The Department of Mechanical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Universitas Indonesia (FTUI), held the Mechanical Doctoral Conference (MDC) 2025 at the Integrated Creative Engineering Learning Laboratory (ICELL) Building, FTUI (August 20). The conference served as a forum for doctoral students to evaluate their research progress while enhancing the overall quality of research in the field of mechanical engineering.
Previously, doctoral research evaluations were conducted through periodic colloquia, which included weekly or monthly presentations. However, this method was considered less effective, prompting the Department of Mechanical Engineering to design a more structured mini conference. This year, MDC was attended by approximately 70 doctoral students from the 2019–2025 cohorts, divided into two formats: oral presentation sessions for students with completed research results, and poster sessions for those still in the research planning stage before their proposal examinations.
The event opened with remarks by Dr. Agus Sunjarianto Pamitran, S.T., M.Eng., Head of the Department of Mechanical Engineering FTUI, who stated,
“The Mechanical Doctoral Conference plays a strategic role as a platform for doctoral students to present and further develop the quality of their research. I hope this event will be utilized optimally, not only to showcase research achievements but also as a moment to strengthen motivation and commitment in pursuing doctoral studies. The success of the Ph.D. program is closely linked to the progress and quality of its students’ research. Therefore, we will continue to hold this conference annually as a means of evaluation, monitoring, and research quality enhancement at the Department of Mechanical Engineering FTUI.”
Echoing this, Prof. Dr. Ir. Yanuar, M.Eng., M.Sc., Vice Dean for Education, Research, and Student Affairs of FTUI, added,
“The Mechanical Doctoral Conference is not only an evaluation forum but also an academic learning space. Students can inspire one another, gain constructive feedback, and build scholarly networks that will support their research journey. This is the added value that distinguishes MDC from a regular presentation forum.”
In addition to student presentations, MDC 2025 featured a keynote speech by Dr. Zulkifar Yurnaidi, Head of Energy Modelling and Policy Planning at the ASEAN Centre for Energy (ACE), on the topic “Navigating ASEAN Energy Transition: Data and Modeling in Policy Making,” moderated by Dr. Eng. Radon Dhelika, Lecturer at the Department of Mechanical Engineering. In his presentation, Dr. Zulkifar highlighted the major challenges in ASEAN’s energy transition, including the dominance of fossil fuels in the transport and industrial sectors, as well as the disparity in energy access among countries. He emphasized the need for stronger policy strategies, encompassing energy efficiency improvement, electrification, diversification of renewable energy sources, and modernization of power grids. He further underscored that triple helix collaboration between government, academia, and the private sector is key to achieving ASEAN’s carbon neutrality targets by 2050–2060.
This year, MDC focused doctoral research discussions on four main themes: Energy Conversion & Conservation, Mechanical Building, Manufacture & Automation, and Naval Architecture & Marine Engineering. Through this conference, the Department of Mechanical Engineering FTUI aims to comprehensively map the progress of doctoral research. Active student participation also enables the department to ensure the maintenance of academic standards, research quality, and the excellence of doctoral graduates.
Commenting on the event, Prof. Kemas Ridwan Kurniawan, S.T., M.Sc., Ph.D., Dean of FTUI, stated,
“The Mechanical Doctoral Conference provides a tangible contribution to ensuring the quality of doctoral research at FTUI. Through this forum, students’ research progress can be systematically monitored while maintaining the academic standards of our doctoral program. FTUI will continue to support the development of MDC into a more comprehensive academic forum, including through submission and proceedings publication processes, so that students’ research outcomes can be properly documented and disseminated at both national and international levels.”
***
Public Communication Office
Faculty of Engineering, Universitas Indonesia
