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DITMAWALUMNI USU – Students from the Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences (FMIPA) at Universitas Sumatera Utara (USU) once again achieved an outstanding accomplishment at the national level. A student team from the Chemistry Study Program at FMIPA USU won Third Place nationally in the Student Palm Oil Research Competition and also received the Best Poster award in the Bioenergy category at the 2026 Palm Oil Research Week (PERISAI), organized by the Palm Oil Plantation Fund Management Agency (BPDP Sawit).
The event was held on July 20–21, 2026, at Hotel Borobudur Jakarta. The achievement marks a proud accomplishment for USU, particularly FMIPA, in a research competition that brought together students from universities across Indonesia.
The team, named IONEX – Smart Energy High Capacity, was led by Desti Damai Hati Gea, an undergraduate Chemistry student from the 2023 cohort, with members Fairutzh Divhany Akbar, Khalya Rosida Amri, and Tio Roito Siregar, all of whom are Chemistry students at FMIPA USU. The team was supervised by Dr. Ir. Zikri Noer, S.Si., M.Si., a lecturer in the Physics Study Program at FMIPA USU.
For the competition, the IONEX team presented research entitled “Synthesis of GQD Based on Empty Fruit Bunches as a Lithium-Ion Battery Anode to Improve Electrochemical Performance.” The research explores the utilization of empty oil palm fruit bunch waste as an energy-based material, particularly to support the development of lithium-ion battery technology.
The team's journey to the final round involved a highly competitive selection process. Of the 1,433 proposals submitted nationwide, the FMIPA USU team's research proposal was among the 40 proposals selected to receive research funding. Following the research phase and subsequent selection rounds, the team advanced to the Top 10 finalists and ultimately won Third Place nationally in the Student Palm Oil Research Competition.
In addition to winning Third Place, the IONEX team received the Best Poster Award in the Bioenergy category. The award recognized the team's ability to present its research findings in an informative, communicative, and engaging manner, while also demonstrating the relevance of its research to the development of palm oil-based energy.
The achievement demonstrates the ability of FMIPA USU students to produce innovative research utilizing local resources, particularly palm oil, to address challenges in the energy sector. The use of empty palm oil fruit bunches as a material for battery development also represents an effort to create added value and promote the sustainability of the palm oil industry through research- and technology-based approaches.
The IONEX team's achievement is expected to motivate USU students to continue developing innovative research and contributing to solutions for various national development challenges. The accomplishment also reinforces USU's commitment to fostering a culture of student research and innovation while strengthening the competitiveness of its academic community at the national level.