Muhammad Faza Abel Jonggara Marpaung, student at ITB
Jakarta, IO – Muhammad Faza Abel Jonggara Marpaung is an Indonesian student currently pursuing study in Applied Mechanical Engineering at Coventry University, England.
Faza joined the International Double-Degree Program from the Aerospace Engineering and Mechanical Engineering Program at the Faculty of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering of Bandung Institute of Technology (FTMD ITB).
This double-degree program is a collaboration between FTMD ITB and university partners abroad. For Faza, this program gives him the opportunity to study at ITB and Coventry University.
Faza shared many experiences while studying and living abroad. Where he lives, he recognizes differences between living in England and Indonesia, such as the absence of the calls to prayer (adzan) he always heard when living in Indonesia. Unlike in Indonesia, where mosques are usually near, the nearest mosque for Friday prayers in Coventry is 3 km from his apartment, and it costs quite a sum to reach it. Therefore, Friday prayers are often performed on the basketball court.
Faza also shares how he enjoys using public transportation facilities to travel to other cities. He suggests that those who want to come to England buy a Railcard to get discounts of up to 50% for train travel. However, train trips in England are often delayed or canceled. So, this should be taken into consideration when deciding to continue education in England.
Faza pointed out another staggering difference between England and Indonesia – the temperature. “It’s freezing cold here (in Coventry), only 7 degrees Celsius now,” said Faza during an online interview with the official ITB website on Friday, Mar 1.
In terms of culture, Faza, who is a Muslim of Javanese and Bataknese blood, has never encountered any racism. “In fact, the British people are quite tolerant. It’s not as bad as what’s on the news,” he said. He shared that he was pretty close with the friendly cafe owner at the Inverness Station.
Regarding the language barrier, Faza admitted that it could be challenging to understand the different accents in England. According to studiessmarter.co.uk, more than 40 accents are spoken in England. However, this did not deter his enthusiasm for gaining valuable experience while living and studying in the UK.
Amid his busy life, Faza, who has won various awards in aviation, is focused on his final assignment, “Simulation of Aircraft Safety Strategies for Vicinity Drone Operations”.
In his research, he attempts to create solutions to prevent drone intrusion into restricted airport areas. This research is nothing new for Faza as he has accomplishedly published two papers at the 2022 and 2023 IEEE International Conference on Aerospace Electronics and Remote Sensing Technology (ICARES): “Evaluation of Wing Gap Variation on Box Wing UAV with Computational Fluid Dynamics” and “CFD-Based Evaluation of Wingtip Device by Trailing Edge Curve Variation on Low Reynolds UAV”.
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Faza has become an outstanding role model for students at ITB and throughout Indonesia. The experience he gained at Coventry University not only enriched his knowledge in mechanical and aerospace engineering but also honed his adaptation and resilience skills in facing diverse challenges in the international environment.
With the experiences and lessons he has gained, Faza is ready to return to his homeland and contribute to developing science and technology in Indonesia. His enthusiasm for pursuing dreams and facing challenges is an inspiration for many. (*/rp)
