Researcher - National Research and Innovation Agency (Republic of Indonesia)

The teaching faculty/lecturers, supervisors, and my personal tutor were always friendly, helpful, open-minded, and provided me with a lot of insights and advice. It was truly something very valuable in my life. The knowledge gained from those experiences proved to be immensely beneficial when I came back to Indonesia to work as a researcher and a member of the engineering staff.

 

What did you do when you graduated?

I have been a civil servant at the National Research and Innovation Agency in the Republic of Indonesia for six years. Whilst working here, I was given an opportunity to pursue international studies to help broaden my expertise in a specific field. Following my graduation from The University of Nottingham with a Master’s degree in Chemical Engineering, I returned to my role as Researcher at the National Research and Innovation Agency. My primary areas of research focus on bioprocess engineering and bioenergy. 

Where did your career take you next?

Whilst studying my MSc in Chemical Engineering, I learned about various aspects of engineering design and advanced chemical engineering subjects that are crucial for a researcher like me, who specializes in factory design and laboratory-scale research. I also had the opportunity to conduct research during my studies, focusing on the topic of biorefinery. After returning to work at the National Research and Innovation Agency, I joined a biorefinery research group that focuses on the development of renewable energy, process optimization, and catalyst exploration. As a Researcher, I am contributing to both my institution and my country. 

What's your favourite thing about your job?

My job as a Researcher is interesting as it involves maintaining self-consistency in discovering new things, learning new concepts, and producing bioenergy from a small scale to expand it into a larger scale. The topic of bioenergy is currently highly prioritized in my country because it is related to the government's program to address the achievement of Net Zero emissions to prevent greenhouse effects on climate change. 

How did your time at university help shape your career?   

During my studies at The University of Nottingham, I gained a wealth of new knowledge in specific fields that were highly relevant to my work in Indonesia, such as advanced chemical engineering, advanced reaction engineering, advanced rheology and materials, and process synthesis design. Most importantly, the collaborative working environment - in modules like accelerated design training, MSc projects, and several other subjects - helped me hone my interpersonal and communication skills, enhance my potential to work effectively in teams, learn accountability, and enrich my understanding of chemical plant design concepts.  

The teaching faculty/lecturers, supervisors, and my personal tutor were always friendly, helpful, open-minded, and provided me with a lot of insights and advice. It was truly something very valuable in my life. The knowledge gained from those experiences proved to be immensely beneficial when I came back to Indonesia to work as a researcher and a member of the engineering staff. 

Why do you think studying at University of Nottingham has made a difference to your career? 

By studying abroad, I gained many exciting and incredibly valuable experiences that I hadn't encountered before in my own country. I learned about new cultures, adapted to various personalities, and made friends with diverse cultural and linguistic backgrounds - that's truly amazing. 

What has your University of Nottingham experience meant to you?  

I believe that all the experiences I’ve had here have helped me to become a more mature person and remind me to be grateful and strive to do something better and contribute to my own country. 

I found that making friends with people from various backgrounds and communicating with lecturers, researchers and supervisors are things I must continually develop. I realised that learning English is a fun thing. I keep learning to improve my language skills, not only in conversation but also in writing, listening, and reading because all of these are crucial in supporting my career and fostering collaboration with colleagues from abroad. To this day, I’m still in touch with my former supervisors about the possibility of collaborating on research projects in the future.