Roby Muhammad Biography

Roby Muhamad is such an interesting figure to recognize about. He is an Indonesian entrepreneur and scientist born on May 17th 1975 that’s known for his work with social network dynamic. His work scope are about physics, sociology, and psychology. He got his first undergraduate degree of physics studies in Bandung Institute of Technology. He took magister program in Bandung Institute of Technology in the majority of theoretical physics to deepen his physics knowledge.

Not only in science field of studies, but he also earned his doctorate in sociology from Columbia University. At first, Roby did not get accepted in the major of sociology because the Columbia University thought, with Roby’s education background, that he was making fun of the major. But after that, he got his second chance to re-apply just by writing an essay. As a result, he got accepted as a major in sociology.

Roby is currently teaching in the Psychology Department at the University of Indonesia. Other than being a lecturer, Roby Muhamad along with Duncan J. Watts took a part in putting forward Stanley Milgram’s hypothesis on six degrees of separation, and it was successfully confirmed. Six degrees of separation theory, it is actually his outcome in final task during studied in Columbia University. This theory also correspond with his daily career life, the theory is about social “friend to friend” connection that relate with his social networking project. He is also a co-owner of the location-based dating app called Yogrt, and actually he developed Yogrt for running his research, the social networking research. 

    At first, Yogrt is not a dating app, when Roby first came to Indonesia he was surprised that people still uses blackberry products. In 2010 he was surprised that people still uses social media to make new friends instead of keeping existing ones. The original idea is to make a social media for the Lower-Middle Class folks and alongside their network, which is the main reason why it is location based. Although at first it was originally thought of as a dating app but due to Pressures from Investors and a research that was made the fact that the society tend to use dating app discretely and its bad for business/investors, hence it was marketed as a Social Media App because it would be a more profitable subject to be marketed.

Roby Muhamad was set on not pursuing as a doctor, because he does not want to follow in his parents footsteps, he wants to do something different. Therefore he went on to find interest in how the universe works, such as in his pursue in studying Physics (Natural law) and Sociology (Man-Made law), and currently teaching Psychology (Human Nature). This would make him the top most academics of his time.