Muhammad Fauzan Syahbana from the Undergraduate Education Program, Department of Physics, Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences (FMIPA), Universitas Indonesia (UI), graduated together with other UI graduates. What differentiates Syahbana—or usually called Sabana—from other graduates is that he graduated with the highest Grade Point Average (GPA), namely 3.99. When the MC mentioned that number, the room where the graduation ceremony took place on Friday (22/09/2023), namely Balairung UI, Depok Campus, roared with cheers and applause. Sabana said that although he was still grateful, he himself felt slightly disappointed with the final results of her GPA. “Why can’t it be 4?” he said, laughing.
Sabana said that his achievement index had dropped when the Covid-19 pandemic broke out, when the learning process which was initially offline changed to online. At that time, he had a little difficulty adjusting. However, despite experiencing many obstacles, Sabana did not lose his determination to continue gaining knowledge.
While studying at UI, Sabana felt very supported by the lecturers in the Physics Department who were very supportive. According to him, they are dedicated to teaching knowledge to students. “In Physics there are several specializations, I took the Nuclear Physics and Theoretical Particles specialization. Under the guidance of Prof. Dr. Drs. Terry Mart, I research meson particles, which are small particles that have a big influence on technological development, especially for the next hundreds to thousands of years,” said Sabana.
Research related to meson particles is important in nuclear studies. According to Sabana, nuclear development is necessary because humans cannot avoid using energy. Currently, 70–80% of world energy consumption is still controlled by fossil coal energy. In Indonesia alone, fossil energy use reaches 91%, consisting of oil, natural gas, and coal. Meanwhile, the other 9% is controlled by new, renewable energy such as hydropower, wind energy, and so on.
Sabana’s seriousness in this research began with his love of Physics since he was in junior high school (SMP). His biggest motivation at that time was to take part in the National Science Olympiad (OSN). He also proved his interest and won a Gold Medal at OSN 2018.
Sabana’s achievements at OSN succeeded in getting him to become a UI student through the achievement route. Even when he was in college, he still took part in various competitions and Olympics. This time, he took part in the National Mathematics and Natural Sciences Olympiad (ONMIPA) in 2020 and 2021 and succeeded in winning a Silver Medal and a Gold Medal.
Sabana hopes that in the future he can continue his education in the field of plasma physics because this science has not been studied much in Indonesia. In fact, plasma physics can be used to develop nuclear fusion reactors that combine atoms like in the sun.
“Fusion reactors will emerge as one of the cleanest, safest, and cheapest energy sources because they only require water as the main ingredient. This reactor is expected to provide great benefits while maintaining environmental sustainability. Therefore, I hope to gain this knowledge abroad, then return to Indonesia to develop it so that Indonesia can create the first nuclear fusion reactor,” said Sabana.
