The Faculty of Agriculture, UGM, remains committed to improving the mental well-being of its academic community through Individual Counseling services, available to lecturers, educational staff and students. This initiative is part of the Faculty’s efforts to support the Health Promoting University (HPU) program within the Faculty of Agriculture UGM, which focuses on mental health.

The Individual Counseling Service provides free consultations on various topics concerning the academic community, such as career, personal life, studies, and other personal issues.

In collaboration with Puri Nirmala Hospital (RSK), the counseling service is conducted by Ratih Ratnasari S.Psi., M.Psi., Psi., a professional psychologist, ensuring that each session is effective and tailored to the individual’s needs. Dr. Desy Putri Handayani, S.Pi., Chair of the HPU at the Faculty of Agriculture UGM, expressed her support and hopes for the counseling service.

“With the availability of free consultations with psychologists, we hope that students, lecturers, or educational staff can share and discuss their issues, which can help reduce their mental burdens. With the support of Puri Nirmala’s psychological services, we can mitigate the worst outcomes that may occur if members of the academic community at the Faculty of Agriculture face mental health challenges,” Desy explained.

The counseling services are available every Monday to Friday, from 09:00 AM to 02:00 PM, at the Health Room, AGLC Building, 1st Floor. To access these services, members of the Faculty of Agriculture UGM academic community can fill out an online form through the link http://ugm.id/FapertaCounseling or contact the Faculty’s HPU Call Center (+62 811 368 875) for more information.

Through this initiative, the Faculty of Agriculture UGM hopes to create a healthier mental environment, support academic achievements, and encourage optimal personal development. The counseling service also contributes to the Faculty’s efforts to achieve SDGs such as SDG 3: Good Health and Well-being, SDG 4: Quality Education, and SDG 17: Partnerships for the Goals.

Author: Agrit Kirana Bunda
Editor: Desi Utami
Documentation: Faperta Media

On Friday, 13 September 2024, the Department of Agricultural Microbiology at Gadjah Mada University (Faperta UGM) held a guest lecture titled “Microbial and Protein Engineering in Various Industrial Applications.” The event, conducted virtually via Zoom, featured Dr. Yosephine Gumulya from the School of Agriculture and Food Sustainability, The University of Queensland, Australia, as the speaker.

The event opened with a speech from Prof. Ir. Irfan Dwidya Prijambada, M.Eng., Ph.D., who highlighted the importance of the topic in the industrial world.

“Microbial and Protein Engineering has numerous applications, especially in various industrial activities. I hope this lecture will provide new insights to students regarding microbial activities and protein engineering in the industry. I also hope this will be beneficial for the students,” said Prof. Irfan.

In her presentation, Dr. Yosephine Gumulya explained that enzyme and microbial engineering are powerful approaches to modifying proteins and microbes to meet specific needs in various industrial applications. She emphasized that this technology can be utilized in various sectors such as white biotechnology for chemical production, red biotechnology for drug production, and green biotechnology for environmental recovery and bioremediation.

Dr. Yosephine also discussed protein engineering for pharmaceutical applications, particularly in developing innovative Cytochrome P450 enzymes for drug metabolite synthesis. Additionally, she elaborated on the CLADE (Combinatorial Libraries of Ancestors for Directed Evolution) method and the development of a new ketol acid reductoisomerase enzyme.

Furthermore, Dr. Yosephine explained the potential of microbial engineering in resource recovery, such as biomining for low-grade ores, enhancing microbial resistance to environmental stress, and advanced applications in space exploration. She also discussed engineered microbes for food applications, including plant-based milk alternatives, plant-based yogurt, and plant fermentation.

The guest lecture was interactive and lively, as many students and faculty members actively participated in the Q&A session. Dr. Yosephine concluded her presentation with a message for the participants.

“Enzyme and microbial engineering is a powerful approach to harnessing proteins and microbes to meet specific needs in various industrial applications,” Dr. Yosephine emphasized.

This guest lecture provided students with new and in-depth insights into the applications of microbial and protein engineering across various industrial sectors, including pharmaceuticals, biotechnology, and food processing. The event also supports the achievement of several SDGs, namely SDG 4: Quality Education, SDG 9: Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure, SDG 15: Life on Land, and SDG 17: Partnerships for the Goals.

Author: Agrit Kirana Bunda
Editor: Desi Utami
Documentation: Department of Agricultural Microbiology

On Saturday, 21 September 2024, the Faculty of Agriculture at Gadjah Mada University (UGM) hosted the 14th National Agricultural Research Seminar with the theme “Optimization of Land Use and Adaptation to Global Climate Change for Achieving Food Sovereignty.” This seminar was part of the 78th Anniversary celebration of the Faculty of Agriculture at UGM. The seminar featured presentations from various researchers, divided into several parallel sessions, one of which focused on agricultural cultivation.

In the agricultural cultivation session, participants were split into two classes, each with 25 members from agricultural cultivation fields. The session focused on topics such as crop production and productivity, crop resistance, organic material application, growth responses, cropping systems, and more related to agricultural cultivation. Several abstracts were presented as part of the materials for the parallel session, serving as guides for participants and speakers during presentations and discussions. These abstracts were based on research conducted by faculty members from the Department of Agricultural Cultivation, Faculty of Agriculture, UGM.

One of the key research topics discussed was a study titled “Effect of Different Types of Organic Materials on the Growth and Yield of Shallots (Allium cepa L. Aggregatum group),” written by Barra Surya Baskara, Endang Sulistyaningsih, and Rudi Hari Murti. The research was prompted by the declining soil quality due to the continuous use of inorganic fertilizers. The addition of organic fertilizers to the shallot planting media was expected to improve the soil quality. The study aimed to examine the effect of various organic materials on the growth and yield of shallots.

“The results showed that the application of pine needles and corn leaves had no significant difference compared to the control, but it demonstrated better results for fresh root weight at 8 weeks after planting (WAP), dry root weight at 6 WAP, dry root weight at 8 WAP, fresh top weight at 6 WAP, dry top weight at 6 WAP, leaf area at 6 WAP, bulb diameter, and productivity, with a 3.1% increase for corn leaves and 1.1% for pine needles. Thus, the use of organic fertilizers from pine needles and corn leaves has the potential to improve shallot productivity,” said the authors.

Through this event, the Faculty of Agriculture at UGM contributed to the achievement of several Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), including SDG 1: No Poverty, SDG 2: Zero Hunger, SDG 3: Good Health and Well-Being, SDG 4: Quality Education, SDG 13: Climate Action, SDG 15: Life on Land, and SDG 17: Partnerships for the Goals.

Author: Wilhelmina Alexandra Valmay Putri Aberth & Agrit Kirana Bunda
Editor: Desi Utami
Photos: Media Faperta UGM