Universitas Gadjah Mada (UGM) has just conferred degrees on 1,061 postgraduate graduates, comprising 825 master’s graduates, 118 specialist graduates, 14 subspecialist graduates, and 104 doctoral graduates, as well as 13 graduates from previous periods. Among the doctoral graduates is Dea Angelia Kamil from the Doctoral Program in Computer Science at the Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences (FMIPA UGM). Notably, Dea earned her doctoral degree at a remarkably young age (26 years, 11 months, and 17 days), well below the average age of doctoral graduates (40 years, 5 months, and 15 days).
Dea shared that her outstanding achievement at a young age was made possible through careful preparation and scholarship support. Being recognized as the youngest doctoral graduate was the result of participating in an acceleration program during her senior high school years.
Later, when she enrolled in a master’s program, she successfully received the Magister-to-Doctorate Scholarship for Outstanding Bachelor’s Graduates (PMDSU).
“I was able to complete my master’s and doctoral studies in approximately four years,” she said on Thursday (Jan. 22).
Driven by her long-standing interest in computation since her undergraduate studies, Dea decided to transition from Mathematics to Computer Science to further specialize in Machine Learning and Artificial Intelligence (AI).
“I became interested in machine learning and AI because I was introduced to these subjects during my undergraduate studies. I wanted to focus more deeply on this field, so I chose Computer Science at UGM to continue my education,” she explained.
Dea recalled that one of the most memorable experiences during her studies was participating in the International Publication Quality Improvement Program (PKPI) for PMDSU students. During her doctoral studies, she had the opportunity to conduct research in South Korea.
“Participating in PKPI was a very impressive experience for me. At that time, I conducted research at the University of Ulsan on intelligent transportation systems, particularly vehicle speed estimation. I developed a system that operates automatically, thereby significantly minimizing manual intervention,” she elaborated.
Furthermore, for the Lamongan-born doctoral graduate, pursuing a doctoral program while taking advantage of the PKPI opportunity in South Korea was not merely an academic endeavor, but also a test of resilience.
She acknowledged that the intense work rhythm and extreme weather conditions posed major challenges.
“The work ethic was very disciplined, from Monday to Friday. Even Saturdays were filled with seminars and supervision sessions with professors. The challenge became even more pronounced when adapting to the unexpectedly harsh winter,” she recalled.
Dea emphasized that her academic accomplishments were inseparable from the support of a highly encouraging environment. Her joy was made even more complete as her husband, who is also her peer in the PMDSU program, was conferred his degree at the same graduation ceremony.
In addition to family support, she highlighted the significant role of her fellow research colleagues under the supervision of Professor Agus Harjoko at the Electronics and Instrumentation Laboratory, who provided substantial support throughout the research process.
“The learning community here is very positive, especially my laboratory colleagues whom I meet every day and with whom I regularly hold weekly discussions,” she said.
Concluding her story, Dea shared a reflective message for those aspiring to pursue a similar academic path. She reminded prospective doctoral candidates that undertaking doctoral studies requires strong mental preparedness.
“Chase your dreams, but it is important to understand that the PhD journey comes with its own challenges, such as publication demands and lengthy research processes. There is a saying that ‘a PhD is not for everyone,’ but once you find your path, every step of the process will feel deeply worthwhile,” she concluded.
Author: Aldi Firmansyah
Editor: Gusti Grehenson
Post-editor: Rajendra Arya
Photographs: Dea Angelia Kamil