Dr. Sabar Nurohman, M.Pd., a lecturer in Science Education at the Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences (FMIPA), Universitas Negeri Yogyakarta (UNY), served as one of the speakers at the National Seminar on Science Learning Innovation (SN-SLI), part of the Innovation Festival and Science Olimpiad (IFSO) 2026. Organized by the Student Association of the Tadris Science Education Study Program, Faculty of Tarbiyah and Teacher Training, UIN Salatiga, the seminar was held on Tuesday, September 22, 2026, under the theme “Strengthening Youth Scientific Potential Through Innovation and Sustainability.” During the seminar, Dr. Sabar presented ideas on strengthening the scientific potential of young people toward sustainable innovation. He encouraged participants to view rapid changes in the contemporary era not only as challenges but also as opportunities for science education to prepare a generation capable of adapting, thinking critically, innovating, and making responsible decisions. Dr. Sabar highlighted the changing characteristics of the era faced by young people, including the development of digital technologies, Artificial Intelligence (AI), the Internet of Things (IoT), Big Data, and changing skill requirements in the world of work. In such a context, memorizing information alone is no longer sufficient. Young people need to develop critical thinking, creativity, problem-solving skills, collaboration, and responsible decision-making.

According to Dr. Sabar, the development of AI further emphasizes the importance of human abilities to ask questions, verify information, assess context, consider ethical issues, and determine how technology should be used. AI can assist in finding information, explaining concepts, generating ideas, analyzing data, and conducting simulations. However, humans remain responsible for giving meaning to information and determining how technology is used. In the context of science education, Dr. Sabar invited participants to reflect on the need to move from memorization-oriented learning toward learning that develops scientific thinkers and future innovators. As information becomes increasingly accessible through the internet and AI, science learning needs to encourage students to question, investigate, analyze, explain, create, and make decisions. This approach can be developed through inquiry, authentic problems, data literacy, scientific reasoning, collaboration, creativity, and innovation. Students should therefore not merely receive existing answers but learn to formulate questions, examine evidence, analyze data, and develop solutions.

One of Dr. Sabar’s key messages was that AI is not a replacement for humans. AI may provide answers, but education must continue to teach students how to ask better questions. Technology can accelerate access to information and support data processing, but human reasoning, values, and empathy remain essential in providing meaning and direction. Therefore, the use of AI in education should be directed toward strengthening human capacities to explore, learn, analyze, create, and take responsibility for decisions. Dr. Sabar also introduced the concept of Scientific Potential, which extends beyond mastery of science knowledge. Scientific potential encompasses curiosity, scientific literacy, problem solving, scientific questions, scientific communication, collaboration, and scientific responsibility. He introduced a scientific thinking cycle consisting of curiosity, observe, question, investigate, analyze data, apply knowledge, and reflect and improve. Within this framework, innovation is viewed as the application of scientific thinking to develop solutions for a better quality of life.

One of the key ideas emphasized by Dr. Sabar was “Don’t start with technology. Start with a problem.” Participants were encouraged not to begin innovation by asking which technology is the most advanced, but rather by first identifying the problem that needs to be solved. Technology can then be used as a tool to develop relevant, meaningful, and impactful solutions. In science learning, technology can provide experiences that are difficult to conduct directly, including simulations, three-dimensional visualizations, safer experiments, data processing, and real-time monitoring. Dr. Sabar also encouraged young people to transform themselves from consumers into creators. Rather than using technology merely to search for information or entertainment, young people should learn to observe, investigate, design, experiment, develop prototypes, and create solutions. One of the key messages from his presentation was: “From curiosity comes innovation. From innovation comes a better future.”

Beyond technology and innovation, Dr. Sabar reminded participants that not every innovation automatically represents progress. Innovation needs to consider its environmental, social, economic, and ethical consequences. He invited participants to reflect on whether a technology can be considered a good innovation if it solves one problem while simultaneously creating another. Therefore, innovation should effectively address problems, generate meaningful social impact, remain sustainable in the long term, be environmentally friendly, provide social benefits, be economically feasible, and be ethically responsible. Through his participation as a speaker at SN-SLI, Dr. Sabar shared perspectives on the importance of developing a generation that is curious, critical, creative, collaborative, and responsible. This perspective positions science education not merely as a process of mastering concepts, but as a space for developing scientific thinking, creating innovation, using technology wisely, and generating sustainable solutions. His participation also represents the contribution of Science Education faculty members at FMIPA UNY to expanding academic networks and sharing perspectives on science learning innovation with students and academic communities across higher education institutions.