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Yogyakarta, August 8, 2023. The Faculty Biology Universitas Gadjah Mada (UGM) organized a Socialization Event for the Student Exchange Program to Universiti Tun Hussein Onn Malaysia (UTHM). This event aims to provide a comprehensive overview to students about the planned student exchange program, scheduled to take place in October at UTHM Malaysia.
The event was conducted virtually (Zoom meeting), starting from 1:00 PM to 2:15 PM WIB, and was directly moderated by Sukirno, S.Si., M.Sc., Ph.D., the Chair of the Undergraduate Biology Program at UGM. More than 65 students from the 2021 batch, both regular and IUP (International Undergraduate Program), participated in the event. The socialization began with an address by Dr. Eko Agus Suyono, M.App.Sc., the Vice Dean for Research, Community Service, Cooperation, and Alumni Affairs of the Faculty of Biology at UGM. In his speech, Dr. Eko highlighted several benefits of participating in the student exchange program, including academic experiences that would be recorded in the transcript of grades, enhancement of one’s CV portfolio for scholarships or job applications, the strengthening of international networks, and the experience of different cultures and ways of life, as students would need to learn and adapt to diverse cultural settings.
Dr. Furzani Pa’ee from UTHM Malaysia also conveyed his support for the event, expressing readiness to assist students from the Faculty of Biology at UGM who successfully pass the selection process and travel to UTHM in October.The event continued with a sharing session with Rajendra Regaputra (IUP 2020) and Adiva Aphrodita (REG 2020). They discussed the facilities they had access to during their time at UTHM, engaging academic journeys, and the enhancement of soft skills gained through activities at UTHM.
The Faculty of Biology at UGM is committed to providing valuable opportunities for its students to develop academic potential, leadership skills, and a deeper understanding of cultural diversity through the student exchange program. The Faculty hopes that many Biology students will take advantage of this opportunity and join the Student Exchange program.
On Saturday, August 12, 2023, Prof. Dr. Budi Setiadi Daryono, M.Agr.Sc., the Dean of the Faculty of Biology Universitas Gadjah Mada (UGM), had a special opportunity as one of the speakers at the Research and Innovation Exhibition held as part of the 28th National Technology Awakening Day (Hakteknas) organized by the Ministry of Education, Culture, Higher Education, Research, and Technology. The event took place at Plaza Tenggara Gelora Bung Karno, Central Jakarta.
This activity was an effort by the Ministry of Education, Culture, Research, and Technology to promote the spirit of local innovation and celebrate the educational advancements supported by technological achievements from the young generation of Indonesia. The theme of this year’s event was “Research and Innovation Talent for Indonesia Emas 2045” (Golden Indonesia 2045). The event was divided into three main parts: the preparation of the Hakteknas series, the Hakteknas exhibition, and the peak of the Hakteknas event, which lasted for four days from August 10-13, 2023. In this event, Prof. Dr. Budi Setiadi Daryono, M.Agr.Sc., played as the main speaker. He presented an interesting topic in a Talk Show titled “Academic Community Innovation Towards Indonesia Emas 2045”. His presentation focused on innovations in the field of biology, particularly related to the development of the shape and size of Hikapel Melon fruit, as well as the innovation of shampoo made from Melon GMP (Gama Melon Parfum).
The participation in this event involved representatives from various universities, including Universitas Gadjah Mada (UGM). Besides Prof. Dr. Budi Setiadi Daryono, M.Agr.Sc., the event also invited Dr. Agnes Rosarina Prita Sari, M.Phil. (FKKMK) and Prof. Dr. med.vet. drh. Raden Wisnu Nurcahyo (FKH), who are also representatives from UGM. Moreover, the event was attended by the Indonesia CSR Forum, representatives from the Ministry of Education, Culture, Research, and Technology, journalists, as well as representatives from the Directorate of Research, Technology, and Community Engagement.
The 28th Hakteknas Research and Innovation Exhibition served as a platform for innovators, researchers, and academics to showcase cutting-edge technological products, innovative ideas, and the latest research results. Additionally, the event supported a spirit of cross-sector collaboration and emphasized the development of local solutions that contribute to the vision of Indonesia Emas 2045, aiming to transform Indonesia into an advanced nation by 2045 in celebration of its 100th independence anniversary.
On Friday, August 11, 2023, the Faculty of Biology hosted a Public Lecture with the theme “The Power of Core Skills: Unraveling Termites, Phages, and Beyond.” The theme was presented by Ajeng Kusumaningtyas Pramono, D.Sc from Gifu University, Japan, who is also an alumnus of the Faculty of Biology. The Public Lecture was attended by the Dean of the Faculty of Biology, the Vice Dean for Academic Affairs and Student Affairs, the Chair of the Undergraduate Program, the Academic and Student Affairs Coordinator of the Faculty of Biology, along with the new students of the 2023 batch of the Faculty of Biology.
