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Prof. Melia is an academic who has devoted her life to advancing knowledge at her alma mater. She completed all levels of her education at ITB, beginning with a Bachelor’s degree in Chemical Technology (graduated 1984), a Master’s degree in Chemical Engineering (1989), a Doctorate in Chemical Engineering (2002), and finally the Professional Engineer Program (2019).

In her oration, Prof. Melia emphasized the strategic role of Chemical Reaction Engineering and Catalysis (CREC) in modern industry. According to her, more than 90% of conversion processes in the global chemical industry involve catalysts. However, Indonesia has long relied heavily on imported catalysts, limiting the flexibility and independence of its national industries.

“Chemical reactions are the lifeblood of industrial transformation, while reactors are the heart of the production system. At the center of these processes, catalysts act as a matchmaker—bringing reactants together to form products more efficiently, with lower energy consumption, and at a lower cost,” she explained.

Together with her research team at the ITB Catalysis Engineering Center, Prof. Melia initiated the development of the Katalis Merah Putih. This initiative represents a strategic effort to create locally made catalysts tailored to the specific needs of Indonesian industries. The development process was conducted systematically—from laboratory scale, progressing to pilot scale, and eventually achieving commercial production.

Several Katalis Merah Putih innovations have been successfully developed and applied in industry, including:

1. PITN (Pertamina-ITB Treating Naphtha) and PITD (Pertamina-ITB Treating Diesel) — catalysts for refining petroleum fractions in oil refineries;

2. PIDO (Pertamina-ITB Hydrodeoxygenation) — a key catalyst in producing biofuels such as green diesel and green jet fuel from palm oil;

3. Catalysts for the oleochemical industry, converting fatty esters into fatty alcohols.

The pinnacle of this innovation journey was the establishment of Indonesia’s first national catalyst factory, PT Katalis Sinergi Indonesia (PT KSI), located in Cikampek, West Java. The plant is the result of synergy between academia (ITB), state-owned enterprises, and industry, proving that homegrown technologies can compete and meet the needs of large-scale industries.

Outside her scientific work, Prof. Melia enjoys hobbies such as sewing, singing, and visiting factories. Her remarkable dedication to science and technology has been recognized through various awards, including the Satyalancana Karya Satya XXX Years from the President of the Republic of Indonesia (2018) and the WIPO Medal for Inventors from the World Intellectual Property Organization (2022).

“Now is the time for Indonesia to be sovereign in catalyst technology. It is time to affirm the role of science as the driving force for national self-reliance and industrial progress,” declared Prof. Melia.