The Faculty of Engineering, Universitas Indonesia (FTUI), once again hosted an international guest lecture titled “A Research Journey – Having Fun in Polymer-based Transistor Memory”, presented by Dr. Yu-Cheng Chiu, Associate Professor from the Department of Chemical Engineering, National Taiwan University of Science and Technology (NTUST). The lecture took place at the Makara 04 Smart Meeting Room, FTUI Dean’s Building, on Wednesday (October 29).
In his lecture, Dr. Chiu shared the latest advancements in organic transistors and polymer-based memory devices, highlighting how natural organic materials, such as sugar-based polymers, could replace petroleum-derived materials to create a greener, more sustainable future in electronics.
Through more than a decade of research, Dr. Chiu has developed the concept of organic field-effect transistors (OFETs) and organic transistor memory using polymers as active materials. His research demonstrates that combining conductive polymers with biomass-based materials such as cellulose or sugar can result in flexible, lightweight, and energy-efficient memory devices without relying on expensive inorganic materials.
One of the breakthroughs from his work is the development of “sugar-based dielectric materials” capable of storing electrical charges stably for over two years. This innovation opens new possibilities for creating green electronics such as smart sensors, electronic labels, and eco-friendly data storage devices.
Dr. Chiu’s research is the result of international collaboration with prominent scientists including Prof. Wen-Chang Chen (National Taiwan University), Prof. Toyoji Kakuchi (Hokkaido University), and Prof. Redouane Borsali (CNRS, France). His works have been published in renowned journals such as Nature, Advanced Functional Materials, ACS Applied Materials & Interfaces, and Journal of Materials Chemistry C.
In addition, Dr. Chiu actively collaborates with Indonesian students from Universitas Indonesia (UI), Institut Teknologi Sepuluh Nopember (ITS), and Widya Mandala Catholic University (WMCU) through internship and joint research programs at NTUST and Hokkaido University.
In his closing remarks, Dr. Chiu emphasized his research philosophy: “Less is more”—that the simplicity of natural materials can lead to high-performance and sustainable technologies. He hopes that research in green memory devices will inspire the younger generation of Indonesian engineers and scientists to contribute to developing technologies that are not only advanced but also environmentally friendly.
The Dean of the Faculty of Engineering, Universitas Indonesia, Prof. Kemas Ridwan Kurniawan, S.T., M.Sc., Ph.D., expressed his appreciation for Dr. Yu-Cheng Chiu’s visit and insightful lecture. “FTUI always welcomes collaboration with global researchers who share the spirit of sustainable innovation. Dr. Chiu’s presence has provided new perspectives for our academic community, particularly in the development of green materials and organic transistor technologies. We hope this event will mark the beginning of broader research collaborations to realize environmentally friendly and globally competitive electronic technologies,” he said.
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Public Communication Office
Faculty of Engineering, Universitas Indonesia
