My name is Muhammad Ikhlas Abdjan, a native of Ternate City, North Maluku Province. I currently work as a lecturer in the Chemistry Study Program, Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences, State University of Surabaya (UNESA). I pursued my master’s degree from 2019 to 2021 in the Chemistry Study Program, Faculty of Science and Technology, Airlangga University, under the supervision of Dr. Imam Siswanto, M.Si., and Prof. Dr. Nanik Siti Aminah, M.Si., with a research focus on computational chemistry. My research area is centered on drug discovery using computational techniques, including quantum modeling, 2D/3D QSAR, molecular docking, and molecular dynamics simulation.

During my master’s studies, I had the opportunity to receive a five-month internship scholarship at Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok, Thailand, under the ASEAN and NON-ASEAN Program. This experience aimed to enhance my knowledge in computational chemistry, which I specialized in during my master’s studies. As a result, the quality of research produced met scientific standards and was competitive at an international level. Additionally, my research during my master’s program was successfully presented at international seminars and published in reputable international journals indexed by SCOPUS and/or WOS. Several research papers were published in renowned publishers such as the Royal Society of Chemistry and Elsevier, with a total of four Q1-category papers. Furthermore, one of my publications in the Royal Society of Chemistry Advances (Q1) journal, titled “Exploration of stilbenoid trimers as potential inhibitors of sirtuin1 enzyme using a molecular docking and molecular dynamics simulation approach,” was selected as part of the Hot Article Collection by RSC Advances in 2021.

These achievements were made possible thanks to the support of my supervisors and the Master of Chemistry Study Program at Airlangga University, which provided essential facilities and resources. Throughout my studies, the program fully supported students in academic and research activities at both national and international levels. I firmly believe that choosing to pursue my master’s degree in chemistry at Airlangga University was the right decision. The program’s excellent facilities and faculty members have a strong reputation both nationally and internationally. Moreover, the study program frequently offers internship opportunities and international research collaborations, allowing students to gain high-quality learning experiences. These aspects provide significant advantages for students seeking to develop strong research skills.