Among ITB students, especially in Electrical Engineering, it has been widely known that Telecommunication Engineering is one of the hardest study programs in the faculty, and it is usually avoided by most students. However, William Damario Lukito is an exception, as he managed to successfully graduate from Telecommunication Engineering with a perfect GPA of 4.00.

William Damario Lukito was the only student directly mentioned by ITB’s Vice Rector for Academic and Student Affairs, Prof. Dr. Ir. Jaka Sembiring, M.Eng., for his achievement of having a perfect GPA. In less than a year, this young graduate completed his thesis research under the Laboratory of Radio and Microwave Telecommunication (also known as LTRGM-ITB).

The young graduate, who is also familiarly called William, was born in Bekasi in 2000, making him only 22 years old when he completed his master’s degree. One of the reasons William was able to complete his studies at a relatively young age was because he joined the Fast Track program (also called PPSM: Program Penyatuan Sarjana Magister), a program directly provided by ITB.

The aforementioned PPSM program is a program from ITB that allows final-year students to simultaneously take master’s courses. This program is open to all eligible ITB students, and its requirements may differ based on each faculty’s policies. William himself earned his Bachelor’s Degree in Telecommunication Engineering at ITB in July 2021. He is from the Class of 2017 and graduated cum laude.

Under the guidance of Effrina Yanti Hamid, S.T., M.T., Ph.D, William completed his thesis research titled "Principal Component Analysis for Optimization of Modulation Classification Model Based on Support Vector Machine Algorithm."

Previously, William was also a graduate of the accelerated program in high school. He was then determined to choose STEI-ITB. When asked why he chose ITB, William answered that his father was a prominent figure to him who also had a great impact on his decision.

"My father is also an ITB alumnus. I received a lot of influence and guidance from my father. Since I was little, I had been taken around the ITB campus for a walk numerous times. When I was in middle school, I was invited to tour Sabuga to see the ITB graduation venue. Back then, becoming an ITB student was my main objective. Therefore, when the time came for me to choose a university during high school, my target was crystal clear: STEI ITB. When the announcement showed that I got accepted, I was very delighted," he explained about his story.

During his master’s studies, in addition to being busy with academic activities, William also participated in one of LAPI ITB’s collaborative projects with Balitbang Kementrian Pertahanan.

William then sent his regards to his colleagues, encouraging them to always keep their spirits high and be grateful, since not everyone has the same opportunities as they do. In closing, when asked what steps he will take after graduation, William answered excitedly, "I want to continue my studies to doctoral level!" As of now, William is preparing the files and documents required for his doctoral studies.

Reporter: Madeline Abigail (Architecture, 2020)
Translator: Ariq Ramadhan Teruna (Chemical Engineering, 2021)