Informatics Engineering – 2009

Staff Research Scientist at Google DeepMind

My time at IF ITB was an intellectually stimulating journey that also played a significant role in shaping my personal growth. Beyond gaining a strong academic foundation through my coursework and final project in artificial intelligence, at a time when the field was not yet as popular as it is today, I learned tremendously from my active involvement in the Informatics Student Union HMIF ITB. The late nights I spent on campus with friends, whether for student union meetings, completing countless coding assignments, or simply enjoying each other’s company, remain some of my most cherished memories.

My first experience implementing an AI project in natural language processing for the Indonesian language, under the supervision of Bu Ayu Purwarianti, marked a pivotal moment in my journey. That project not only strengthened my technical expertise but also cemented my passion for artificial intelligence and machine learning. It became the foundation of my professional path and eventually led me to a career as a senior researcher in artificial intelligence, a field I continue to pursue today.

Informatics Engineering – 2019

Scholarship at the Department of Information and Communication Engineering at the University of Tokyo through the MEXT Research Students program.

As an Informatics student at STEI ITB, I had the opportunity to explore my career interests and grow my academic portfolio beyond what I imagined possible when I first joined. I had been developing advanced practical and theoretical knowledge of machine learning through the assigned coursework, but my most valuable experience at IF was the opportunity to do research outside of the curriculum. During my third year, there was an opening for the position of research assistant in a quantum natural language processing research project. I did not have any prior knowledge in quantum computing, but the listing was very accommodating to students with zero experience. I took my chance and applied, and was excited to find out I had been selected as one of the research assistants under the supervision of Bu Fariska Ruskanda along with Pak Infall Syafalni, Pak Rahmat Mulyawan, and Bu Harashta Tatimma Larasati.

It took time to adapt, but I found myself enjoying learning quantum computing under the guidance of my professors. I committed to studying quantum computing and continued the research theme in my Bachelor’s final project under Bu Fariska’s supervision.

After graduation, I worked closely with Pak Infall and Bu Fariska to polish the research and get it published. They strongly supported my intention to pursue a higher education in quantum information and provided resources for programs abroad. I am certain my invaluable experience as research assistant and the research portfolio of conference papers and journal articles I published with my professors helped my applications get considered by professors abroad, which eventually landed me a scholarship at the Department of Information and Communication Engineering at the University of Tokyo through the MEXT Research Students program. I deeply cherish my irreplaceable time at IF, without which I never would have discovered this career path.