Universitas Gadjah Mada (UGM) recently conferred degrees upon 1,455 postgraduate students on Wednesday, Apr. 23, 2025, including 1,263 master’s, 83 medical specialty, 17 medical subspecialty, and 92 doctoral graduates.
Dr. Dewi Agustiningsih from the Chemistry Study Program, Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences (FMIPA UGM), was recognized as the fastest and youngest doctoral graduate.
While the average duration for completing a doctoral degree at UGM is 4 years and 7 months, Dr. Agustiningsih completed hers in just 2 years, 6 months, and 13 days. She also became the youngest doctoral graduate, earning her degree at the age of 26 years and 6 months, far younger than the average age of 42 years, 6 months, and 16 days.
Her achievement is even more remarkable, considering she is now a lecturer in the Chemistry Study Program at the Bandung Institute of Technology (ITB).
Dr. Agustiningsih earned her bachelor’s degree in Chemistry from UGM in 2020 and continued her master’s and doctoral studies at the same university, completing them in 2022 and 2025, respectively.
She expressed gratitude for being able to complete her studies despite the many challenges she faced.
She began her academic journey in 2016 and received the Bidikmisi scholarship for her undergraduate education.
Upon graduation, she was awarded a scholarship under the Master’s to Doctoral Education Program for Outstanding Graduates (PMDSU), which is designed to fast-track top students through both the master’s and doctoral levels.
“Initially, I never imagined reaching the doctoral level. After finishing my bachelor’s, I was accepted into the PMDSU program, and I’m grateful for that,” said Dr. Agustiningsih on Friday, Apr. 25, 2025, at UGM.
Her biggest challenge throughout her education was economic hardship.
She shared that during her undergraduate studies, she received a monthly stipend of Rp600,000, which covered her rent, meals, and academic needs.
Despite these constraints, she never gave up. The experience taught her valuable lessons in independence and resilience, qualities that carried her through to the doctoral level.
“My motivation was simple. I just wanted to prove that an economic background does not limit someone’s dreams,” the alumna stated.
For her doctoral research, Dr. Agustiningsih focused on synthesizing and developing catalyst materials based on inorganic compounds, particularly for organic applications such as cross-coupling reactions.
She modified silica- and titania-based materials with organosilane compounds and transition metals to enhance their activity and stability as heterogeneous catalysts.
“The goal is to produce materials that can be used to synthesize important compounds through more environmentally friendly and efficient methods,” she explained.
As a lecturer, she plans to continue her research as part of fulfilling the tri-dharma responsibilities of higher education (education, research, and community service).
She aims to develop catalyst materials that are not only active but also stable under various reaction conditions.
Additionally, she hopes to explore interdisciplinary collaborations, such as those between material chemistry and environmental engineering or pharmacy, for broader scientific applications.
Looking ahead, she aspires to continue advancing her research, particularly in the fields of catalysis and material chemistry.
“I also hope to become an inspiration for students from humble backgrounds like mine, showing that no dream is too big if we have the determination and strong will to learn,” Dr. Agustiningsih concluded.
Author: Tiefany
Editor: Gusti Grehenson
Post-editor: Lintang Andwyna
Photographs: Dewi Agustiningsih