The event took place in the Auditorium Biologi Tropika and was opened by the Dean of the Faculty of Biology. In his opening remarks, Prof. Budi expressed that determination and strong will are important assets in achieving one’s aspirations. He also emphasized the importance of enthusiasm and motivation for students embarking on their studies each semester, drawing inspiration from Biology alumni who have forged successful careers in their respective fields. During the presentation session, Ajeng Kusumaningtyas Pramono, D.Sc, shared her experiences throughout her academic journey, spanning from her Bachelor’s to Doctoral degrees, and her scholarship experiences abroad. In the discussion session, students showed great enthusiasm by posing questions to Dr. Ajeng Pramono about her research topics. As a conclusion, Dr. Ajeng Pramono stated, “With core skills, you can push in any direction.” In this session, Prof. Budi also awarded door prizes in the form of books to four participants of the public lecture.
The event preceded with an explanation of academic services by the Academic and Student Affairs Coordinator of the Faculty of Biology, Mrs. Emi Dwi Suryanti, S.Si., M.Sc. She provided information about course registration, examination systems, class attendance, student services, and academic announcements.
The Faculty of Biology UGM is actively enhancing its capabilities to become a center for Tropical Biodiversity and Biomedical education and research. This entails a need for bolstering human resource capacities and infrastructure to support this vision. In this batch, Indra Lesmana, M.Sc., a lecturer from the Faculty of Biology UGM, had the opportunity, sponsored by the Satriabudi Dharma Setia Foundation (YSDS), to attend a training program on biomedical and omics at the China National GeneBank (CNGB) located in Shenzhen, China. The training took place from July 31 to August 9, 2023.
Participants in this training program comprised teaching staff, doctors, professionals, researchers, practitioners, and technicians from universities, vertically-aligned Ministry of Health hospitals, and clinical laboratories. Among the participants were representatives from institutions such as Universitas Gadjah Mada, Bogor Agricultural University, University of Indonesia, RSCM, RSPON, Harapan Kita Heart Hospital, Harapan Kita General Hospital, Dharmais Cancer Hospital, Sulianti Saroso Infectious Diseases Hospital, Persahabatan General Hospital, Dr. Sardjito General Hospital, Dr. Ngoerah General Hospital, and the GSI Laboratory.
The training program encompassed lectures, laboratory practices, and field visits, including an introduction to CNGB, the history and development of the Beijing Genome Institute, clinical testing services for thalassemia, cancer risk, NIPT, WES, and WGS. Additionally, the training covered the NGS platform material from BGI, specifically MGI. Laboratory practices focused on DNA extraction using magnetic beads and DNBSeq library preparation. As part of the field visit, the participants toured BGI Bioverse to observe the research outcomes of perennial rice, a crop capable of sustained growth and multiple harvests across seasons without replanting.
As a result of this training, fresh insights into sequencing technology developments were gained, which can enhance the curriculum content. Moreover, laboratory technical skills were augmented, adding new research and testing methods. This is expected to fortify the excellence of education, research, and community engagement at the Faculty of Biology, UGM.
The Entomology Study Group (KSE) of the Faculty of Biology at UGM once again organized an event called “Upgrading Skill,” which focused on the theme “Sanger & NCS for Research in Entomology.” The event took place on Saturday, July 15, 2023, providing a platform for discussions on molecular analysis and the latest research trends in the field of entomology. The main objective of the Upgrading Skill was to educate all members of the ESG, especially regarding the application of technology in entomological research. The event was conducted online via Zoom, and the participants were active members of the KSE.
The event, which was scheduled from 08:00 to 11:30 AM WIB, was led by Delia Sawanda Syarifatullah (KSE XXIV), with Atikah Fitria Muharromah, S.Si., M.Eng., an alumnus of ESG XIV who is currently pursuing a Ph.D. at the Faculty of Biology, UGM, serving as the main speaker. The activities commenced at 09:00 AM WIB with an opening speech by the KSE Advisor, Drs. Hari Purwanto, M.P., PhD. This was followed by Atikah Fitria Muharromah’s presentation on “Sanger & NCS for Research in Entomology.” The presentation covered the basic concept of DNA as the genetic instruction in cell life and DNA sequencing. DNA sequencing, a laboratory method for determining the order of nucleotides, has evolved over three generations. Furthermore, a comparison between the Sanger Technique and NGS Technique, along with their applications, was also presented.
The Upgrading Skill event concluded with a discussion session, and the activities wrapped up with a documentation session for all participants and the speaker at 11:00 AM WIB.