IPB Students Successfully Won the Second Winner of UTU AWARD
A group of students of Bogor Agricultural University (IPB) won the Second Overall Championship in 2nd Universitas Teuku Umar (UTU) Award 2016 competition. In this event IPB won 2nd championship of Entrepreneurship-Based Superior Research competition. The group consists of Oki Setiawan as the team leader, who is from the Faculty of Fisheries and Marine Science of IPB, and Yusrizal and Christina Bakkara, both from the Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences IPB.
Teuku Umar University Awards (UTU Awards) is a series of annual events organized by Teuku Umar University as a manifestation of responsibility to create and to increase the number of young entrepreneurs in Indonesian. UTU Awards is expected to be a starting point to explore the creative and innovative ideas of students, especially in the field of Agro & Marine Industries.
UTU Awards is aimed to stimulate entrepreneurship spirit for students as early as possible. The participants can participate in 5 challenges of competition that include: 1) Business Planning; 2) Online Store Design; 3) Agro Based Innovative Works; 4) Entrepreneurship-Based Research; And 5) Teuku Umar Chess. Therefore, the UTU Awards competition won’t only produces graduates who are smart but also have high competitiveness, intelligent, innovative, and high entrepreneurship spirit in themelves.
Awards Presentation Night of the 2nd UTU AWARDS was held on Saturday, 12 November 2016. The total prize money of Rp 127.5 million was awarded for 25 teams of student finalists from universities throughout Indonesian. The 2nd UTU Awards was participated by 214 student teams from universities in Indonesia. Rotating Cup presented by the Menristekdikti was brought home by Universitas Brawijaya as the overall winner of champion, they won six total points. Bogor Agricultural Institute (IPB) in second place with four points, and STAIN Tengku Dirundeng – Meulaboh in third position with three points.
Entrepreneurship-Based Superior Research Field, First Winner was University of Sumatera Utara, the Second Winner was IPB, Third Winner was Teuku Umar University, First Consolation Prize was won by IPB, and the Second Consolation Prize was won by Universitas Negeri Yogyakarta
Oki explained that for this national event the team prepared an article on "Hidrogel Superabsorben untuk Pertanian = Hydrogel Superabsorben for Agriculture". "The function of hydrogel for agriculture, especially for hydroponics culture. Hydroponic culture has developed rapidly in recent years. Different materials are used as cultural substrate and one of the most common one is perlite. Despite the beneficial properties of perlite, it has low water holding capacity (WHC). In order to improve WHC of perlite, the team utilized Hidrogel as a medium amendment on yield, water/fertilizer use efficiency and improve the yield prospective cultivated plants. Hydrogel could help farmers store water for crops. When placed near the roots of crops, the hydrogel will absorb up to 250 times its own weight in water and then will slowly release the water, allowing thirsty roots to drink what otherwise would have been lost in the soil, "he said.
Further, according to Oki, their motivation to participate under the flag of IPB in the Kemenristekdikti event was to compete with other universities throughout Indonesia. He conceptualized the competition was similar to the method they’re doing their research program. Instead of presenting and defending their project in front of their own supervisors and juries, in the Kemenristekdikti event they have to present and defend their project in front of experts from different reputable universities, i.e. in chemistry, agriculture, and technology. (Wied)
