Desita Kamila Ulfa Successfully Defends Her Thesis Before the Examiners

Wednesday, July 28, 2021, marked the final day of the thesis defense schedule for first-wave Master’s students seeking a Master of Science (M.Sc.) degree. This included Desita Kamila Ulfa, who completed her thesis titled “Synthesis of Copper Carbon Dots (Cu-CDs) by Pyrolysis Method for Histamine Detection via UV-Vis Spectrophotometry.” The thesis defense was chaired by Mr. Mochamad Zakki Fahmi, M.Sc., Ph.D., alongside the examination team consisting of Dr. Miratul Khasanah, M.Sc., Prof. Dr. Afaf Baktir, M.Sc., Yanuardi Raharjo, M.Sc., Ph.D., and Satya Candra Wibawa Sakti, M.Sc., Ph.D. The defense was conducted online via Zoom, beginning at 9:40 AM and concluding at 11:40 AM WIB.

The session began with an opening by the head examiner, Mr. Zakki, followed by a 20-minute presentation by the student and then a discussion. The presented material was very engaging, highlighting both its strengths and weaknesses. Based on the material presented, the student developed a nanomaterial-based substance, copper carbon dots (Cu-CDs), applied for histamine detection. This development is highly beneficial for food quality control processes, especially in seafood like fish. During the discussion, the examiners posed questions and sought clarification on Desita’s presentation. They also provided numerous suggestions and recommendations for further research improvement and development.

The examiners conveyed several important messages. They emphasized that in research, it is normal to encounter unexpected outcomes, but one should remain confident in their results. This confidence helps in learning from mistakes and understanding errors. Furthermore, they stressed that even though research often focuses on laboratory work, theoretical knowledge provided by professors should not be forgotten. Hence, the learning process, whether from laboratory experience or during lectures, should be well-utilized to gain valuable insights.