Halikuddin Umasangaji is conducting research on hydrocarbon pollution in the marine area following oil spilled at Woods Hole Oceanography Institution (WHOI) for four months. He thinks it is necessary because oil spills are an emergent problem globally and in Indonesia that has not been resolved to date. Through this program he is working hard to figure out the best way to mitigate the effects of these compounds particularly to the benthic organism. He is also involved in the WHOI project on photo-oxidation of oil weathering processes in the Gulf of Mexico, Louisiana, and the US.

Previously, he earned a bachelor degree on marine science at University of Pattimura, Ambon and master’s degree on physical oceanography at Bogor Agricultural University in Bogor. He is writing his PhD thesis on organic micro-pollutants in marine areas in the Bight of Marseille, France. He is currently a senior lecturer at the department of marine science, University of Khairun in Ternate, North Maluku, Indonesia.