The Faculty of Biology, Universitas Gadjah Mada (Biology UGM), through its Organic Waste Management Task Force, accepted an invitation from the Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences (FMIPA UGM) to share experiences in waste management. The session, held on Saturday (Sep. 27) at the Herman Yohannes Auditorium, was attended by lecturers, department heads, and around 90 students from the Department of Mathematics.
The event served as a platform to exchange best practices in waste management implemented within Biology UGM. The task force’s participation marked a tangible contribution to supporting the university’s sustainability program.
“We came to show how waste management can be carried out independently and sustainably,” said Dr. Dwi Umi Siswanti, Head of the Organic Waste Management Task Force.
In her presentation, Dr. Siswanti highlighted several innovations developed by faculty members and students. These included the Bio-2023 probiotic, which accelerates the composting process, biofertilizer, and eco-enzymes.
The faculty has also produced vermicompost, organic floor cleaner, and a simple chopping device to support waste processing. All these innovations have been successfully implemented on campus with concrete results.
“We want to ensure that organic waste can be transformed into useful products for the community,” she explained.
She further emphasized that waste management at the faculty is carried out based on participatory principles and applied research. Faculty members, staff, and students are actively involved in the collection, sorting, and processing stages of the project.
Students are also given the opportunity to develop new products tailored to practical needs in the field. This involvement is expected to foster both environmental awareness and hands-on skills.
“We hope that every faculty can contribute to reducing the volume of waste on campus,” Dr. Siswanti added.
The session also featured a presentation by Walyono, Head of the Sub-Directorate of Facilities and Infrastructure Maintenance at UGM’s Directorate of Assets.
He explained that UGM generates more than six tons of waste daily, comprising organic, inorganic, and residual waste. For this reason, an integrated and sustainable waste management system is essential.
Currently, waste processing is carried out independently through UGM’s Agrotechnology Innovation Center (PIAT UGM).
“We are committed to making waste management a shared responsibility of the entire academic community. Small steps taken on campus can generate a significant impact on environmental sustainability,” Walyono said.
Students of the Department of Mathematics who attended expressed great enthusiasm for the presentations. They observed that the waste management system implemented by Biology UGM could serve as a basis for mathematical modeling.
This opens opportunities for interdisciplinary collaboration between biology and mathematics in addressing real-world problems. The discussion was highly interactive, with numerous questions raised about the technical aspects of processing and the potential for future research.
As a follow-up, the students plan to create an exhibition showcasing waste management modeling projects, which will later be held as a competition.
This initiative is expected to serve as a creative learning platform while encouraging the emergence of new ideas. In this way, environmental understanding can be integrated with mathematical knowledge, demonstrating how sustainability issues can become a theme for interdisciplinary learning.
Reporter: Biology UGM
Author: Triya Andriyani
Post-editor: Rajendra Arya