UNS – Two students from the Chemical Engineering Program at the Faculty of Engineering, Universitas Sebelas Maret (UNS) Surakarta, have achieved first place in the essay competition at the Bidikmisi Institut Teknologi Sepuluh Nopember (BIMITS) Science Week 2024. Team Alelopati, comprising Muhammad Parhan and Bayu Akbarul Ihsan, secured the title after delivering their final presentation in person at Theater B, Institut Teknologi Sepuluh Nopember (ITS), on Sunday (24/11/2024).

The competition required participants to go through several stages, including idea submission, developing an innovation framework, evaluating their innovation with guidance from Dr. Joko Waluyo, S.T., M.T., drafting a report, and finalizing it for submission.

The UNS team presented an innovation titled “CO2 Gas Sensor Based on Carbon Nanotube Derived from Polyethylene Terephthalate Waste for Environmental Air Monitoring to Support SDGs 2030.” This topic aligned with the competition’s theme, “Utilizing Digital Technology for Environmental Monitoring.”

“Our essay innovation discusses the use of Polyethylene Terephthalate waste, commonly found in bottles, processed into carbon nanotubes through pyrolysis and Chemical Vapor Deposition. These nanotubes serve as sensor membranes due to their extensive surface area and excellent conductivity, making them suitable for CO2 sensor applications,” Parhan explained to uns.ac.id on Thursday (28/11/2024).

BIMITS Science Week 2024 is a scientific event organized by the Scientific Department of Bidikmisi, Institut Teknologi Sepuluh Nopember (ITS). Its National Essay Competition, a highlight of the event, focuses on written works in essay format targeting university students nationwide. The 2024 theme emphasized the role of digital technology in environmental monitoring. The competition consisted of an online essay selection and an offline final round held at ITS Surabaya.

Parhan expressed gratitude for the team’s achievement. “We are very thankful for this accomplishment. Our team gave its best effort, from brainstorming ideas to presenting our final work offline, which allowed us to achieve this outstanding result,” he shared.

He also hopes their success will inspire others to engage in positive activities. “I hope this motivates our peers to pursue skill-building and knowledge-enhancing activities, such as writing essays or scientific works,” he added.

Team Alelopati’s achievement highlights their ability to create environmentally beneficial innovations aligned with Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) 9 and 13. These goals emphasize advancing technology and innovation while ensuring sustainability and addressing climate change mitigation.

HUMAS UNS