Banda Aceh, May 14, 2025 – Students from the Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences (FMIPA) at Universitas Syiah Kuala have once again demonstrated their excellence on the national stage. Two teams from FMIPA successfully secured third place in two prestigious national essay competitions, adding to the long list of proud achievements of this blue-and-yellow faculty.
The first team, consisting of Muhammad Yaumil Akram and Utari Mulya Agustin, won 3rd place in the Dewantara Essay Competition (DEC) 2. This competition is widely recognized in academic circles as a platform for students to express critical and solution-oriented ideas on various educational issues in Indonesia. Their innovative topic caught the judges’ attention and led them to the winners’ podium.
Another proud achievement came from a team of students from Universitas Syiah Kuala (USK). A collaborative team from FMIPA and the Faculty of Nursing earned the Bronze Medal (3rd Place Nationally) in the same Dewantara Essay Competition (DEC) 2, held at Universitas Dhyana Pura, Bali, on May 10–11, 2025.
This national essay competition, now in its second year, has become a prestigious event that brings together innovative ideas from students across Indonesia. This year, the USK team raised an environmental theme, highlighting the recycling of organic fruit peels into high-value alternative materials in the form of ECO print. Their essay addressed the untapped potential of organic waste and proposed the use of fruit peels as natural materials in the environmentally friendly creative industry.
The award-winning team consisted of Utari Mulya Agustin from the Biology Department of FMIPA USK and Muhammad Yaumil Akram from the Faculty of Nursing USK. Their innovative and applicable solution impressed the judges, earning them the Bronze Medal in the national-level essay category.
“This achievement shows that interdisciplinary collaboration can produce outstanding ideas that contribute meaningfully to environmental issues,” said one of the team’s advisors.
This victory is not only a source of pride for their respective faculties but also serves as proof that USK students remain actively engaged and competitive at the national level in academic and scientific fields.
Equally impressive, a student named Nayla also secured 3rd place in the Essay Competition of the Andalas Scientific Week (Pekan Ilmiah Andalas). With her essay addressing creative solutions to social and environmental issues, Nayla stood out among hundreds of participants from various universities across Indonesia. She was also awarded a bronze medal in recognition of her accomplishment.
These two achievements reflect the spirit and intellectual quality of FMIPA Unsyiah students in national-level competitions. The faculty expressed their highest appreciation for these outstanding accomplishments.
“We are extremely proud of our students’ achievements. These accomplishments are not only personal milestones for them but also serve as motivation for other students to continue creating and bringing pride to our alma mater,” said the Dean of FMIPA in a statement.
The continuous stream of achievements by FMIPA Unsyiah students is solid evidence that scientific spirit, dedication, and hard work can empower the younger generation to become agents of change who bring positive impact to the wider community.
