Dean of Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Science: Increasing Global Presence through Local Involvement

Oleh UKM Student English Forum

Editor UKM Student English Forum

BANDUNG, itb.ac.id - It has now been eight months since Prof. Umar Fauzi was elected as the Dean of the Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Science (Fakultas Matematika dan Ilmu Pengetahuan Alam, FMIPA) for the 2011-2014 period. Prof. Umar, previously head of the Physics Department, hoped that the faculty would increase its global prominence while maintaining its contribution towards local efforts. "Aligned with ITB's vision and mission, community service is the faculty's utmost priority," he claimed.
In order to provide education to all, FMIPA ITB has done efforts to create various media to make it easier for everyone to learn science. Prof. Umar stated that accessible media is the key to better understanding of, not only science, but also any studies.

Umar referred to the Khan Academy video proliferation in order to spread knowledge. Khan Academy is a website that provides over 2.400 simple videos on physics, mathematics, finance, and many other fields of study. "It's interesting. And most importantly, it ignores the constrains of time and space," the Universitat zu Koln graduate explained.

Collaboration in Researches

Currently, FMIPA ITB is working together with the General Directorate of High Education (Direktorat Jenderal Pendidikan Tinggi, Ditjen Dikti) in assembling available-to-all laboratory devices such as the Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM). This year, the Nuclear Magnetism Resonance and Micro CT-Scan are planned to be new devices in the laboratories in FMIPA. Umar stated that other universities can also use the devices and instruments in ITB's labs.

"The end goal of the many research collaborations in this nation is so that we are able to optimally utilize and develop our own resources, particularly those that are still untapped by local engineers and scientists. We are talking about volcanoes, hot mud, sea ecology, and many others."

Community Service through Student Unions

Dekan yang dikenal sangat dekat dengan mahasiswa ini mendukung kegiatan mahasiswa dalam berhimpun. "Kegiatan himpunan mahasiswa di FMIPA sebaiknya menunjukkan eksistensi dari keprofesian masing-masing," ujar Umar.  Penunjukkan eksistensi bisa dicerminlan dengan kontribusi kepada masyarakat. Umar mengingatkan, "Biaya kuliah di ITB 70 % nya berasal dari rakyat, jadi alangkah baik jika masyarakat juga merasakan manfaat ilmu yang sudah dimiliki," ujar Umar."Kegiatan yang menunjukkan keprofesian berbasis teknologi juga bisa diterapkan, contohnya kegiatan yang telah dilakukan oleh Himpunan Mahasiswa Fisika (HIMAFI) ITB," ujar Umar. HIMAFI membangun Pembangkit Listrik Tenaga Angin (PLTAg) di Rancaekek Bandung sebagai bentuk salah satu pengabdian masyarakat pada tahun 2010.

The Physics Student Union (Himpunan Mahasiswa Fisika, HIMAFI), for example, has shown its community development contribution by building a wind power plant in Rancaekek, Bandung, an area that would otherwise be uncovered by electricity.

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