Dr. Henry Kasmanhadi Saputra – Alumni Voice

Lecturer in Fisheries
Vocational School
IPB University, Indonesia

During my doctoral studies, I specialized in water environmental engineering, with a particular focus on brackish-water bivalves, at the WENV Laboratory under the supervision of Professor Masafumi Fujita. My research investigated the responses of the endemic clam Corbicula japonica to microplastic pollution in Lake Hinuma. The study was motivated by concerns about both the direct and indirect effects of microplastics on this benthic species. I used a biomarker-based approach combining physiological and biochemical analyses, and the relationships among the observed responses were evaluated using a novel pathway analysis approach based on Structural Equation Modeling (SEM).

Under Professor Fujita's open and critical guidance, I was able to conduct my research smoothly and complete my degree on schedule, despite being an international student who was initially unfamiliar with the research culture in Japan. His support also contributed greatly to the publication of my work in the Q1 journal Science of the Total Environment. As a Muslim, I was also grateful for the freedom and understanding I received in practicing my faith, including the opportunity to undertake the Umrah pilgrimage to Saudi Arabia.

The laboratory was also well equipped, which allowed me to conduct experiments flexibly without having to wait for access to key instruments. Building on the research experience I gained during my doctoral studies at Ibaraki University, I have since established a new research division within my academic program at IPB University: the Laboratory of Aquatic Engineering and Technology.