Bonaventure is the first school in the United States to have a collaboration program with the University of Palangka Raya.
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