On Friday, November 22, 2024, the Department of Chemical Engineering at Universitas Brawijaya held a Guest Lecture in the Auditorium Prof. Ir. Suryono, 2nd Floor of the Dean’s Building, Faculty of Engineering. The lecture was themed “Exploration and Processing of Indonesia’s Natural Resources” and featured two experts in their respective fields to provide direct insight to students.

The first expert invited was Moch. Dimas Khoirul Umam, S.T., Supervisor of Fermentation and Refinery Engineer at PT. Energi Agro Nusantara (ENERO), who shared knowledge about ethanol fermentation engineering processes and bioethanol production. The second speaker, Dr. Eng. Aditya Farhan Arif, Department Head of Corporate Planning and Technology Development at PT. Mineral Industri Indonesia (MIND ID), discussed the management and processing of Indonesia’s mineral resources.

The event was attended by students from the 2021 to 2024 cohorts, as well as the Chair of the Department of Chemical Engineering, Ir. Moh. Sholichin, M.T., Ph.D., IPU., ASEAN.Eng., who in his opening speech explained that guest lectures are an annual agenda aimed at providing students with opportunities to learn more about the industrial world. The guest lecture was officially opened by the Vice Dean for Academics, Dr.Eng. Ir. Indradi Wijatmiko, S.T., M.Eng.(Prac), who also expressed appreciation for the success of the Department of Chemical Engineering in maintaining its top ranking and active engagement in various activities.

The first session featured Pak Dimas, who presented on Ethanol Fermentation Engineering, including the Fermentation Unit Production Process, Purification Fundamentals, and an Overview of the Refinery Unit. The material was highly relevant to the processing industry, particularly in bioethanol production from molasses and biogas. Students were expected to gain a deeper understanding of the application of technology in the actual processing industry.

In the second session, Pak Aditya presented on “Critical Minerals-Based Advanced Materials All-Around: Global Outlook, Value Chain, and Industrialization”. This session covered the management of Indonesia’s mineral and coal wealth, as well as how mineral processing industries can operate efficiently. This material provided students with an in-depth understanding of the challenges and opportunities in managing natural resources in Indonesia, specifically in mining and mineral processing industries.

Through this guest lecture, it is hoped that students will not only gain theoretical knowledge but also a better understanding of the application of production process technologies in the industry. The experiences shared by both experts are expected to enhance students’ competencies in facing the industrial world, especially in the field of natural resource processing.