The Ecology and Biosystematics Laboratory, Department of Biology, Faculty of Science and Mathematics (FSM), Diponegoro University held a workshop titled “Understanding Evolution: Biosystematics through Phenetic and Phylogenetic Inference” on Friday, 26 September 2025, from 09.00 to 16.00 WIB. The event was designed to strengthen biosystematics understanding within the academic community by introducing concepts and practical evolutionary analyses aligned with current research needs.
A total of 58 participants took part, comprising undergraduate, master’s, and doctoral students as well as lecturers from UNDIP and UNIMUS. They represented a range of faculties and study programs—among others, Marine Science (Master’s and Doctoral programs at FPIK UNDIP), the Faculty of Public Health (FKM UNIMUS), and the Faculty of Science and Agricultural Technology at UNIMUS (Marine Science study program)—reflecting interdisciplinary interest in phenetics and phylogenetics.
The workshop was opened by Dr. Karyadi Baskoro on behalf of the Ecology and Biosystematics Research Group (KBK). In his remarks, he emphasized the importance of mastering skills beyond the formal curriculum so that the academic community can continue to grow and respond to contemporary research challenges.
Three speakers delivered the core materials. Dr. Lilih Khotimperwati (FSM UNDIP) discussed the fundamentals of phenetics; Ni Kadek Dita Cahyani, Ph.D (FSM UNDIP) presented an introduction to phylogenetics; and Angka Mahardini, Ph.D (Universitas Muhammadiyah Semarang; postdoctoral researcher at FSM UNDIP funded by FSM WCU 2025) reviewed techniques for phylogenetic tree analysis. The sequence of topics was structured to build a coherent progression from concepts to applications.
The learning format was divided into two sessions to maximize outcomes. In the morning session, participants received the theoretical foundation of phenetics and phylogenetics along with examples of their applications in evolutionary studies. The afternoon session continued with hands-on practice using MEGA XII software to analyze and interpret phylogenetic trees systematically.
Overall, the activity aimed to introduce the basic concepts and analytical techniques of phenetics and phylogenetics using morphological and molecular data. Beyond enhancing proficiency with evolutionary analysis software, the workshop also fostered collaboration networks in taxonomy and biodiversity, enabling the learning outcomes to contribute to research and publications within FSM UNDIP.