Keynote Speakers

Bernard T. Adeney-Risakotta

Title: Rebirth and Death after Retirement

Abstract: "He who is not busy being born, is busy dying." (Bob Dylan) These are the sentiments of a young man. However, being reborn and dying may not be dualistic contradictions or mutually exclusive choices but rather complementary challenges. Old age and retirement bring a new awareness of the inescapable reality of death. Consciousness that our days are numbered, concentrates the mind wonderfully. This can lead to new questions about who we are, who we want to be and how we want to spend the limited amount of time, which we have left on this earth. In order to die well, we may need to be reborn.

Biography: Bernard Adeney-Risakotta, founder of Edge Resort Yogyakarta, was the first director of ICRS at Universitas Gadjah Mada. He has taught at several universities and authored books on ethics, religion, and multicultural identity. Email: baryogya@gmail.com

Seung Hwan Kang

Title: Smart Assistive Technologies for Longevity Lifestyles

Abstract: With age, it is becoming harder to live independently and ensure a high quality of life. Simultaneously, recent smart devices allow elderly people to live more comfortably and safely. These technologies, based on Artificial Intelligence (AI), provide individual support for elders' special needs. Devices like wearables that collect information, such as heart rate and activity levels, can be used to spot early health issues, such as falls, strokes, or impairments due to chronic disease. By using these tools, supported by telemedicine, healthcare becomes more accessible and can be personalized to the needs of each individual. AI additionally plays a role in brain health, for instance, with dementia, Alzheimer's, or multiple sclerosis. Smart devices, virtual assistants, and memory aids offer mental challenges that help train and activate the brain. These technologies can also provide emotional support, creating the effect of human companionship and belonging. Smart home devices are also playing a role in keeping elderly people safe at home. The use of a smart home environment, where lights, thermostats, and alarms act automatically, can create a safer area for the elderly and provide them with a sense of safety. In general, such artificial intelligence-driven tools not only promote physical safety but also psychological well-being. They also allow older people to stay connected to others, enabling them to socialize and stay physically active. This has allowed older adults to live more independently and enjoy an improved quality of life.

Biography: Bernard Adeney-Risakotta is the owner and builder of Edge Resort Yogyakarta. He was the Founding Director of the Indonesian Consortium for Religious Studies (ICRS), at Universitas Gadjah Mada. He retired as Professor of Religion and Social Science at ICRS in 2018. He also taught at Duta Wacana Christian University and Universitas Muhamadiyah Yogyakarta. Bernie completed his B.A. from University of Wisconsin in Asian Studies. He holds a B.D. (Hons) from University of London, specializing in Asian Religions and Ethics. Bernie’s Ph.D. is from the Graduate Theological Union (GTU) in cooperation with University of California, Berkeley, in Religion, Society and International Relations. From 1982 until 1991 he taught at the GTU Berkeley. Bernie has been a Visiting Fellow at Cambridge, Amsterdam, Boston and Yale universities. He has many publications, including: Where are you From? Who are you? A Multicultural Memoir (forthcoming 2025), Living in a Sacred Cosmos: Indonesia and the Future of Islam (2018), Strange Virtues: Ethics in a Multicultural World (1995), and Just War, Political Realism and Faith (1988). Email: baryogya@gmail.com

Vijay Nanaji Gohokar

Title: Medication and Mental Health Care for Longevity

Abstract: The integration of medication, mental health care, and yoga presents a promising approach to enhancing longevity by fostering both physical and psychological well-being in aging populations. As life expectancy continues to rise, managing mental health conditions such as anxiety, depression, and cognitive decline becomes critical for promoting healthy aging. Medications, can alleviate symptoms of mental health disorders and improve quality of life. However, combining pharmacological interventions with practices like yoga offers a holistic approach that addresses not only the biological aspects of health but also the emotional and cognitive dimensions. Yoga, with its emphasis on mindful movement, breath control, and meditation, has been shown to reduce stress, enhance mood, improve cognitive function, and promote relaxation. These benefits complement the effects of medication, potentially reducing the need for higher doses of pharmaceutical treatments and their associated side effects. This paper explores the synergistic potential of combining medication with yoga to optimize mental health care, emphasizing how this integrative approach can contribute to longer, healthier lives by promoting emotional balance, cognitive resilience, and overall well-being.

Biography: With 36 years of experience in teaching and administration, Vijay Gohokar has contributed extensively to research, smart grid technology, and technical education reforms. He has supervised multiple Ph.D. students and spearheaded academic initiatives.

