#28 - U-INSPIRE Indonesia (Ms. Giovanni Cynthia Pradipta)

Summary:

This episode highlights the work of U-INSPIRE Indonesia, a youth and young professional platform dedicated to integrating science, engineering, technology, and innovation (SETI) into disaster risk reduction (DRR) and climate resilience efforts. The discussion explores how young leaders are shaping DRR strategies at local, national, and global levels through participatory approaches and community-driven innovation.

The guest shares her personal journey into disaster work, starting with a technical background in geodesy and early involvement in earthquake field surveys in Indonesia. Motivated by the gaps she observed in disaster preparedness and data availability, she became involved with U-INSPIRE, which was founded in 2018 with support from UNESCO to bring together young professionals from diverse disciplines.

U-INSPIRE has since grown to include chapters in 14 countries across Asia-Pacific and Africa. One of its standout initiatives, Coastal Sense, empowers coastal communities to build and operate low-cost environmental sensors to monitor local conditions and improve resilience. Through co-design and community engagement, the initiative aims to produce sustainable, locally-owned DRR tools

The platform also participated in the 2025 Global Platform for Disaster Risk Reduction, speaking on youth roles and local knowledge in resilience. These engagements signaled a growing openness among senior stakeholders to youth perspectives, marking a shift from tokenism to more meaningful inclusion.

Despite being a volunteer-driven network, U-INSPIRE maintains momentum through strong local partnerships, mentorship, and peer-to-peer collaboration. Looking ahead, the platform hopes to expand into underrepresented regions and support more youth as local resilience champions.

The episode closes with a call to young professionals: start small, start local, and seek collaboration. Disaster risk reduction, the guest reminds us, is everybody’s business — and youth have a vital role to play in shaping safer, more resilient futures.

Guest: Ms. Giovanni Cynthia Pradipta [U-INSPIRE Indonesia,Indonesia]

Co-Hosts:

• Dr. Mark Ashley Parry [Northumbria University,United Kingdom]
• Dr. Haris Rahadianto [Lund University, Sweden]

Music: "Sunset" by Kai Engel, available at ⁠Free Music Archive⁠, licensed under CC BY 4.0.