Once again, Universitas Pelita Harapan (UPH) students have demonstrated their exceptional achievements, showcasing the university’s high-quality education. Jennifer Claudia Suryadi (Biology, 2020) and Jevon Aaron Lesmana (Biology, 2019), both enrolled in the UPH Biology Study Program, received accolades at the 2023 University-level Mathematics and Natural Sciences Olympiad (ON-MIPA PT), hosted by the Ministry of Education, Culture, Research, and Technology (Kemendikburistek) from June 13-17, 2023. Jennifer earned a Silver Medal in Biology, while Jevon received an Honorable Mention in the same category. Notably, Jennifer is the sole representative from a private university to achieve a silver medal in this category. 

ON-MIPA is a university-level competition in the field of Chemistry, Physics, Biology, and Mathematics, organized by Kemendikbudristek through the Indonesian Talent Development Center (BPTI) and the National Achievement Center (Puspresnas). In the final round of ON-MIPA PT, UPH’s delegation competed against 64 other participants in the Biology category. Their success is a testament to their perseverance and diligence to prepare themselves throughout the highly competitive selection process. 

Jennifer shared her experience, stating, “The ON-MIPA competition comprises college-level, regional, and national selections. Upon passing the regional selection stage, I entered final round where I competed against 64 other finalists from universities across Indonesia. I was quite surprised with my achievement, especially considering it was my first time participating in ON-MIPA. I became the sole silver medalist from a private university in the Biology category.” 

Furthermore, Jennifer stated that her motivation for participating in this competition was driven by the desire to achieve excellence in a prestigious event like ON-MIPA. Moreover, she felt that she could gauge her abilities by competing against participants from private and state universities in Indonesia. 

In line with Jennifer, Jevon mentioned that he participated in ON-MIPA to challenge himself to excel and enhance UPH’s reputation. “I had previously participated in ON-MIPA in 2022 and won a silver medal. So, in 2023, I was motivated to participate again to achieve excellence and make our university proud,” Jevon said. 

During the final stage, Jennifer and Jevon faced challenging essay questions on topics including Cell and Molecular Biology, Genetics, Biotechnology, Anatomy-Physiology, Development and Reproduction, Biodiversity, and Ecology in a paper-based test. 

Both Jennifer and Jevon credited their success to the support of their lecturers. Jennifer noted, “Our lecturers provided valuable support from registration through the competition in Bandung. They were open to our inquiries about the topics tested in ON-MIPA. Additionally, many lecture materials proved relevant, better preparing us to answer questions.” 

Dr. Reinhard Pinontoan, Head of the Biology Study Program at UPH, expressed his pride in the two students, stating, “We are very proud of Jennifer and Jevon’s achievement. ON-MIPA is a very prestigious national competition organized by Kemendikbud, attracting participants from universities nationwide, including renowned public institutions. At UPH, we always strive to prepare and support our students to excel in their academic and non-academic aspects. We hope to maintain and further enhance our achievements in the future.” 

About UPH Biology Study Program: 

UPH Biology Study Program focuses on the medical and industrial fields. Research in the medical field includes studying fibrinolytic agents obtained from microorganisms or plants, characterizing lactic acid bacteria and other probiotic bacteria, as well as antimicrobial compounds. In the industrial and environmental sectors, our research is related to decolorizing textile dye compounds using microorganisms. Our students are equipped with both hard and soft skills to support them in solving problems in the field of biotechnology. Through these skills, students integrate theory and practice across various biotechnology fields, from basic to advanced levels. Join UPH Biology Study Program! For more information, contact the Student Consultant at 0811-1709-901 or register here.