UNAIR NEWS – A team of students from the Faculty of Advanced Technology and Multidiscipline (FTMM) Universitas Airlangga (UNAIR) has clinched first place in the International Conservation Challenge (ICC). This global competition was organized by the Chemistry Society of Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM) in collaboration with Beijing Rui Pan International Education.

Representing UNAIR as UNANO, the group consisted of Farah Nur Ramadhan, Salsabila Al’Ismail, Noval Annurrahman Putra, Khairunnisa Arifah, and Indi Anfita Afany. The competition’s theme was in line with the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 11, which focuses on Sustainable Cities and Communities. Participants in the ICC included representatives from Malaysia, Indonesia, and China.

“This competition is designed to cultivate creative and innovative thinking by leveraging scientific knowledge, particularly in chemistry, to generate sustainable ideas that enhance the social, economic, and environmental conditions of a city, ensuring a high quality of life for both current and future residents,” explained Ramadhan about the competition.

UNANO’s Innovation and Strategy
During the competition, Farah and her team presented an innovative video that resonated with the main theme, highlighting the importance of renewable energy for environmental sustainability. The team focused on solar energy, specifically solar cells, which play a crucial role in achieving SDG 11.

“Our team introduced the Bifacial CZTS-Se solar cell innovation, where the materials used in these solar cells are more environmentally friendly compared to the previous generation solar cells that utilized CIGS materials,” Ramadhan explained.

“With the primary feature of the bifacial solar cell, it can convert energy from both indoor and outdoor sources, resulting in higher efficiency when in use,” she continued.

The judges were impressed by the innovation presented by Farah and her team, which ultimately led to UNANO’s victory. Their success was attributed to their ability to articulate creative ideas that were not only relevant but also aligned with the highest-scoring evaluation criteria.

“By thoroughly understanding the judges’ criteria, we were able to identify the highest-scoring areas and focus on them. During brainstorming sessions, we shared the strongest creative ideas with the potential for successful execution,” Ramadhan concluded.

Author: Syifa Rahmadina

Editor: Edwin Fatahhudin

Source : https://unair.ac.id/en/ftmm-unano-team-wins-1st-place-at-international-conservation-challenge/