Mei-Chih Hu

Title: Forecasting Technological Convergence for Smart Long-Term Care Industry

Abstract: With the global aging population increasing, aging has gradually become a criticalchallenge that governments and various sectors urgently need to address. As a result,the smart long-term care industry is becoming increasingly important. Understandingthe development trends in the smart long-term care industry not only helpsenterprises gain a competitive advantage but also accelerates the industry's growthcycle. Technology convergence, which involves combining multiple existingtechnologies into new ones, has become a major pathway for technologicalinnovation. Given the smart long-term care industry's focus on integrating diverseapplications, technology convergence plays a significant role in its technologicaldevelopment. The primary purpose of this study is to utilize link prediction,combined with the XGBoost model in machine learning, to predict impendingtechnology convergence in the smart long-term care field. This study uses data fromthe United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO), considering thesimultaneous appearance of multiple patent classification codes in a single patent asan indication of technology convergence. Cluster indicators are calculated usingsocial network analysis, with a total of 12 indicators aggregated. Subsequently,principal component analysis is used to retain variance while reducingdimensionality. Finally, XGBoost is employed to identify potential technologyconvergence. This study provides companies within the industry with a reference forresearch and development directions

Biography: Mei-Chih Hu is a Professor at the Institute of Technology Management, National Tsing Hua University, Taiwan (email: mchu@mx.nthu.edu.tw). She is also theDirector of Center of Technology Innovation & Entrepreneurship and a ResearchFellow for Advanced Biohydrogen Technology Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation(APEC). Her research is in the areas of entrepreneurship, innovation system,intellectual property rights, emerging industries (particularly green energy andbiotechnology) in Asia, and latecomer strategy. She is currently acting as anEditor-in-Chief at Technological Forecasting and Social Change and Advisory Editorfor Research Policy. Her papers have been published in a variety of journals includingResearch Policy, Nature, World Development, Regional Studies, Innovation andIndustry, and etc.

Yipei Liu

Title: Towards A Structured Approach to Quality Ageing

Abstract: Like many other countries in the developing world, China is experiencing rapid ageing in its population. While this trend presents pressing socio-economic challenges, it also provides opportunities for innovation in care delivery, community building, and business incubation. Efforts have been made in the public as well as private sectors to create and upgrade a network of infrastructure and services covering home-, community-, and facility-based settings, with the aim to create an accessible, affordable and sustainable system that enables the elderly to age with dignity, quality, and opportunity. This presentation will share some of the practices being implemented and experimented in China, and preliminary lessons drawn, in hope to spark interest and inspiration among international practitioners.

Biography: Yipei Liu is the President of Polus International College, a higher educational institution in Chengdu, China, specializing in technical and vocational education in the services sector. Prior becoming an educator, Yipei worked as a strategy consultant at Deloitte and Boston Consulting Group, where he had extensive experience serving leading healthcare providers, insurers, developers, investors, and government agencies on corporate development, strategic investment and industrial planning initiatives. Some of his clients included China Resources, CITIC Group, Taikang Life, and regional governments in Sichuan, Guangdong, and Anhui Province. Yipei holds a BA in Economics and Management from Oxford University, and an M.Phil in Planning, Growth, and Regeneration from Cambridge University.

Ingrid Rügge

Title: Soft Skill Development for Multidisciplinary Cooperation

Abstract: Aging and Longevity of human beings are challenges that the world is facing increasingly. To deal with these challenges, research, innovations, and measurements are needed in and from different academic disciplines. To be mostly efficient, international cooperation across these disciplines would be helpful. That is commonly agreed. But what has to be done concretely and what has to be avoided? The talk will share the lessons learnt from nearly 20 years of coordinating a multi-disciplinary international doctoral training group. It will focus on pitfalls as well as on opportunities of multi-disciplinary international cooperation. It will give useful hints on what to consider beyond published papers if you want to integrate results from Health and Medicine, Society and Humanities, Business and Economics, Technology, and Psychology to solve a global problem through an interdisciplinary approach to Enhancing Quality of Life. The main thesis of this talk is that the soft skill development of the involved researchers will be an important success factor. It will give examples from a technic-based area – logistics – that faces similar challenges. The aim of the talk is to discuss the options for knowledge transfer.

Biography: Dr.-Ing. Ingrid Rügge holds the position of Managing Director at the International Graduate School for Dynamics in Logistics (IGS) at the University of Bremen. Her research interests lie in the domain of human-computer interaction, with a particular focus on mobile work environments and the application of wearable computing technologies in industrial and healthcare sectors. Dr. Rügge is actively involved in numerous international collaborations and projects, notably within the Erasmus+ framework, demonstrating a strong commitment to fostering global academic partnerships. Her responsibilities also encompass significant teaching and mentoring activities, including the supervision of a substantial number of doctoral candidates. Her contributions to internationalizing doctoral training have been recognized through prestigious awards.