Prof. Charlie D. Heatubun serves as the Head of the West Papua Research and Innovation Agency (BRIDA) and professor at the Faculty of Forestry, Papua State University. He is also an Honorary Research Associate at the Royal Botanical Garden Kew, England. He has more than 20 years of experience as a researcher in palm systematics, plant taxonomy, tropical forest ecology, biodiversity and conservation, and sustainable development in general in New Guinea, Maluku, Sulawesi, and North Kalimantan.
A renowned taxonomist, Prof. Heatubun is the author of many new plant taxa, particularly those native in the New Guinea. He contributed more than 60 new species and 3 new genera of palms in 2014. Prof. Heatubun is currently working on his book entitled Palms of New Guinea. The book is expected to be a record of Indonesia’s botanical diversity in Papua. He is also coordinator of development partners and leading sustainable development initiative in the West Papua Province.